Better With Ben

by Casey McMillin

  "I'll call you when I get back," he said.

  Before she had time to answer, he used a crooked finger to lift her chin. He stepped closer so they were touching. One second they weren't kissing, and then the next second they were. It was just an easy peck to the lips, but it was so sweet and tender it made a rush of warmth hit her between the legs. His mouth was so perfect, and she never ever wanted to stop kissing it. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she thought about the girls on the porch who were watching. However, that thought was so fleeting and irrelevant compared to Ben's lips on hers that she chose to let it just drift out of her brain.

  Her eyes remained open, and she enjoyed the experience of kissing him in broad daylight. His light brown eyes were flecked with gold and green with a dark brown ring around the edge. She only had a few seconds to fall into their depths because the kiss, although amazing, had to be short. It wasn't like he could sit there and make out with her on the deck.

  He pulled back before deciding to place one last quick kiss on her lips. "I'll call you when I get back," he repeated.

  "Okay," she said. She was so giddy from the kiss that she felt like her smile was borderline goofy. She forced her face back into a somewhat serious expression. "Sounds good," she said. "Thanks for stopping by."

  "Thanks for walking me out." Without another word, he turned to walk away.

  "Is that your boyfriend?" one of the girls on the other side of the porch asked as Taylor walked in the door. Taylor looked to make sure Ben was out of earshot.

  "No," she said. Then she felt stupid for kissing a random person. "We hung out a couple of times," she added.

  "He's hot," the other girl said.

  "I know," Taylor said with wide eyes and a smirk, "and you should see his tattoo."

  She knew it was a stupid thing to say, but it was already out of her mouth, so she just smiled, looking unfazed. She excused herself, telling the girls she had to get back to a sink full of dishes before letting the door close behind her.

  Chapter 12

  Taylor was sitting in her living room with Kent that same afternoon at 5PM when they heard a knock at the backdoor. Neither of them noticed anyone pulling up, and most of the time people who weren't friends came to the front door. They both looked at each other and shrugged, making it clear that neither of them were expecting company.

  Taylor opened the door to find Molly standing there holding a bag and a black tackle box looking thing Taylor knew was full of her beauty stuff. "What are you doing?" Taylor asked.

  Molly lifted the cargo she was carrying. "I came to give you a makeover."

  Taylor gasped. "Are you serious?"

  Molly smiled, feeling good that Taylor was excited at the prospect. Molly was in hair school full-time and worked at a salon part-time. She was extremely busy, and when she wasn't eating, sleeping, or breathing hair, she was hanging out with her boyfriend Nick. It was not very often that she cleared a few hours of her time to make a housecall, but she wanted to get her hands on Taylor's hair, and it was perfect timing for a transformation.

  "I didn't have work at Reflections this afternoon, so I thought I'd stop by and see if you wanted a makeover."

  "Are you kidding? Of course I do!" Taylor said. "Just don't chop it completely off. I'm not sure if I could handle that."

  "I wouldn't do that," Molly said.

  "Just so it can go back into a ponytail since that's my go-to hair do."

  Molly's eyes got wide and she smiled as if she had a plan. "Is it okay if it's a short ponytail?" she asked.

  Taylor thought about that. "I guess so," she said. "As long as it can go into a ponytail." She gestured to the place where she thought her limit might be. It was right at her shoulders, and Molly's face lit up at being given permission to make such a transformation. Taylor's hair hung a good six inches past her shoulders, and Molly smiled, envisioning a sleek, layered, shoulder length bob that angled to the front. She wanted to enhance her natural blonde as well.

  "Can I do some color?" Molly asked.

  "I'm all yours."

  "I could use a little trim if you're taking clients," Kent said. "I'll pay you, but this would be easier than going to the barber shop."

  "I'll shape you up when her color's processing," Molly said. Kent gave her a thankful wink before turning back to the TV.

  "Unless you have a shampoo bowl hiding somewhere, you'll need to change into a button-up shirt so you can shower when we're done."

