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“Oooh, yes, would you?” She stood in the middle of the store holding her shirt over her bare chest. Rip wasn’t due in for another hour, and no walk-ins had shown up that morning, so it was just Izzy and Steph.
“Yeah, where’s your phone?”
“In my bag. You can grab it,” Steph said as she twisted her head around trying to get a better view.
“Here.” Izzy handed the phone to Steph who used her thumb to unlock it. “Turn around and hold still a second.”
A laugh bubbled out of Stephanie. “I’m so excited I’m buzzing with energy. Not sure I can be still.”
“You’re good.” Izzy snapped a few pics then returned the phone to Stephanie.
“Oh, man, Izzy. This is absolutely perfect. You are seriously amazing.” Stephanie squealed like a kid on Christmas morning.
“Thanks. I actually love doing quotes. Some fonts can look so beautiful.”
Still holding the shirt across her front, Steph tilted her head and gave Izzy a sly smile. “So, I’ve been here for two hours. Think I’ve held out long enough. What the hell is going on with you and Jig?”
What was going on with her and Jig? That was the question on her mind constantly. They ate together, they watched television together, they fixed her broken faucet together, they slept together, and they fucked in every corner of her house. They also had this intense connection that allowed her to let her guard down and show Jig parts of herself she hadn’t known existed. Then there was him spilling his guts about his past, a past not even his brothers fully knew.
She didn’t allow herself to delve too deeply into it. For now, what they shared was enough, but Izzy felt a tugging on her heart the more time they spent together. And that was unacceptable and would have to be dealt with sooner rather than later.
“We’re…friends,” she said and then winced because it sounded like a crock of shit, even to her.
Stephanie burst out laughing. She laughed until her eyes watered and she could barely breathe.
“It’s not that funny,” Izzy grumbled as she began to clean up.
“Oh, but it is. You two can’t keep your hands or lips off each other, but it’s fine. You can keep your little secrets for now. Just know that with this group, nothing stays buried for long.” She flashed a toothy grin.
“It’s not my fault he’s so damn sexy.”
“No,” Steph said as she walked closer. “It’s not. But it is your fault the man is smiling for the first time since I’ve met him. And it’s your fault he’s laughing, hanging out more, and seems to be actually enjoying his life. I’d say that’s completely your fault.”
Tears filled Izzy’s eyes. Shit. She blinked and stared at her equipment. She didn’t fucking cry, and hearing that Jig was doing so well wouldn’t be the thing that made her do it for the first time since her mother died.
She cleared her throat. “Thanks.” It was all she could manage.
Stephanie winked and nodded. Then the jangle of bells announced Mav’s arrival.
“Busy Izzy, what’s going on? I thought you were lock—babe?” He stopped a few feet in the door and whipped his head back and forth between Steph and Izzy. “What are you doing here? And without your shirt on.” Then he staggered back with a hand over his heart as though he’d been shot. “Holy shit, is that dream I had the other night about to come true? I told you about it. The one where you and Izzy were naked and you—”
“Maverick!” Stephanie held up her hand in a stop motion while Izzy cracked up. Maverick never failed to say something ridiculous and borderline inappropriate.
Okay, over-the-line inappropriate, but hilarious nonetheless.
“Your little fantasy did not and is not going to happen,” Steph said, shaking her head at Maverick’s dramatic pout. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
“Well, if you’re not going to get naked and eat strawberries off each other, what are you doing here?”
Izzy snorted and mouthed, “Strawberries?”
With a roll of her eyes, Steph said, “It’s better not to ask. You learn to just smile and nod.” Which she did in a very staged fashion.
“You two are too much.” Izzy walked her dirty equipment over to the autoclave.
“All right,” Mav said. “Enough bullshit. What’s really going on?”
Steph bit her lower lip and spun on one heel. “What do you think?” The woman had handled the needle like a pro without an ounce of trepidation, but now her voice shook. Mav’s opinion meant everything to her.
Behind her back, Izzy crossed her fingers and held her breath.
“Holy shit,” Mav said on a harsh exhale. He rushed across the room and straight to Stephanie. When he reached her, he traced a finger across her skin below the fresh tattoo. “Jesus, baby.” He visibly swallowed, his voice choked with emotion.
“Do you like it?”
