Page 14 of The Sasquatch and the Hairdresser

I enjoy Hal’s attentive care toward me and Astraea. It’s part of who he is. So I don’t know why it bothers me now that it’s directed at the police chief.

Is Hal interested in him?

Not liking the direction of my thoughts, I frown and drain the rest of my coffee. “Thanks for breakfast, Hal. It was real fucking good, as always. Gotta head down to the shop to help with some of the renovation details today. I’ll be back by dinnertime.”

Once again, Hal favors me with a warm, sunny smile. “Sounds good. I’m making my famous meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy tonight. You won’t want to miss it.”

Baxter licks his lips. “Meatloaf night, huh? How can I get an invite to that?”

I don’t wait to hear Hal’s answer as I book it. For some reason, the idea of Baxter joining us for dinner creates an unpleasant churning sensation in my gut that I try to ignore as I flee the B&B.

CHAPTER FOUR

Cryptids United in Delightful Dating and Love Encouragement (CUDDLE) Forum

SuperShySasquatch: Have any of you ever pursued or dated a human before?

LoungeSingerLizardMan: Oooh! Do I have some stories I could tell. Suffice to say, none of those relationships ever worked out for me. I think sometimes we are just an exotic novelty that humans want to have fun with but not ever get serious about.

YetiOrNotHereICome: Way to be a downer right out the gate, man.

LoungeSingerLizardMan: Hey, I just tell it like it is. I have the scars on my heart to prove the truth of it.

MerMagicMan: I had a whirlwind romance with a sea captain many years ago. We cared deeply for each other, but our differences forced us apart in the end. I don’t regret it and still think of him fondly, but I’ve steered clear of human lovers ever since.

IPutTheBrahInChupacabra: There are definitely a lot of challenges in being with a human lover. I think the best thing is to maintain open and direct communication from the start. If there’s someone you’re interested in, be upfront about it. See if they’re willing to explore a relationship with you. Even if they do, there’s no guarantee that it will work out in the long term, but such is the case with any relationship.

NessieNeedsLoveToo: I guess I’m an eternal optimist. I’ve had human lovers and we always had a fun time together. None of them were ever super serious relationships though. I suppose a lot depends on what you’re looking for. Are you okay with something casual? Or are you only interested in commitment and monogamy?

SuperShySasquatch: I’m only interested in something serious with this person. I guess I’m going to have to be brave and go for it. Carpe diem and all that jazz. *Gulp

Hal

“He sure blew out of here in a hurry,” Baxter says when we hear the front door shut behind Skylar.

That makes me frown. “I hope we didn’t say something to offend him.”

Astraea studies me with a mysterious glint in her eyes and then smiles brightly. “Don’t worry. It isn’t anything you need to be bothered by.” She gets up and rinses her coffee cup in the sink. “I really need to be going as well. So much to do, so little time.” She arches an eyebrow at Baxter. “Shall we go check on you-know-what?”

Baxter’s mouth sets in a firm line, and he gives a tight nod. “Let’s go.”

In a flash, they’re both gone too. I’m left alone and all kinds of confused.

“Not the time, Hal,” I tell myself. “You need to get this kitchen cleaned up and get on with your day as well.”

Once I have everything spick-and-span, I put on my errands apron and get ready to go into town. The Harvest Festival is nearly upon us, and everyone in Mystic Hollow is getting geared up for it.

As I turn down Main Street, I see the large banner announcing the festival anchored to light posts on opposite sides of the street and hanging high above the ground. The shopfront windows of local businesses are decked out for fall and have posters promoting the festival and its events plastered where folks can easily see them. The Harvest Festival in Mystic Hollow always happens in late October and runs for three days. It’s the biggest fall event in town, and one that we all look forward to.

Anticipatory energy fills the air, and even though I’m extra busy as one of the organizing committee members, I’m just as giddy as everyone else for the festival to start. It’s a special time of year when the whole town comes together to celebrate the season as well as the amazing community we’ve all built here in Mystic Hollow. Even our more reclusive residents tend to make a public appearance for Harvest Festival. My chest swells with pride just thinking about how so many friends work with me to make this event special and meaningful every year.

It’s late September now and prominent signs of autumn are all around. The air has turned brisk and cool, and the leaves are starting to turn a colorful array of golds and reds. Already, I’m eagerly awaiting cozy fall nights curled up at home with a blanket, a cup of hot chocolate, and the latest romance novel to catch my fancy.

Maybe you could ditch the book and cuddle with Skylar under a blanket…

I push that overly optimistic notion aside. While I won’t deny my attraction to Skylar, I haven’t gotten any signals that it’s more than one-sided. But I’m used to that by now. Long before my silly little fanboy crush on Ryder, I’d met a few different individuals I’d been interested in, but nothing ever came from those brief flirtations. Either they weren’t interested from the start, or they lost interest when I was open with them about being asexual. Turns out most folks consider sex essential in their romantic relationships, and I wasn’t going to be able to give them what they needed.

Maybe I should write a Lonely Hearts ad in the regional Otherkind newspaper? Lonesome, ace sasquatch seeking romantic partner who likes to cuddle, go for long walks, and read books to each other.