“You're impossible,” Halley threw an almond at me, hitting me square between my eyes, “Oh, headshot! 30 points.”

“Dude,” I scowled, “I'm really not. I'm being cautious. I can't just have anyone around Fern.”

“Dada? Go?” Fern looked up at me from her chair behind the counter at the shop, as she was now two and able to sit with me rather than be in her play area all the time.

“No, we're still open, baby. A few more hours,” I kissed her head, and Fern nodded, returning to drawing a picture.

“We've narrowed it to three after you threw out all of my hard work,” Halley sighed, bringing me three sheets of binder paper, “Okay. First up. He's 22, so a little younger.”

“Pass,” I tossed the paper into the trash, refusing to even look at it.

“Is 24 okay?”

“Sure. Tell me more.”

“He's my second choice, around an 86 percent match.”

“Where did you come up with these percentages?” I laughed.

“Made them up. He's unemployed currently, but-”

“Nope,” I scowled, “Is he in college? Is that why?”

“No, he's just trying to find what he wants from life.”

“I'd prefer stability, so pass.”

“Okay. Then my last match, I'd say around 97%, is 30. He moved back here a year ago from Seattle to start his own business.”

“What's he do?” I grabbed her bag of almonds, popping a few in my mouth as Halley was on her lunch, her never-ending desire to find my prince charming taking the last 8 months.

“Runs a salon catering to color and wedding hair and makeup,” she laughed, making me smile, “It does super well. He used to be a software engineer but it was soul sucking so he quit and moved back here to start his business after getting his license. He dyes my hair and has since I was ten.”

“Oh, so you're childhood friends?” My eyes grew wide.

“Not… exactly. He's my adopted brother.”

“I didn't know you had a brother,” I smacked her forehead, and Halley laughed, “So your parents adopted him?”

“Yeah. Imagine how weird it was for me to suddenly get an older, mostly white brother. My parents faced a lot of shit comments for my dad being black and adopting a white kid but they always turned around and said that it didn't matter what we looked like, he needed parents and love. I was 4 when he came home. He was 7.”

“Name?”

“Okay. It's uh… old-fashioned and weird but…”

“Halley,” I narrowed my eyes, and she sighed.

“Kieran. Kieran Atticus Leclair.”

“But your last name is Stern,” I tilted my head, trying to understand.

“I’m married, idiot. I took Jo’s last name. My surname is Leclair. We’re Haitian and French. Well, I am. Kie is Brazilian, French, and Belgian. I don’t know what his name was before my parents adopted him, but I know it was different, and it made him uncomfortable to hear. It’s not my business. Anyway, I may have asked him how he’d feel about going on a blind date with you. I told him all about you, at least what I knew you’d be okay with me sharing.”

“Which was?”

“That you own a barbershop but don’t do hair, you have Fern, your own house, car, and have been in three relationships that ended catastrophically, and want the stability of being with someone who wouldn’t cheat, commit crimes, or change out of nowhere. Your ideal partner isn’t someone who will sweep you off your feet, but rather offer you warmth and a place to call home.”

“You know me so well,” I laughed, fluffing my hair, “Well… Okay. I wouldn’t mind, but it would have to be on a Monday because of the shop. Since we changed the hours to be open on Saturday and Sunday, my weekends are Monday and Tuesday now.”

“I already told him, and he keeps the same hours. He said if you accept the invitation, he’ll meet you Monday at noon at Seven Lamps in Atlanta.”

“Well… It’s only a twenty-minute drive, and it sounds fun, so… Okay. Tell him I’ll be there. But what if we don’t click? Will I lose my favorite barber?”

“Rude,” Nick called.

“You’re an ass,” Mario chimed in as our new hire and trainee Tanner nodded from next to him, “I get that Halley is the new floor manager, but she does have clients coming in soon.”

“Ah shit,” Halley gasped, “I’ll have him call you tonight to confirm. I won’t quit if you and Kieran aren’t compatible. You’re my best friend.”

“Okay, okay,” I laughed, shaking my head and returning my focus to the appointment book and Fern, who was happily eating her string cheese, her tiny pigtails bouncing.

Over the last eight months since Dara walked out on me, I was able to recognize that I had grown as not only a man but a father. I threw myself into work and raising Fern, but I started attending therapy to learn to trust people romantically again. I was a bit traumatized after Edward died, and my trust was damaged from Kipling being arrested and Dara flipping on me suddenly. My therapist taught me ways to recognize certain behaviors and told me to stand on principle if I was uncomfortable with something someone I was even talking to do was doing and be vocal about it.

Halley had become my personal Cupid once I made it clear I was ready to put myself back out there, and I had gone on two dates, not really feeling a connection but happy to go out and have fun. Kieran was the last person I was going to allow her to try and set me up with, finding the process exhausting.

“Daddy?” Fern poked my side, and I nodded, looking down at her, “I wuv you.”

“I love you, baby. Are you bored?”

“Nope!” She wiggled, waving as one of our regulars came in, “Hi!”

“Well, hello,” Pat laughed, “She’s getting so big. I have an appointment with Nick.”

“Right, give me like, five minutes!” Nick yelled from his station, and Pat took a seat, taking his phone from his pocket.

