Chapter 19: The Barber of Sterling Estate

 

When Harper arrived at the villa, she gasped. "Wow!"

The garden had transformed. Next to her little flowerbed, a beautiful white wooden swing had been installed. And in the corner, a shiny new BBQ grill stood ready.

"Try it," Sebastian wheeled over, gesturing to the swing.

Harper dropped her bag and hopped onto the swing. She kicked off the ground, soaring into the air. The scent of jasmine filled her nose.

"Higher!" she laughed.

One of the workers, a burly man, smiled. "Want a push, Miss?" "Yes, please!"

With a gentle shove, Harper flew higher, her laughter ringing like bells. "I can see over the wall! I'm flying!"

Sebastian watched her, a small smile on his lips. But his eyes were sad. If his legs worked... he should be the one pushing her. He looked down at his useless legs, his smile fading.

"Boss?" Harper hopped off the swing, noticing his mood. "What are you thinking about?"

Sebastian shook his head, hiding his thoughts. "I was thinking... we should plant some vines. Wisteria or roses. To climb up the swing."

"Great idea! You're so romantic, Boss!" Harper grinned. "Okay, massage time! Since you were a good boy today, no battery removal."

Sebastian scoffed. "You haven't removed it in weeks."

"True," Harper teased. "Because you finally learned to behave."

"I know I was wrong," Sebastian murmured.

Harper froze. Did the arrogant billionaire just admit he was wrong? She grinned. "Good. Now let's go inside. It's going to rain soon."

---

[The Haircut]

During the massage, Harper kept staring at Sebastian’s head. His hair was long. Very long. It reached his shoulders, giving him a brooding, 19th-century vampire prince vibe. It was handsome... but also a bit gloomy.

"You're staring again," Sebastian said, eyes closed.

"Your hair," Harper poked a strand. "It's getting long. You look like a depressed poet."

Sebastian opened one eye. "Is that a compliment?"

"No. You need a trim. We are going to a party to fight monsters, right? You need to look sharp. Like a CEO, not a hermit."

Sebastian touched his hair. "I haven't been to a barber in three months."

"I can do it!" Harper volunteered instantly.

"You?" Sebastian looked skeptical.

"Yes! I'm a pro!" Harper ran upstairs and came back with a black kit. She opened it to reveal professional scissors, combs, and clips.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "You travel with barber tools?"

"Just trust me," Harper pushed his wheelchair into the large bathroom, facing the mirror. She draped a towel over his shoulders.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Sebastian asked nervously as she clicked the scissors.

"Relax," Harper combed his hair gently. "You have such nice hair. Silky."

She started cutting. Snip. Snip. She was focused, confident. Sebastian relaxed. Maybe she really was a pro.

"You're so good," Harper murmured. "You sit so still. Much better than my previous clients."

"Previous clients?"

"Yeah. At the pet shop."

Sebastian stiffened. "Pet shop?"

"Yeah," Harper continued snipping. "I used to groom dogs and cats. Bichons, Poodles, Golden Retrievers... none of them sat as still as you."

Sebastian looked at her in the mirror. "So... you are treating me like a Golden Retriever?"

Harper paused, realizing her slip. "No! Of course not! Human hair is... uh... similar principle! Just less fur!"

She pulled out her phone to show him photos. "Look! I gave this Corgi a heart-shaped butt cut! Cute, right?"

Sebastian stared at the Corgi's butt. "Harper." "Yes?" "If you give me a heart-shaped butt cut, you're fired."

Harper laughed. "Don't worry, Boss. I'll make you look like a king."

She went back to cutting. Outside, the sky turned black. The storm was here.

CRACK! BOOM!

A massive thunderclap shook the villa. The lights flickered.

Harper jumped. Her hand jerked. SNIP.

A large chunk of black hair fell onto Sebastian’s lap. Silence.

Sebastian looked at the hair on his lap. It was... a lot of hair. He looked at the mirror. There was a bald patch on the back of his head. Not huge, but definitely noticeable. A reverse mohawk.

"Harper," Sebastian said slowly, his voice dangerously calm.

"I..." Harper stared at the bald spot in horror. "I..."

"Did the thunder just strike my hair off?"

"It was an accident!" Harper squeaked. "The thunder scared me!"

Sebastian sighed, closing his eyes. "Mirror."

"No, you don't want to see it."

"Give me the hand mirror."

Harper reluctantly handed it to him. Sebastian looked at the back of his head. It looked like a lawnmower had attacked him.

"Well," Sebastian put the mirror down. "I guess I can't go to the party now. Unless the theme is 'Punk Rock Monk'."

Harper bit her lip, looking like she was about to cry. "I'm so sorry! I'll fix it! I'll glue it back!"

Sebastian looked at her panicked face. He should be angry. His hair was ruined. But seeing her so distressed... he couldn't be mad.

"Don't cry," Sebastian reached out and awkwardly patted her hand. "It's just hair. It grows back."

"But the party is next week!" Harper wailed. "You can't go looking like this! Julian will laugh at you!"

Sebastian thought for a moment. "Call Leo."

"Who's Leo?"

"My personal stylist. He's probably the only one who can fix this disaster."

Sebastian smirked. "And while he's here... he can make you a dress."

"Me?"

"Yes. You ruined my hair," Sebastian said, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So you have to pay for it. By being my date."