Can't Stand To See You Cry (Jacob)

Chapter 16

Renesmee casually flipped through a magazine and tried not to notice the hairdresser fawning all over her boyfriend.  Boyfriend.  She smiled at the thought of it.  He was all hers, but looking at him even now still gave her butterflies.

Jacob glanced at Renesmee in the mirror’s reflection.  When he saw her smiling, he winked at her and she blushed a little.  “I really just need the back and sides cleaned up,” he told the hairdresser. “Not too much off the top, please.”

“No problem.  We’ll get you all fixed up, sweetie,” she replied, smiling.

Jacob remembered what Renesmee had said about the way women look at him.  He looked over to see her watching and he wondered what she thought of this woman running her hands through his hair.  Her name tag said her name was Kira.  He thought she looked Quileute.  Her skin was dark like his and her hair was long and jet black.  She was pretty, but she wore more makeup than he was used to.  And she was nowhere near as beautiful as his Nessie.

He smiled at Renesmee again as Kira led him back to get his hair washed.  She scowled as Kira linked arms with Jacob and squeezed his bicep appreciatively.  Renesmee tossed her magazine on the table and sighed.

The young man sweeping the floor glanced at her and said, “Don’t worry about Kira.  She flirts with everyone.”

Renesmee forced a smile and tried to feign disinterest.  “Oh, I didn’t even notice.”

He approached her cautiously and reached for her hair.  “You’re hair is so pretty.  Can I interest you in a conditioning treatment?”

Renesmee shrugged.  “No not today.”

“How about a manicure...or a pedicure?  I could really use the practice,” he replied sincerely.

“Okay,” she finally agreed, glancing down at her fading toe nail polish and adding, “I guess I could stand a pedicure, if you have time.”

“Of course!” he gushed excitedly.  “Come with me!”  Renesmee beamed when he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the other side of the salon where the pedicure chairs were set up.  “I’m Tyler by the way,” he added excitedly.

“I’m Renesmee,” she replied, nodding as she passed Jacob on his way back to his chair.  He furrowed his brow when he noticed Tyler holding her hand.  But before he could investigate, Kira urged him to sit in her chair and began adjusting the height so she could cut his hair properly. “Now let’s see what we can do with this mop.”

Jacob frowned.  The way she positioned the chair, he could no longer spy on Renesmee, but he could hear her laughing.

“So how is that feeling so far?” Tyler asked as Renesmee soaked her feet in a small bubbling tub of water.  He reached for her foot and began to massage the balls of her feet.

Renesmee stifled a giggle. “Great...but it tickles,” she admitted.

Tyler applied more pressure and asked, “Better?”

“Mmm hmm,” she murmured.  “Just heavenly.”

“So…” Tyler began, nodding in Jacob’s direction.  “Is tall, dark, and handsome over there your boyfriend?”

Renesmee smiled proudly. “Yeah that’s my Jacob.”

Tyler gazed at Jacob with approval as he began removing her old nail polish. “He must be Quileute, like Kira.  Just beautiful people, aren’t they? That dark skin and gorgeous hair, it’s not fair, is it?”

Renesmee shook her head sadly. For a second, she looked at Kira and wondered how gorgeous their children would be.  That thought made her heart ache.  Then she glanced at Jacob, noticing that he wasn’t paying Kira any attention.  That made her feel a little better. “He’s really sweet to me,” she announced suddenly.  “I’m so lucky to have him.”