He laughs. “Don’t be jealous, Joshy. You could have the ladies after you if you’d give up your boy scout act.” His words sting more than they should, a side effect leftover from Elle. She thought I was a boy scout. I think she realizes now her perception of me was all wrong.
“I don’t need them all over me.” Just one and she wants nothing to do with me.
Thirty minutes later, I’m putting the final touches on my mother’s portrait. My stomach rolls as her caring face stares back at me. It’s a surreal sight to see on my brother’s chest. Wiping his skin with a damp paper towel, I clean all the excess ink off and take a long look at the final product. I’m extremely satisfied with the way it came out. I hope Jam agrees.
“Go take a look, I nod at the full-length mirror on the side wall of the room.
He bounds to his feet, excited to get a glimpse. I watch his face in the mirror for his reaction. He stares intently at the tattoo, his expression serious. I can’t tell what he’s thinking. Holding my breath, I wait for him to say something. A smile breaks out over his face and I exhale a sigh of relief.
“Joshy, you’re a fucking genius. I love it. I can’t believe you did this freehand. It’s even better than I expected.”
“I’m glad you like it. Get back over here so I can finish up.” I wave him over. Once he’s seated, I disinfect the area with some green soap and water I’ve sprayed onto a paper towel. Slathering vitamin A and D ointment over the top of the tattoo, I wrap it with a sterile pad and tape. “I’m sure you know the drill by now, but keep this bandage on for no more than three hours. When you remove it, wash it with warm water and a little antibacterial soap. Wash your hands first so you don’t contaminate the area.”
“Dude, enough. I’ve done this a time or two,” he jokes, gesturing at both his full sleeves.
“Yeah, yeah. You’re an expert. Then again, aren’t you an expert at everything?” I thump his chest with the back of my hand.
“You know it little bro. I’m the older brother paving the way through life for you.”
I laugh. “Paving a dead end, maybe.”
“Hey, fuck you. I get it. You don’t want to be a part of the club, but that doesn’t mean you need to shit all over it. It paid for this place, didn’t it?” He looks around.
I scowl and shake my head. “No, it didn’t. I told Dad I didn’t want any club money being used or filtered through here.”
“Josh, don’t be naive. Do you really think any of Dad’s money hasn’t been touched by the club in some way? It’s impossible.”
“Dad and I talked about this, Jam. He gave me his word. Are you telling me our father’s word isn’t any good?”
He runs his hand over his stubble covered jawline. “No, I’m not saying that. I don’t think it’s as black and white as you think, though. Dad has good intentions, but that doesn’t mean things can’t change. Keep your eyes wide open, Joshy.”
I nod, my stomach now in knots. I have to believe my dad wouldn’t deliberately go behind my back. I won’t think the worst of him, until I have solid proof otherwise.
Chapter Eleven
Josh
The grand opening of the shop was a month ago and the three of us have settled into a nice routine. Sean’s a solid employee and a hard worker. His tattoos speak for themselves. His talent is widely recognized and unmatched by few. Having him at the shop is a great business draw. People come from all six New England states to get inked by Sean and women practically throw themselves at him. They can’t get enough of his tatted up bad boy appearance. When you add in his mellow vibe it sends them into a flirting frenzy.
Tatum and I find their behavior to be hugely entertaining. She made up a game where we bet on whether each woman is a lip licker, hair twirler, arm toucher or if they’re really bold they’ll press their tits into him - a tit presser. The winner should buy the loser shots. She’s much better at guessing than I am. I’ve never been good at predicting what women do. I think my own relationship history proves this point.
“Okay, Josh. What do you think this one will be?” Tatum questions, elbowing me to get my attention. Raising my gaze from my phone, I watch as Sean approaches the front desk with his client.
“Number one,” I say, referring to a lip licker. “What are you going with?” My eyes dart to Tatum as she presses her lips together.
“Hmm,” she taps her black nails on the wooden top of her desk area and narrows her eyes. “I think she’s a strong four.”
