by J. L. Perry
Pushing through the front door, I see a blonde behind the front desk. She’s extremely attractive—just Jax’s type. I wonder if he’s been with her too. I hate the jealousy that rises within me. My head knows what happened between us was a mistake and we’ll only ever be friends, but my heart hasn’t gotten to that place yet.
‘Hi,’ I say as I cross the shop floor.
She smiles, but it’s forced. ‘Hi. We’re getting ready to close; can I help you with something?’
‘No. I’m actually here to see Jax. He’s expecting me.’
The smile drops from her face as her eyes narrow. She looks down at the appointment book in front of her.
‘Do you have an appointment? There’s nothing in the book. He asked me to cancel his last client.’
I wonder if he cancelled it because of me. That thought makes me deliriously happy. I can tell the exact moment his receptionist has the same thought because her lips purse and her face turns red with anger.
‘I’m not here to get a tattoo.’
‘Then why are you here?’ There’s venom in her voice. Maybe I was right in thinking there’s something between them.
‘Is he here or not?’ I don’t owe this bitch an explanation. Whether they’re a couple or not, Jax is my friend and I have every right to see him.
‘Take a seat. I’ll see if he’s free.’
When she flicks her hand at me, I have to bite my tongue as I turn and walk to the black leather L-shaped sofa by the far wall. Before I’m even seated I hear Jax’s voice behind me.
‘You came.’
I face him and my stomach does a flip-flop as soon as my eyes lock with his. It’s been years since I’ve had these feelings. Is it possible that he’s grown more handsome? Because I’m pretty sure he has. Don’t even get me started on those sexy-as-hell tattoos of his. He was a dreamboat back in high school, but now he’s all man. His badass look is so hot.
‘Of course I came.’ The shy, boyish look that appears on his face is something I’ve missed. As handsome and confident as he is, that childlike expression he gets occasionally has always been endearing. He steals another piece of my heart every time I see it.
‘I’m glad.’ He gives me a brief hug before turning his attentions to the bitchy blonde. ‘You can leave now, Mandy.’
‘What?’
‘You can leave. Your shift finished half an hour ago.’
I have to suppress my smile at the way he’s speaking to her—she deserves it after the way she treated me.
‘Sure,’ she says, trying to act unaffected, but I can see straight through her. Snatching her bag from behind the reception desk, she storms to the exit. ‘I’ll see you in the morning, Jax.’ She gives him a weak smile as she glances over her shoulder. When her eyes move to me, her dislike shows. I’m not usually the nasty type, but for this woman, I’ll make an exception.
‘Bye,’ I say, smiling sweetly, giving her a little wave.
She grunts as she opens the door. It slams closed behind her.
‘What’s the go with psycho Barbie?’ I ask.
‘Psycho Barbie.’ He chuckles. ‘That name suits her perfectly.’ Sighing, he removes his cap and runs his hand through his thick brown hair. ‘She’s become a thorn in my side. I think it’s time I found a new receptionist.’
‘So she’s not your girlfriend then?’ The words are out of my mouth before I even realise.
‘Hell no.’ He laughs. ‘You know me better than anyone, I’m not the girlfriend type.’
Forcing a smile, I try to act unaffected by his admission. I’d be lying if I said his words didn’t sting, because they do. He crushed me when he left.
‘So your place looks great,’ I say, changing the subject. I’m not ready to hash our past out with him just yet. The day will come though—he seems oblivious to the heartache I’ve had to endure since he walked away and didn’t look back.
‘It does look great, doesn’t it? I fucking love this place,’ he says, beaming. He has every right to be proud.
He slides his hands into his pockets and, out of the corner of my eye, I see him watching me as I walk around the reception area. The walls are painted a deep red and the furnishings are black. There’s large, colourful, framed prints of heavily inked bodies hanging on every wall.
‘Come out back and let me show you my studio.’