  "No shampoo bowl."

  "All right, go change then, and I'll get set up."

  Taylor regarded her sweetly. "Thanks Molly," she said.

  Molly waved her off. "Don't mention it," she said.

  Taylor smiled and went off excitedly to change shirts. Molly mixed blue, powder bleach with twenty-volume peroxide liquid. The now-familiar smell that drifted from the mixture made her happy because she knew somebody was about to get more beautiful.

  "I don't want you to change your mind or anything," Taylor said, as she reentered the room, "but I was just wondering… why do I get the honor?"

  "Because I've been itching to get my hands on your hair," Molly said. "Come sit right here." She motioned to a dining chair that she'd strategically placed in the kitchen near the counter. Molly had a bowl with a brush and some blue-ish cream liquid that reminded Taylor a little of yogurt, along with a stack of foils and a case containing all sorts of sharp tools. Taylor sat in the seat. "Plus, I want to see my brother's reaction when I fix you all up."

  Taylor's head swung around to look at Molly. She was wearing a perplexed expression that Molly scoffed at.

  "Oh, don't act like you can't tell he noticed you," Molly said. She started to add something else, but looked like she changed her mind before smiling a little regretfully. "It's unfortunate that Ben's not really in the market for a girlfriend right now because you two would actually look cute together," she said. "He's definitely noticed you, though. He asked me a hundred questions about you last night when he got home from your house."

  Taylor was glad to hear that he had at least noticed her, you know, since they sort of kissed the last two times they saw each other. She felt slightly injured at the whole not in the market for a girlfriend comment even though she knew she shouldn't be thinking that far ahead. She couldn't help it, though. He was just too desirable. There was no way to avoid letting herself dream a little.

  "What did he ask about me?"

  "All the normal stuff. You know, what you do, what you're like…" Molly hesitated, before she said that he asked about her family. She didn't think Taylor talked about her family much, and didn't know if the topic was off limits.

  "You don't have to worry. I wasn't under the impression that he likes me like that," Taylor said. Again, she thought back to the kiss in the truck and then the one at the coffee shop. A smile spread across her face and Molly giggled.

  "You're so cute," Molly said.

  "What?" Taylor asked defensively. "I'm just smiling."

  "Okaaay, but he's a good guy," Molly said.

  "Who Ben? I know, I mean, I can tell that."

  Molly knew her brother wouldn't appreciate her instigating something between him and Taylor, so she decided to drop the subject. It was best if she got to the business of hair anyway since it usually took a long time.

  She used the next few minutes to explain her hair-related intentions to Taylor. She did a rough cut before they got started, taking about four inches off the bottom so as to not waste color on hair she'd be cutting anyway.

  Taylor resisted the urge to run a hand through the new length. She told herself to let it be a surprise. Molly was still relatively new to the process of coloring hair, so even though her instincts were good and she did an excellent job, it took her a long time. She knew this about herself, so she went right to work.

  By the time she got the last of the foils in, she decided she was too nervous to leave Taylor's hair to process while she gave Kent a haircut. She told him she'd get to it when she'd finished
Taylor, and he assured her it was no big deal and he could just come by and have her do it at the school if she couldn't do it tonight.

  Molly got out the blow dryer and used it to heat up the foil packets she'd finished last. A few minutes passed with Molly watching the bleach's progress nervously, and then she told Taylor it was time to go rinse.

  "I'll go in the bathroom with you and help you get the foils out before you shower," she said.

  Taylor came out ten minutes later with a towel around her head.

  "Did you look in the mirror?" Molly asked. She hadn't thought of asking Taylor to avoid looking, so she was surprised when Taylor said she hadn't. Molly had moved her station to the living room in case they had an aversion to having hair cut in their kitchen. Taylor took a seat in the chair and again, Molly put the black cape around her neck.

  Molly was slow and methodical with the haircut too. She cut on it for a good thirty minutes before drying it, straightening it, and cutting on it some more. "I'm just making little tweaks," she assured Taylor. "I don't want you to think it keeps getting shorter and shorter."