“You think?” I run my eyes over the curvy blonde. She doesn’t look like a tit presser to me. “I think you’re wrong.”
She shakes her head, then looks at me with pity. “Oh, Josh. When will you learn?”
“Tatum, can you check Kelly out, please? She’d like to book another appointment,” Sean says.
Of course, she does. Sean has a great rate of return with female clients.
“Sure, how does the fourth of September at two o’clock work for you?” she asks in her most professional voice.
Staring down at my phone, I grin, but glance up when Tatum kicks my leg in time for me to witness Kelly press her tits on Sean’s arm as he reaches over the counter for a sheet with aftercare instructions.
Tatum holds out her fist for me to bump and then she opens her fingers while making explosion noises like I crashed and burned. Son of a bitch.
* * *
“What have you been up to?” I lean over to ask Liberty. We’re out at Tito’s. It’s become one of our go to places late night, when the three of us finish up. Tatum’s friends join us here more often than not. They’re chill and easy to hang out with. Liberty and I usually end up talking. We’re growing closer as friends, but she wants more. Even I can’t miss the signals she sends my way, but for whatever reason, I’m not ready to pursue anything more. I have a lot on my plate with the studio opening and the first six months are crucial. If I screw up, there won’t be any do overs. Making sure Canvas succeeds is the most important thing right now.
“Same old thing - school, studying and working.” She shrugs, avoiding my gaze. She trails her finger through the condensation on her glass. I can tell something’s bothering her.
“What’s wrong with you tonight? Is something on your mind?”
She presses her lips tightly together and doesn’t answer me, confirming my suspicions. “Liberty, spit it out,” I prod.
“Why won’t you ask me out?” Her blue eyes lock on mine. “Is there something wrong with me?”
I smile. “No, there’s nothing wrong with you. It’s all me. I’m in love with someone else.”
“Where is she then?” she questions, frowning.
“We’re not together.” I press the rim of the beer bottle between my lips and take a sip of the cool liquid.
“Is it the brunette you were talking to at the grand opening of the studio?”
My thoughts immediately bring up a vision of Elle. I can see her so clearly, from the black shorts on her long legs to the pink gloss on her lips I wanted to lick off. “Yeah.” I don’t need to describe her to Liberty. I’m sure she could tell by looking at my face, how special Elle is.
I only hope Elle couldn’t see it.
“Why aren’t you with her?”
“It’s a long story; one I don’t want to talk about.” My tone is curt. I gulp back a large sip of my beer and wonder what Elle’s doing at this exact moment.
Is she with someone else?
Does she have a boyfriend?
Fuck.
Goddamn it. I rub my chest where the deep ache caused by her has taken up permanent residence. It’s a good pain, though - a reminder of what Elle and I shared. A never-ending discomfort to keep me company through all the lonely nights. We may never have more, but no one can take those moments away from me.
Rising to my feet without a word, I head to the bar. Beer is not cutting it tonight. Once again, Elle has crept into my mind and I need something more powerful to drown her out.
* * *
Groaning at th
e pain in my head, I pull the covers over my head and breathe shallowly.
“Are you okay?” Liberty’s voice unexpectedly cuts through the silence of the morning.
Pushing down the covers, I’m surprised to see her even though she spoke to me. The sunshine coming through my windows causes a piercing pain in my head. Squeezing my eyes shut, I pull the comforter up once again. “What are you doing here?” I grit out between clenched teeth, rubbing a hand gently across my brow. Everything hurts right now.
“You asked me to come home with you last night,” Liberty replies, matter of fact.
Fuck. This isn’t good. Glancing down, I realize I’m only wearing my boxer briefs and I have no recollection of the night before. The last thing I can remember is thinking of Elle before I switched to shots.