“Hey Pat,” I called, and he nodded, looking at me, “Say you had a first date at a mid-class restaurant. Nothing too fancy, but not fast food either. What would you wear? It’s at noon.”

“Hm,” he closed his eyes for a minute before smiling, “Olive pants, black jean jacket, white t-shirt with matching white shoes. Silver jewelry, specifically a watch. Is it indoor or outdoor?”

“I think Seven Lamps is mostly outdoor.”

“Then make sure you have a watch, so it’s not such an empty outfit if you take off your jacket. Make sure your curls are nice and tight, and wear a light, crisp cologne.”

“I have Dior Sauvage or Creed Aventus.”

“Creed,” he nodded, “Sauvage will be a bit too warm.”

“Thanks. Glad I asked you.”

“Well, I have sold clothes and helped dress men for years. I do know what I’m doing.”

With a whistle, Pat went to Nick’s station, and I settled in for the rest of my day, Mario staying behind to help me close up before I headed home, as my barbers regularly rotated who would stay an hour late so Fern and I weren’t there alone now that Dara was gone.

“Let’s see,” I cleaned spaghetti sauce off of Fern’s face as she sang to herself, trying to copy a song from her favorite movie, “It’s playtime, kiddo. What should we do tonight?” I lifted her from the high chair and followed her to her room, taking a seat on the floor as she climbed into the saucer swing Nick and Crystal had bought for her second birth that I mounted to the ceiling of her room, “Oh. Spin time?”

“Yup!” Fern giggled, lying on her back, and I scooted over, slowly making the saucer spin, squeals coming from her.

We played with the saucer for a solid thirty minutes before she got dizzy and wanted to do something else. I had moved her playtime after dinner from thirty minutes to an hour, her energy levels higher now that she was two and a half.

“Book,” Fern grabbed her interactive animal book from the shelf and plopped onto my lap, having me hold it for her as she pressed the pictures and mimicked the animal sounds. This was the signal that it was time to start her sleep routine, and once we were done with the book, I took her to the bathroom for her bath.

Forty-five minutes later, Fern was sound asleep in her bed, her little bum in the air as she loved being on her stomach. I watched her for a few minutes before heading to the kitchen, pouring myself a glass of white wine and putting on my show, wanting to catch up as I had missed a few episodes over the last two months.

My phone started to ring halfway through the second episode, and I grumbled, pausing the show to answer, “Hello?”

“Is this… Ren?” An unfamiliar voice came through, and I took a sip of wine.

“Depends. Who is this?”

“Sorry, I should have introduced myself. I’m Kieran Leclair. Halley is my little sister. She wanted me to call. I hope I got the number right.”

“You did,” I giggled, “It’s nice to talk to you, Kieran. She did mention you’d call tonight. I’m glad it was a bit later; I just got my daughter to bed an hour ago.”

“Ah, so call after 8?”

“Preferably. She takes up all of my attention until she goes to bed. I have her on a pretty strict schedule.”

“Signs of a good parent. Um… Halley did tell me you’re nearly 24. Are you uncomfortable with my being 30?”

“Not at all, no. As long as you wouldn’t use your age as a weapon against me.”

“Huh? No never! My word, has that happened to you?”

“Kind of?”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Well… I wanted to see if you’d like to go to lunch with me on Monday. At Seven Lamps? I know Halley brought it up, but I wanted to ask myself.”

“Yes. I would love to. I can meet you at noon.”

“That’s perfect. Hm… I’ll wait outside for you. I was trying to think of how we’d recognize each other since I have no idea what you look like. Halley refused to tell me, but she did say you’re very attractive. Not that I care much about looks, but who someone is.”

“What color is your hair? Tell me that, at least, so I’m not confused if there are two people outside.”

“I’m bright, honey blonde with tight curls.”

“Oh. Opposite of me,” I giggled, taking another sip of my wine, “My hair is curly too, but a medium brown. Did Halley tell you that I’m transgender? Female to male.”

“She did, and before you ask, it doesn’t stop me from being interested.”

“Oh, good, that’s been a big fear of mine. Being rejected because I’m not a cisgender man. It’s happened.”

“Well, that’s stupid. What are you doing?”

“Drinking wine and watching Heaven’s Edge.”

“Really? I’m doing the exact same thing. That's my favorite show,” he laughed loudly, “There is one thing Halley didn’t tell me.”

“What is it?”

“That you’re British.”

“Oh, I came to America when I was 6, I just never lost the accent. I refused.”

“It’s beautiful.”

My face grew warm, and I was grateful this was a phone call, not in person, yet, “Thank you.”

“Of course. I have to open my salon at 10, and I really need a shower and some sleep. I know our date is on Monday, but would you mind if I texted you between now and then? Nothing invasive, I want to save all those getting to know each other questions for when we’re in person, but just to check in and make sure you’re having a nice day.”

“Yes. Please do.”

“Perfect. Then… Goodnight, Ren.”

“Goodnight, Kieran.”

We ended the call, and I smiled, draining my glass and going to pour another one. Kieran’s voice was deep and melodic, full of warmth that made it hard to say goodbye. It was nice to talk to someone new and to learn about them instead of knowing everything and then dating.

“Here’s to hopefully a great first date,” I whispered to myself, starting my show again and snuggling down, excited for Monday to come.