Page 145 of Spring Break Fling

“Why not?”

“Because you named a fish Franklin and treat him like royalty. You’re going to be insufferable with a dog. It’s going to end up with the dog condo that Paris Hilton’s pups live in.”

“True, but with working from home, I could use the company.”

Tara smirked. “Speaking of work, how’s the marketing biz going?”

“Oh my god, it’s amazing.” I grabbed a bottle of wine from the counter and poured four glasses. “I never thought I’d love coaching so much. Helping people find their footing and land at companies that actually value them? It’s the best feeling.”

“And you don’t miss the corporate grind?” Rachel asked.

“Not at all. Plus, working from home means I get to travel with Nikko when he goes for tattoo conventions or business stuff. We’ve been seeing so much of the world lately.”

“You’re living the dream,” Maddie said, raising her glass. “Cheers to that.”

“Cheers!” we all echoed, clinking glasses.

Later, Tara nudged me as I was cleaning up the wine glasses. “So, when do we get to see this famous tattoo shop you keep talking about?”

“Yeah,” Maddie said from the couch. “I want to see where Nikko works his magic.”

“You’ll love it,” I said.

“How’s business?” Rachel asked.

“It’s amazing,” I said, enthusiasm bubbling over. “Nikko’s really hit his stride. You should see his work now; it’s seriously mind-blowing.”

Tara, always the adventurous one, perked up. “I’ve been thinking about getting a new tattoo.”

“I’m surprised you’re not sporting full sleeves by now,” Maddie teased. “You’re not a very good advertisement for your tattoo artist boyfriend. What must people think when they see his girlfriend with virgin skin?”

I held up my arm. “Hello? Not total virgin. I have a tattoo.”

“That you need a magnifying glass to see.” Tara snorted.

“Come on, let’s see the shop,” Maddie said.

I grabbed my keys. “Let’s go.”

The drive over was quick. I was practically bouncing with excitement as we pulled up out front. I couldn’t wait to show them what Nikko accomplished. I was so proud of him.

I looked at the store front and immediately noticed the lights were off. “Well, that’s weird,” I murmured.

“What’s wrong?” Rachel asked.

“It’s dark. I hope everything is okay.”

We climbed out of the car and walked up to the door. To my surprise, it was locked, which was definitely not normal. A shiver of fear washed over me. I wondered if there had been an emergency. Did more of his father’s debts come knocking at the door?

I fished my keys out and unlocked it.

“Let’s get these lights on,” I muttered, flicking the switch.

Nothing.

My heart skipped a beat. “Nikko? You here?”

Before I could take another step, the lights snapped on, and a chorus of voices shouted, “Surprise!”