I feel giddy as I follow him down the corridor. I can’t help but smile the minute I enter. I’ve never been inside a tattoo parlour before. Everything is set out meticulously. The walls are a sterile white. There’s a black reclining chair in the far corner, with a matching stool sitting beside it. On the adjoining wall is a bed, similar to the ones we use at the beautician salon. The row of cabinets are stainless steel. It looks like Jax has the best equipment money can buy. I’d love to get him to give me a tattoo, but I’m too afraid to ask. Sophia would probably freak anyway. It took her months to adjust to my pink hair.
‘I’m so proud of you,’ I say as I turn to face him. ‘I knew you’d do this one day. I didn’t doubt it for a second.’
‘You’re the only one who ever believed in me. Your unwavering faith is what gave me the courage.’
I hate that his family has never supported him. The fact that he’s accomplished this all on his own makes it so much more inspiring. My heart skips a beat when he reaches for my hand. The effect he has on me is still so strong. Electric—that would be the best way to describe it. I often think about that night we spent together—the night I gave him my heart. The same night he crushed it into a million pieces. It’s still so raw, I’m not sure if I’ll ever completely recover from it.
I turn my head away, trying not to let him see the hurt that still lingers. ‘Oh my God. You still have the sketchpad I gave you,’ I say when I notice it sitting on the bench by the wall. I pick it up and flick through the pages, admiring all the drawings inside.
‘I’ve kept everything you’ve ever given me.’
I glance at him over my shoulder. ‘Everything except me,’ I want to say, but there’s no point dredging up the past. We’re back together again, and that’s all that matters. I think we both know that we can’t go there again. It’s what tore us apart. We have a second chance to get this right and I’m going to try my hardest not to screw it up.
JAX
I’m grinning like a damn fool as I watch Candice move around my studio. In all honesty, I never thought I’d have her here. I’m so glad I was wrong.
‘Do you have any dinner plans?’ I ask. I’m going to drag out my time with her as long as I can. We have so much to catch up on. I have no idea what her life’s been like since I left Canberra. It’s something that’s weighed heavily on my mind. I want to know how she ended up here, and what she’s been up to. Has there been anyone else since me? Does she have a boyfriend? Okay, maybe I don’t want to know the answers to the last two questions, but on the other hand I need to.
She smiles. ‘No. Not really. I was just going to go home and eat with Sophia and Maddie. Do you want to come with me?’
I would’ve liked to take her out somewhere nice, but it’s been years since I’ve had a home-cooked meal, and Sophia is an amazing cook. Hanging with Candice, at her house, was something I always loved doing.
‘Sounds great.’
Ten minutes later we’re heading to my terrace house to pick up my car. We haven’t stopped talking the whole time. I love how we’ve instantly reverted to the way things used to be between us. There’s no awkward silence or forced conversation. I’m so comfortable around her.
‘So this is where you live?’ she asks when I unlock the front door.
‘Yep. It’s not much, but it’s home.’
‘It’s really nice,’ she says after I give her a quick tour. ‘I’m glad things eventually worked out for you. Are you happy, Jax?’
‘Define happy.’
‘You know, with the way your life panned out?’
I shrug. ‘I have a few regrets. The biggest one being how I l
eft things with you, but yes, overall I’m happy.’
‘I guess running into each other today was fate. Our second chance.’ She smiles as she runs her hand down my arm. The feeling goes straight to my cock. ‘I’ve really missed our friendship, Jax.’
‘I’ve missed it too.’
Fuck how I’ve missed it.
••••
I’m smiling to myself as I lock the front door and head down the path on my way to work. It was close to midnight when I got home last night. Dinner with Candice and Sophia was just like old times—amazing. Being around Candice and her mother again lifted me in ways I hadn’t realised I needed. It forced me to see how I’ve just been existing for the last few years, going through the motions of life alone, and not really living. I’ve had nobody to share my successes, my daily highs and lows with. The feeling was bittersweet. But Candice and Sophia were sure to rectify that over the course of the night. They both seemed interested in me, my life, my shop; the questions never stopped coming. It was nice. I got to share all my accomplishments with them and there’s no words for how that felt. Just to know they’re proud of me meant the world.
