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A voice pulls me from the battle going on in my mind.
“Everything okay, bud? You’ve been lost in thought all day,” Kate says. Kate is the receptionist at the tattoo shop, and she’s a big hippie with dreds down to her ass and a dumbbell protruding through the front of her nose. It gives her a bit of a Fred Flintstone-vibe, but in a laid-back, cool way.
“Yeah, everything’s fine.”
“Oh really?” she asks with an eyebrow quirked. “Is it a woman? I can tell from the look on your face. Did someone finally stump the great Dane Reston?”
Clearly, our receptionist is wildly intuitive. She’s also a lesbian, thank god, because I don’t think I could have this conversation with a heterosexual woman.
“Nothing gets past you, huh?” I ask wryly. Kate slides her chair briskly across the room to get face to face with me.
“Spill! I want to know all of the details,” she demands, hitching her muumuu up. Large jewelry clacks enthusiastically as she tosses her dreds over one shoulder. I stall.
“There is nothing to be spilled. I haven’t even approached the woman I have on my mind.”
Kate quirks her head at me.
“Really?” she asks. “That doesn’t sound like the Great Dane Reston.”
I snort.
“I hate that nickname.”
She shrugs.
“Yeah, but you are a lady-killer, so it’s stuck over the years. Thank god I’m not after your ass. I wouldn’t be able to take it.”
I merely laugh.
“Yeah, I can’t even imagine.”
Kate shudders.
“Ugh, men. So gross.” But then she perks up. “So what’s next with this mystery lady?”
I shrug.
“I don’t know. I mean, I don’t even have her number, so what do I do?”
Kate looks shocked.
“No number? Are you serious? Then how did you meet her?”
I smile and shake my head no, but Kate won’t be dissuaded.
“Come on, Great Dane. Why the secrets? This isn’t exactly the CIA.”
My co-worker looks slightly offended that I don’t want to share, but the fact is that I just don’t. It feels private, but I have to throw Kate a bone because otherwise she’ll never get off my back.
“Okay, fine. She’s my little sister’s friend, and I found her diary.”
Immediately, our receptionist is on it.
“Then you have her number.”
I stare at her.
“What are you talking about?”
She looks at me with exasperation.
“Please, guys can be such numb nuts sometimes. Almost all diaries include a place to put your address and contact information, just as a cute “This Belongs To …” type thing. Did you look for that in the front?”
I gaze at Kate with shock, my mouth hanging open. But then it snaps shut, and I reach into my bag for the blue book. When it opens, sure enough, the first page has an inscription with Zoe’s name, address and phone number. Why didn’t I see this before?
“Found it, didn’t you?” Kate asks smugly.
I shake my head with wonder.
“Holy shit. I must have looked at this page a thousand times, but I never saw this, I swear.”
Kate gets up with a smile.
“You can buy me a drink later,” she says graciously. “And you’re welcome.”
But before Kate can get back to reception, I stop her.
“Hey listen, you want to help me more?”
She stops and swivels to face me, her muumuu swinging.
“Not really, but what is it?”
“Well, I don’t really want to call Zoe, or show up at her parents’ house.”
“Parents’ house?” Kate asks, rolling her eyes. “Oh my god, this is so wrong.”
I hold a hand up.
“She’s legal, I’m positive. But no, this is where I need your help. Why don’t you call her from High Voltage Tattoo, and confirm her appointment for a consultation this afternoon?”
Kate stares at me.
“She doesn’t have an appointment this afternoon,” my friend says flatly.
“I know,” I respond with confidence. “This way, I’m telling her that I have the book without actually saying it. And she knows I work here, so she’ll know it’s me.”
Kate cocks her head, her dreds swinging gracefully.
“You know, I always thought boys were such a dumb bunch, but you’re pretty smart. Pretty subtle too.”
“So you’re going to do it?” I ask.
She grins cheekily and starts for reception once more.
“Text me her number, and I’ll let you know!” Kate sings. “But you owe me two drinks now.”
I grumble, but of course, I text Zoe’s number to Kate immediately. And from across the room, I hear Kate pick up the phone and call, as if Zoe is just another client. Within a minute, Kate turns around and gives me a thumbs up from her perch.
“Two p.m.,” she mouths.
Oh shit. I check my phone. It’s noon already, leaving me two hours to get myself together. Conversely, it’s leaving me two hours to wig out about the whole thing too.
“Great, see you then, sweetie.” And with that Kate hangs up the phone. “I like her. Quick on her feet,” she says, coming back to my workstation.