  Taylor laughed, thinking it was getting shorter and shorter every time the scissors closed. She didn't care, though. "I trust you," she said.

  It was seven thirty by the time Molly told Taylor she could look in the mirror. Kent had already gone somewhere, but not before he promised he'd come see her for a haircut at her school. Molly was glad to have gotten out of the extra client. She was really proud of Taylor's hair and glad she'd come to do it, but was tired from the long day and ready to go see Nick.

  Taylor could feel where her hair fell. She let it swing and shift on her shoulders as she walked toward the bathroom where she'd take a look at it for the first time. It felt good already—like a fresh start.

  She couldn't believe her eyes when she regarded herself in the mirror. Molly came to stand behind her to see her reaction, and instantly Taylor turned to hug her.

  "I love it so much," she said.

  "You didn't even look at it yet," Molly said, laughing and hugging her back.

  "Yes I did. I saw enough to know I love it." Her honey blonde was about two shades lighter, but somehow Molly had managed to make it look completely natural, with most of the color running through the ends as if it had been sun-kissed.

  Taylor leaned in close to the mirror and used her fingertips to gently part and reposition her hair. She really stared at it for a good, long minute, taking in the color and cut, and the way it fell.

  "I'm so excited right now, I can't even tell you."

  "Aw, I'm so glad you like it," Molly said. She smiled and turned to go pack up. Taylor turned to study her reflection again, but yelled after Molly. "I don't like it, I love it."

  "I love it too," Molly yelled back.

  Taylor stayed in the back of the house for another minute or two before going back into the living room. Molly was almost completely packed up by the time she got there.

  "I know it's not enough," Taylor said. She extended her hand with a fifty-dollar bill."

  "I'm so sure," Molly said, swatting the money away. "I'm the one who came here uninvited and took over your head."

  Taylor took Molly's hand and put the folded fifty-dollar-bill into it. She held her hand around Molly's and regarded her seriously. "I know what this is worth, and fifty's not enough," she said. "It's something I would have never done for myself and you have no idea how thankful I am that you made me do it."

  Molly tried to push it back again.

  "I'm serious," Taylor said. "It's the least I could do."

  Molly could see she wanted to give it to her. She smiled and put the money in her pocket. "Thank you, but you didn't have to."

  "I should be thanking you," she said. She ran a hand through her hair while tilting her head to the side dramatically like a shampoo commercial. "I love it," she said again as she opened the door for Molly.

  "I love you," Molly said.

  "I love you too." Taylor was somewhat surprised to find that she meant it. Having this girl in the family would just be another added bonus for whatever lucky lady ended up with Ben Fletcher.

  Taylor went into the bathroom and stared at her reflection again when Molly left. Having her hair colored was something she would have never done for herself. Maybe it was because she'd grown up with her mother using those boxed hair colors. Her mom never did seem to find a brand or color that worked for her, so most of the time hair color equaled disaster.

  The transformation was subtle and remarkable at the same time, if that even made sense. She used her phone to snap a selfie, which she promptly sent to Hannah via text.

  Taylor: "Here's my new do. Molly came over out of the blue. I'm a poet. Haha. Seriously, I love it, and wasn't that sweet?"

  Less than a minute later, Hannah responded. She called rather than text.

  "Do you like it?" Taylor asked, answering the phone.

  "Va-va-va-voom!" Hannah said.

  Both girls laughed.

  "Molly didn't tell me she did your hair. Did you say she came to your house?"

  "Yeah, and I feel bad about that. I should have just scheduled a time to go see her at school. But I didn't ask her to come. She surprised me."

  "Was that tonight?"

  "Yeah, she just left a few minutes ago."

  "It looks really good on you."

  "Thanks. I love it. I hope I can get it to do what she did. I might have to kick Gina out and get Molly in here as my new roommate to fix my hair every morning."

  "I'll be right there," Hannah said to someone else.

