You wish.
Yes, actually. I did. Teasing Mae over the years about a pretend crush on me that she didn’t have was nothing new. Neither were her comebacks. They just never bothered me as much in the past.
Deciding not to push my luck any more, I texted back.
I give up.
Just got a TATTOO!
“Holy hell,” I said. Pia looked up.
“What is it?”
“Mae got a tattoo.”
“Are you serious?”
“I think so.”
I texted back:
Didn’t see that one coming.
Actually, all three of us are getting them. There’s a tattoo shop next to the bar and one thing led to another… the owner of Boots and Brews brought us over to meet the owner. We were going to get it tomorrow morning but the owner said let’s just do it now since we’re not inebriated. Apparently he won’t do tattoos on you if you’re drunk. Anyway. Can you believe it?
I fucking loved Mae’s paragraph texts. She teased me about my short, one-word ones, and I teased her back for writing dissertations over text message. But I could literally feel her excitement through the phone.
Also, an impromptu tattoo was not Mae. Which I loved for her.
Spread your wings, girl.
Sounds like fun! Show me?
Pia’s phone buzzed. She picked it up, laughing.
“Guess they’re getting matching ones?”
“Who texted you?” I asked.
“Delaney. She just showed me hers and informed me we’re all heading to Kitchi Falls after the baby so I can get one too. They’re cracking me up.”
“Maybe it’s good you didn’t go with them,” I teased. “What did they get?”
“Fearless. Delaney’s is on her forearm. It’s red as hell but looks amazing.”
Pia showed me her phone.
“Nice.”
Mae’s pic came through.
Catching my breath, I reminded myself it wasn’t my first time seeing her bare back. She was in a bathroom, presumably in the tattoo studio. No shirt, or bra. Just Mae’s bare shoulders with a dainty “fearless” in cursive starting at the top of her neck and running down her spine. The ink looked fresh, slightly raised, reddened, and covered in a thin layer of clear film, the edges secured with medical tape. Still, it was sexy as hell.
“You okay?” Pia asked.
Shit. No. I wasn’t.
Swallowing, I gathered myself back together and showed Pia the picture.