Batting down the covers once again, my eyes take in Liberty lying next to me. Her blue eyes are clear in the morning light as she stares at me. Her hands are folded under her right cheek like an innocent child. When my eyes lower I’m surprised to find her tits exposed to my gaze in a pink lace bra. Looking away, I rake my teeth over my lip. What the fuck did we do last night? Why can’t I remember? In the past, I’ve never drank so much. I’ve never blacked out.
Sitting up, I grimace at the sharp pain stabbing my temples. “Did we do anything I should know about last night?”
“What do you mean? We did a lot of things,” she replies. Her noncommittal answer is as vague as the expression on her face.
Blowing out a deep breath, I run my hands over my face. “Did we have sex or anything close to it?” I study her reaction to my question.
She shakes her head. “No, we didn’t even kiss. You told me you were tired of sleeping alone and asked me to come back here.”
“Are you sure? You’re in your underwear and so am I.”
“Yeah, I’m sure. When we have sex, I want you to remember it and I definitely wouldn’t sleep with you when you spent the previous two hours at the bar talking about Elle.”
“Fuck. I’m sorry, Liberty.” I shake my head in disgust at my actions. “Last night is a blur.” Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I rise to my feet and carefully make my way to the bathroom. Closing myself inside, I move to the sink. Glancing at my reflection in the mirror, I notice bloodshot eyes and dark blonde hair sticking straight up. Turning on the cold water, I cup my hands and splash cold water on my face. I need to wake the fuck up. My head feels like it’s in a fog. Moving to the shower, I climb inside and turn the water on, blasting myself with cold before it quickly heats up. Soaping myself up, I inhale the invigorating scent. The combination of the steaming hot water and the fresh smell helps to clear my head. By the time I step out of the shower and wrap a towel around my hips, I’m almost feeling like myself.
When I step back into my bedroom there’s no sign of Liberty and I wouldn’t be surprised if she left. My behavior last night wasn’t fair to her. She shouldn’t ever feel like she needs to be a substitute for Elle and to be perfectly honest, no one could be.
Slipping on a pair of boxer briefs, I grab a clean pair of jeans from my closet. Tugging them on, I head to the laundry closet in the hallway right off my kitchen. I want my favorite vintage Genesis t-shirt and it’s in the dryer. I can hear Liberty speaking in the kitchen. Is she on the phone or is someone here?
Curious to see what’s going on I round the corner, entering the room and find Janny seated at the island with a bottle of water in front of her. Liberty is seated next to her. I smile as I head in her direction. “Hey, to what do I owe this surprise?”
She rises slowly from her seat, her back arched under the weight of her enormous stomach. “We’re going to breakfast this morning. Don’t tell me you forgot.” She presses her lips together in disappointment.
I pull her into my arms and kiss the top of her head. “I’m sorry, I did forget, but let me grab a shirt and we’re good to go.”
Her arms wrap around my back. “I’ve missed you. I understand how busy you’ve been with Canvas. I’m sorry Kyle and I didn’t make it to the grand opening.”
“I didn’t want you to come. Well, let me rephrase my words. If you weren’t pregnant I would’ve been pissed if you weren’t there with me. But the lines were long and it was a hot, humid day. I’m glad Kyle made you stay home.” I take a step back, looking her over. She looks beautiful and happy.
“What makes you so sure he made me?” she huffs sinking back down on the chair.
I raise an eyebrow at her before I turn and take the few steps back into the hallway. “Are you really asking me this? I know you better than you do yourself,” I raise my voice so she can hear me.
“Good point.” I hear her answer as I’m already digging through the clothes in the dryer. Finding the black shirt, I shake out the wrinkles and hold it up in front of me - not bad for a thirty-year-old piece of clothing. This is another one Janny bought for me. She knows better than anyone about my obsession for eighties music and concert tees. Slipping on the shirt, I search for some socks and slam the dryer shut
“Do you know if you’re having a girl or a boy?” Liberty asks as I pull my socks on, balancing on each leg.
“No, we want to be surprised. Actually, I wanted to know at first, but my husband Kyle didn’t. I knew if I found out I’d spill the beans to him.” She smiles, staring down at her stomach, her hand rubbing back and forth. “There’s no way I could sit on a secret for long.”