  "I'm sorry if you're busy," Taylor said. "I just wanted you to see the new do."

  "I'm the one who called you, silly. Jason and I are just hanging out at Cam's and they're being stupid."

  Taylor found humor in the fact that she grew up in a trailer park (and not a nice one) and now she was friends with Cam Bishop, perhaps the biggest name in country music. Okay, so maybe she wasn't friends with him per say, but her friends were friends with him, and that was close enough.

  "You wanna come over?" Hannah asked.

  And see? My point exactly. Here she was getting invited to go to Cam Bishop's and be stupid with them.

  "Tay? You there?"

  "Yeah, I'm here."

  "You wanna come over? We're just hanging out. The boys are playing Xbox."

  Taylor hadn't responded the first time because she was a little taken aback by being asked to go hang out at Cam's. She'd been in his presence plenty of times but never just to hang out at his place and play Xbox.

  Saying no wasn't really an option.

  When you get invited to go to Cam Bishop's house, you go.

  "I mean I guess I'll stop by there if you guys are just hanging out."

  "Yeah, you know how to get here. It's the same building as Nick's. Use that back elevator. I'll call and tell them you're on your way."

  "Do you guys need anything?"

  Hannah covered the phone and yelled, "Do you guys need anything from the store? Taylor's coming over."

  They must have said no because Hannah's next words were, "Just come on over."

  "Okay, just give me about thirty minutes or so."

  "We'll be here."

  Taylor would have probably taken Hannah up on the offer no matter what she looked like, but sporting the new style made it a no-brainer. She felt like a million bucks.

  The Fletchers had done an excellent job of helping her out of her slump, and she was thankful to them both. Molly had totally rocked her hair, and Ben provided much needed distraction. She was so thankful for the gift of being anxiety free that she tried to forgive him for not being in the market for a girlfriend.

  Chapter 13

  No big deal. Taylor was just riding in a super-secret elevator to Cam Bishop's penthouse apartment. It took her fifteen minutes to get out of the house. Ten to change clothes and put on a little makeup, and five to convince Gina that she was seriously going over to Cam's.

  Hannah had bee
n dating his best friend Jason for a few months, but it was hard to get used to knowing someone with his epic level of fame. Taylor could tell Gina wanted to ask if she could tag along, but she didn't come out and say it, and Taylor didn't bring it up either.

  It was just Hannah, Jason, and Cam in the living room when she got there. Taylor had been to Nick's apartment, which was extremely nice and very similar, but Cam's was definitely bigger. It was Hannah who answered the door since the boys were in the middle of playing a basketball video game. At first, Taylor thought they were watching a basketball game—that's how real the game looked.

  Hannah instantly reached out to touch Taylor's hair. "It looks so good on you," she said.

  "Oh, thanks, you like it?" She tilted her head to the side and ran a hand through it as if she was checking it out again. "Molly said it won't be too much maintenance since my hair's light naturally."

  "It looks really pretty on you."

  Cam and Jason both yelled out a greeting and Taylor's attention snapped to them. She returned the greeting as the girls walked toward the living room.

  "Did you see Taylor's new haircut?" Hannah asked.

  Jason didn't look away from the screen when he said, "I can't see it right now."

  Hannah was about to comment on the fact that they could just pause it for a second when someone read her mind and did just that.

  "I need to take a piss anyway," Cam said. He glanced at Taylor as he stood and stretched. "Looks good," he said, sweetly. She knew he had no idea what it looked like before or that it was even different, but it was nice of him to comment so she smiled graciously. "What happened there?" Cam asked, pointing at her arm.

  Hannah and Jason both knew what happened and also knew that Taylor might not want to talk about it.

  "You cut a lot off," Jason said, interrupting and surprising all of them.

  Taylor smiled gratefully. "It was a lot. I think at least eight inches."

  "That's what she said," Cam said. He followed it with a, "sorry," but Jason still threw a pillow at him. Cam laughed as he caught it and tossed it back onto the couch before heading to the restroom.