5 Hairpiece

February 2023

Why stay in a Marriott when there is a beautiful B&B two blocks from Richard’s condo? Ryan had shared the link with me before I left, and The Stonehurst Place seemed lovely online. In person, it was even more beautiful. It matched the picture of Ryan I’d been building in my mind — classy, romantic, full of charm, and just a touch old‑fashioned in a way that made you want to go back in time.

As Ryan unloaded my bags from the Porsche, he pulled out a bottle of wine and an opener, like he had a plan. We settled into the living area, the kind of room that makes you sit up straighter because the furniture looks like it has opinions. We sat hip-to-hip, mine larger than his, gazing at this person in the flesh and not on a screen.

He didn’t say as much as he had on the drive. This was my turn. He watched me with a focus that felt almost reverent, his eyes locked on mine, not drifting, not scanning, not doing that subtle up‑and‑down men think is invisible. He looked at me like he was trying to memorize the shape of my sentences, the rhythm of my voice, the way my mouth moved when I laughed. It was disarming in the gentlest way.

As far as first dates or first meetings go, Ryan was earning the hotel’s five stars. He leaned in for a kiss, and I gave in. Yes, please. The kind of kiss that starts soft but sure, like he’d been waiting for this moment and didn’t want to rush it. My hands slid up, instinctively, finding the back of his head, fingers threading into his hair as I pulled him closer.

And then —

I felt something I’d never felt before.

A seam.

A scar?

Stitches?

Oh.

It’s a toupee.

Don’t lose focus now.

My brain did a full gymnastics routine in half a second — surprise, confusion, recalibration — while my lips kept doing exactly what they were supposed to. The man could kiss, and more. The man had shown up with flowers and chocolates. The man had driven a Porsche through Atlanta traffic just to hold my hand. If he wanted to Velcro his hair on, that was between him and his stylist.

I kept kissing him, letting the moment stay warm and sweet, letting the charm of it all wash over the tiny jolt of discovery. Hairpiece or not, the man knew how to make an impression.