“Are you hoping for one more than the other?”
“No, we only want a healthy baby. But I will say my husband would be adorable with a daughter. She’d probably hate him during her teen years though.”
“I don’t think your kid will get away with much, son or daughter. Not with a private investigator for a father,” I mention returning to the kitchen and leaning back against the granite counter.
Janny snorts. “Kyle will be running background checks on everyone he or she dates.”
I laugh at the thought. It’s hard to believe they’re married and about to have their first child. I’m in a completely different place in my life from them. I began my apprenticeship when I was still in college. Once I graduated, the tattooing continued and I also worked on building my reputation as an artist. Now, Canvas takes up most of my time. Relationships haven’t been a priority for me.
It’s surreal to think about how much Janny’s focus has changed in the two years since we ended our relationship. She went from being a student to being a wife and mother to be in the blink of an eye.
“I’d bet any amount of money he ran one on me when you two were first dating,” I say.
She tucks her hair behind her ear. It’s a well-known tell of hers. One she does when she’s nervous or uncomfortable. “Yep, I can tell, by looking at you.”
“Damn it. You know me too well. He didn’t mean to be invasive, but he wanted to make sure you weren’t going to be some psycho ex-boyfriend.”
“Wait,” Liberty interrupts, “you two dated?”
“Yep, for a year. Best year of Janny’s life,” I joke with a wink aimed in her direction.
She nods. “It was a great year, until Josh broke my heart.”
“You’re full of it. You crushed me when you ended things.”
A look of shame passes over her face. “I’m sorry for how everything went down.”
I place a hand on her arm. “Really? Aren’t we past all this now?
She smiles. “You’re right. We’re long past this and in a better place for it. We’re better friends than we ever were as a couple.”
“Everything has a way of working out for the best. It’s the law of averages.” I only hope it proves true with my feelings for Elle. No matter what the outcome may be, I need to believe it will be a positive result.
* * *
“So, tell me about Liberty,” Janny says as she spears a bite of omelet with her fork.
“There’s not much to tell.” I shrug wiping bacon grease on my napkin. “We’re friends.”
&
nbsp; She raises an eyebrow. “Friends with benefits?”
“Not even.” I sip my coffee, glancing at her over the rim of the cup.
“Don’t leave me hanging. Why was she answering your door while you were in the shower if she’s nothing to you?”
“Jesus. What is this the inquisition? Kyle’s rubbing off on you.” I place my cup down and cross my arms on the tabletop.
She narrows her eyes at me, glaring hard.
“We really are only friends. She wants more and I don’t. I was drunk last night and she spent the night, but nothing happened.”
“She seems nice. Maybe something should happen with you guys.”
I run a hand through my hair. “She’s great and if I wasn’t still hung up on someone else, I’d be all over her.”
“You do know you’re not going to end up with Elle if you never see her. Distance won’t help the situation at all.”
My eyebrows raise in surprise. I can’t believe she knows how I feel about Elle. “Yeah, I understand that.” I don’t deny my feelings as I stare out the window next to our booth, I watch as the cars race through the busy intersection to beat the traffic light. “I’m not sure anything can help our situation. I don’t know what to do about her.” My gaze returns to Janny.
“What do you mean? Either you want to pursue something with her or not. It seems pretty black and white to me.” She lifts the glass of orange juice to her pink lips and takes a small sip.
“That sounds great in theory, but it’s not easy for me. I wish it was.” I run a hand over the hair thickly dotting my jawline.
“Why can’t it be easy? It’s only as difficult as you choose to make it.” She stares at me with her beautiful, caring blue eyes.
“Elle is a crap shoot. I’m already in love with her. If I allow myself to get invested in her even more and she doesn’t do the same, it’s going to destroy me. It’s smarter to keep my distance until I get over her.”
The Complete Quake Series Page 58