And then there’s Maddison—Maddie. My little Peanut. I’ve never been around small children before, and never felt the least bit interested in being so, either, but that kid is a gem. There’s something about her. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but she’s so damn entertaining.
After we’d eaten, Sophia took Maddie upstairs for a bath and to get her ready for bed. She looked so sweet when she came back down in her pink PJs, sucking a dummy and carrying her Snoopy under her arm. I’m learning fast—that toy goes with her everywhere.
‘Nye-nye, Sissy,’ she mumbled around her dummy as she climbed onto Candice’s lap for a kiss.
‘Goodnight, baby girl,’ Candice replied before hugging Maddie tightly and placing a lingering kiss on her cheek. ‘I love you.’ Hearing her say those words so freely made me smile. I’ve only ever said them once. That was the day I walked away from her, and she wasn’t even awake to hear them.
The way Candice doted over Maddie at dinner tells me she’ll make a great mother one day. Although it was nice to see, I felt like a knife was being plunged into my chest as I watched them together. One day Candice will probably meet the man of her dreams, settle down and have kids of her own. Where would that leave us?
Once Candice put Maddie down, Maddie headed straight for me. I was taken aback, but helped her up as she attempted to climb onto my lap. ‘Nye-nye, Jax,’ she said as she slid her chubby arms around my neck to hug me. She smelt so sweet, like baby powder or some shit like that. I wrapped my arms around her middle and held her tiny body against mine. I was surprised by the lump that formed in my throat. Settling down, and becoming a father, is not something I’ve ever wanted, but in that moment I realised that maybe one day I’d like to have a child of my own.
‘Night, Peanut,’ I whispered.
When she finally released me, she pulled her dummy out of her mouth and placed a wet, sloppy kiss on my lips. I’m not ashamed to say it melted my heart. That was until she shoved Snoopy in my face.
‘Tiss Puppy,’ she said.
I can’t believe I actually kissed a stuffed toy. When my eyes moved to Candice, I was expecting her to make a smart remark, or laugh. But instead I was surprised to see tears in her eyes.
‘You’re very sweet with her,’ she said, smiling. ‘She’s not usually good with strangers, but she really likes you.’
‘She has good taste,’ was my only reply. What else could I say?
JAX
STOPPING AT THE BAKERY, I ORDER A BLUEBERRY MUFFIN AND a coffee. I can’t rely on Moody Mandy to bring me breakfast anymore. While I wait, my gaze moves down the street towards Candice’s work. I know it’s early and her shift doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes, but it still doesn’t stop me from hoping that I might catch a glance of her. I’ve arranged to have lunch with her today. I’ll need to shift a few of my appointments around when I get to work, but I’ll make it happen. I’m not going to miss the opportunity to spend some more time with her.
As I approach my shop, I see Brian, the homeless man from yesterday, hobbling out of the park across the street. He’s carrying a large striped bag that I presume holds all his worldly possessions. Poor guy. That must be where he sleeps. Checking both ways for traffic, I quickly cross the road.
‘Morning, Brian,’ I say when I approach him.
‘Good morning, young man,’ he replies with a smile. How can he smile so freely when his life is so shitty?
‘Here,’ I say, holding my muffin and coffee out to him. He needs it a hell of a lot more than I do.
‘Thank you.’ Placing his bag on the footpath, his shaky hands take them from me.
‘I’ve gotta get to work … have a good day.’ I turn and head to my shop. I wish I could do more for him. I wonder how he ended up on the streets. I suppose if I hadn’t had a job to go to and money in the bank when my parents disowned me that could’ve easily been me.
I’m standing behind the front counter, seeing how I can rearrange my appointments for my lunch date with Candice, when Mandy enters. ‘Morning,’ I say.
