Now?
Now it was something completely different.
The front half was still ice cream. The walls were painted in the same bright colors I’d picked out when I first opened, but now they mixed with black accents and murals Rome had designed himself. Neon signs hung next to framed tattoo art. One wall held flavors of the month while the opposite wall displayed tattoo flash.
The back half was all Rome.
Dark wood floors. Black leather chairs. Stainless steel stations that gleamed under the lights.
The giant sign above the counter tied it all together.
SUGAR & INK
The first tattoo and ice cream shop in Redhaven.
Possibly the world.
I still thought it was insane.
Rome thought it was genius. The town thought it was weird as hell. Which honestly made me love it more.
“Who wouldn’t want a tattoo and an ice cream?” Rome had argued six months ago.
Me.
I had been the person who wouldn’t want a tattoo two years ago.
Now I had three and the plans for a full sleeve on Rome’s desk.
Life was weird and wonderful at the same time.
I rubbed my stomach as the baby kicked. Rome immediately moved his hand. “There she is.”
A year ago, I never would’ve imagined this.
Not the baby.
Not Rome.
Not this building.
Not waking up every morning beside a man who looked at me like I was the best thing he’d ever seen.
For years, I’d been told I was too much or not enough.
Then Rome walked into my life and acted like loving me was the easiest thing in the world.
I looked up at him. “You think we’re ready for the opening tomorrow?”
Rome didn’t hesitate. “Yeah.”
“Really?”
He turned me around carefully and cupped my face. “Josie, a year ago you thought opening an ice cream shop by yourself was impossible.”
“It almost was.”
“But you did it.” He shrugged one shoulder. “Then some psycho tried to ruin your life and you got through that too.” His thumb brushed over the faint scar on my neck.
