Page 94 of The Sasquatch and the Hairdresser

SuperShySasquatch: Holding back the full force of my feelings is proving to be a daily challenge.

IPutTheBrahInChupacabra: Don’t hold back, my man. Tell him the truth.

YetiOrNotHereICome: I’m having all the feels over here! We’re rooting for you two kids!

LoungeSingerLizardMan: We believe in you and your boyfriend. You guys are the real deal.

MerMagicMan: Exactly. I say life’s too short—don’t wait!

SuperShySasquatch: You’re all right. I never realized it could be so hard to say the words “I love you.” But when there’s so much riding on sharing that truth, it’s so much more intimidating and overwhelming than I thought it would be.

NessieNeedsLoveToo: That’s because your feelings are real and this guy means the world to you. It’s scary as fuck to make yourself vulnerable, but you gotta have faith.

SuperShySasquatch: I have all the faith in the world in him. Even if he doesn’t love me back yet, that’s okay. I can wait. Just being with him, and being part of his life, is enough.

IPutTheBrahInChupacabra: That’s beautiful, man!

YetiOrNotHereICome: Timing and mood matter. When it feels right, I say go for it! I’m sure the depth of your feelings will reach him.

LoungeSingerLizardMan: Trust your gut, my friend.

SuperShySasquatch: I appreciate the support. Wish me luck!

Late-October…

Hal

When Skylar turns the lights on in his fully renovated salon, I still can’t help but marvel at how much it’s changed in such a short span of time. The small space has been even more utterly transformed. Gone are the bare walls and messy construction materials. In their place is a sleek, professional-looking space ready and waiting for new clients.

Skylar truly found the best storefront for his salon. Large windows that frame the front door and look out on Main Street will bring in plenty of light during daylight hours. To complement that feature, Skylar’s gone for a natural aesthetic with wood and stone accents and plenty of vibrant green plants. There’s a small water fountain bubbling soothingly in the corner, and the whole atmosphere instantly relaxes me when I step inside. To pull it all together, the walls are painted a soft cream color with green accents, and the floor is done in a light gray wood.

“Your salon looks amazing,” I tell him honestly.

He shoves his hands into the back pockets of his jeans, which I’ve noticed he does a lot when he feels a bit awkward. There are so many little things I’m still learning about him, and it fills me with joy. My boyfriend is shy when it comes to compliments.

Skylar gives me a brief tour of the small space. Two sink stations are set up for washing his clientele’s hair, and there’s an area for a future nail technician as well.

“I see you’ve got a dedicated space for a nail artist,” I comment.

“Yeah. A lot of salons have one these days, so I figured I’d get everything ready for when it happens since I know I want to offer that service,” he explains.

I nod approvingly. “There are a lot of folks in town who would be excited to have someone to beautify their nails… or claws.”

We both look at each other and say in unison, “Astraea!”

“She’ll probably be down here on a daily basis getting worked on. She’ll continue matching her outfits with them too.”

Skylar laughs. “No kidding. Although she does a pretty damn good job on her own. Those nails of hers are more than a little intimidating. I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side, that’s for sure.”

I chuckle. “I think nails like that come with the territory when you’re a dragon, particularly a dragon goddess. But she definitely has a flair for fashion and always likes to look her best. I know some other folks in town who’d also jump at the prospect of nail art, including Max. I’ve noticed he paints his nails a lot. He’s always so colorful.”

“You know, I wasn’t sure he and I would have much in common, but I really like getting to know him. I admire the way he shows up and is fully and uniquely himself every time we meet. That takes guts in this world. He doesn’t dull his shine for anyone.”

“I completely agree. He’s one of a kind. He and Targan are very much opposites in personality, but you can see how much they truly belong together.”

“Gotta say, I’m kinda intimidated to meet the guy. I’m not the academic type, so the whole professor thing is unnerving.”

“Academic credentials aren’t the only marker of intelligence. You’re super smart, Skylar. Your ideas for your business as well as mine are brilliant, and you even helped us find a short-term solution to the out-of-whack magic in town. I’m so impressed by you.”