She doesn’t speak until she’s standing beside me. ‘Did you have fun with that pink-haired bimbo last night?’ she spits as she shoves her bag under the desk.
‘Excuse me?’
‘Is that the type you prefer?’
Her comment instantly gets my back up. Candice runs rings around this bitch. ‘What do you mean by “type”?’
She pauses briefly. ‘Weirdos? What’s with the pink hair? I can’t believe you’d pass up this—’ she runs her hands down her body as she speaks ‘—for that.’
I go from reasonably calm to angry in a millisecond. I won’t have her disrespecting Candice. There’s nothing weird about her, not even her hair. It’s cool. She’s a stunner, and has a room full of fucking trophies to prove it.
There is so much I’d like to say in response to Mandy’s comment, but I need to remember I’m her boss. I have to keep my head and act responsibly. So I do the only thing I can; I storm down the hall to my studio. I need a few minutes to calm down.
I slam the door and remove my cap, throwing it across the room. Pacing back and forth, I run my fingers through my hair. This narrow-minded bullshit is what I’ve fought against my entire life. You can’t judge a person by the colour of their hair. That’s fucking ludicrous.
Mandy’s got to go. I can’t work with her any longer. I’d rather no receptionist than this crap. And I don’t want her making Candice feel uncomfortable whenever she comes here.
A few minutes later, I unlock the safe and take out my cheque book. After filling out a cheque, I head back out to reception.
‘Here’s a cheque for one month’s wages.’ In my opinion, it’s more than she deserves. ‘I’ll no longer be needing you.’
‘What?’ she screeches. ‘You’re firing me?’
‘Looks that way.’
‘You can’t do that.’
I take a deep breath and pinch the bridge of my nose as I try to calm myself. ‘I can, and I just did. Not only has your behaviour recently bordered on sexual harassment, this is my shop and I won’t have you disrespecting me or my friends.’
I feel bad when I see her shoulders slump and tears well in her eyes, but that doesn’t last long. She takes her bag from under the desk and storms towards me.
‘You’re an arsehole,’ she snaps as she snatches the cheque out of my hand. ‘You’re going to regret this.’ Her eyes narrow as she stares me down.
I don’t take well to threats. ‘You know where the door is,’ I say as I turn and head back down the hall to my studio.
••••
‘You fired her?’ Candice gasps as we sit in a booth at the café. ‘Why?’
‘Things weren’t working out,’ I reply with a shrug. I’m not going to go into the details. It’ll only upset her.
‘Wow. What are you go
ing to do?’
‘Look for a replacement, I guess. Not much else I can do. It’s already been a shit fight today without her.’
‘If there’s anything I can do to help, just ask.’
‘Do you want a job?’ I laugh like it’s a joke, but I’m deadly serious. I’d love to have her working beside me. Having her so close could get complicated, but being near her all day certainly wouldn’t be a hardship. She’d brighten anyone’s day with that smile of hers.
‘Gee … really? I’d love nothing more than to come and work for you, but I can’t leave my job. I don’t want to let Sophia down.’ She gives me a pained look. ‘Shit, I don’t want to let you down either.’ She takes hold of my hand across the table. ‘I made a promise to Sophia a few years ago. If she let the whole beauty pageant thing go, I’d go to beauty school like she’d hoped. She paid a small fortune for my course.’
‘It’s okay. I totally get it. I’ll find someone. I can put a sign in the window when I get back.’ It was worth a try. I’m happy just to have her around again.
‘I’m sorry, Jax.’
I can see the disappointment on her face. ‘You have nothing to be sorry about.’
We fall into easy conversation after we order and wait for our food to arrive. As we eat, we talk about everything and nothing. It’s just like old times. I feel lighter than I have in years.
‘Shit,’ Candice cries when she looks down at her phone. ‘I’m late. Like really late. My boss is going to kill me.’
I look down at my watch and see that we’ve been here for almost an hour and a half. It’s funny how it only seems like minutes. My time with her is never long enough.