Page 47 of The Sasquatch and the Hairdresser

I’m realizing now that failing to advertise outside of Mystic Hollow was probably a major oversight. The festival is mainly a celebration for the whole town, but it’s also an opportunity to help our local businesses if we attract tourists coming just for the event, and I’m sure Astraea and Baxter could formulate a plan to help with the protection needs.

He harrumphs softly. “Let’s set the festival aside for now so we can focus on the B&B. You’ve gotta have a presence on the web, some way to at least reach the other Havens. Without one in the digital age, you’re basically invisible right now.” He jumps to his feet. “Hold on a sec.”

I watch in bewilderment as he hurries out of the room, and I hear him head upstairs. When he returns, he’s carrying a laptop.

He rejoins me at the table and scoots his chair right next to mine before opening the laptop. “There are some easy-to-use and pretty affordable website builders out there. Let’s work on putting one together.”

His arm brushes up against mine, and I get goose bumps all over.

Skylar leans into my side as we work away on the computer, and I’m humbled by the inherent trust he’s showing me. After all that he’s been through, I would understand if he needed more boundaries when it comes to touching. But just like when he held my hand last night, he shows no fear in getting close to me.

Deciding to be brave too, I move my arm to wrap around his back and tug him closer. He comes willingly and snuggles into me while he works.

I watch in awe as he deftly selects a website builder and chooses a template, establishing a basic structure. He also adds a banner in an inviting font that spells out Mystic Hollow B&B.

“We’ll start simple,” he explains. “But we totally need some fantastic pictures of the B&B if we’re gonna sell it to people. Do you have any?”

I pull up my photo album on my phone and hand it over, happy to give him total control. Skylar scrolls through the images, selecting a few and emailing them to himself. Then he gets down to business and adds them in strategic places on the website.

I am in awe.

“Okay, now we need a paragraph about the B&B that tells people why they may want to visit.”

We spend the next little while co-writing all the relevant content for the website, and I’m amazed when I see the final result. A cheerful page with a warm color scheme and a clean layout is in front of me, displaying everything I try to bring to my business.

“For now, we’ll just have your email and phone number listed for folks to contact you,” Skylar explains, “but eventually we can add a booking system. We might need a professional to help on that.”

“This is so wonderful, Skylar. I don’t know how to begin to thank you,” I say, more than a little overwhelmed. No one has ever done something like this for me before.

Skylar pops a lozenge and shrugs in that slightly self-conscious way he does. “This wasn’t much. I took a class and learned how to do the basics so I’d be ready whenever I opened my own salon. I’m happy I could help get you started. Once Astraea gets back, we’ll let her look through and have her mojo it before sending it out to the world. I’m sure it will reach folks who’d want to visit.”

He pulls up his own website, which looks sleek and stylish. “Astraea had some good ideas for mine. Even though my clientele is local, I had her mojo it just in case once I found out she’s done it for the A.S.S.E.S. website.”

I shake my head. “Don’t sell yourself short. This has been a huge help. You’re so talented, Skylar.”

He flushes. “You’re pretty fucking awesome too, Hal.”

I chuckle. “I appreciate that, but I can admit I’m not much of a businessman. Running the B&B is a labor of love, but I know there’s more I could be doing to draw in customers, if only to reach other Havens. I just don’t know where to start.”

“Well,” Skylar says, giving me a crooked smile that makes my heart flip in my chest, “I have had some ideas about that.”

“Tell me more,” I say, grinning back.

We spend the next few hours devising a business plan for me and setting up a social media account for the B&B that Skylar can make public once we get Astraea’s go-ahead. The whole time, Skylar stays nestled into my side, seeming as content as I am to have him close to me.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Dear Journal (NOT a fucking diary!),

After last night, I thought today might end up being kinda weird, but instead me and Hal got on like two peas in a pod, as my grandma used to say. She and I did too.

We mostly stuck around the house, doing some chores to get it ready for winter. Can’t believe that’s creeping up on us already. Apart from a near brush with death after I fell off a ladder, it was a good day. Thank fuck for Hal and his quick knight-in-hairy-armor reflexes. We even spent some time talking about business stuff, and Hal let me help him create a website for the B&B (I still can’t wrap my head around him not having one before now) and put together a business plan to draw in more customers.

I know the B&B is his baby, but I want to help in any way I can. This house has been a real haven for me in my time of need, and it’s quickly come to feel like home. More people should have the chance to experience what this place and its top-notch host have to offer.

Look, I’m no genius or anything, but Hal trusted me to guide him through it all, which blows my mind, and he actually valued my ideas. He gave me so many compliments that I’m still blushing afterward. Not used to that at all. But it was nice and gave me a boost of self-confidence that I didn’t know I needed.

Later tonight, I’m taking Hal on our very first official date. Let’s hope I can keep my shit together when it comes to this whole romancing thing.