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“Still fishy. He's lying to you. I'm gonna call my brother next time and prove it.“
“Fine,” I exhaled, over this topic already. “We'll figure it out later. I just, I don't understand why he'd lie to me. He's been nothing but nice. He even helped me save a cat once. Why would someone save a cat and lie to me about this? It doesn't make sense. Crazy people wouldn't do that!”
“Doesn't have to make sense to you,” he shrugged, confident in his assessment.
Groaning, I threw my head back. “Come on, let's go.”
Finally, we walked out into the main area near the bar. It was a lot fuller than before. I spotted Darcie up above, and she gave me a wink before giving me a look asking how it went. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled. While I still didn't know exactly what happened that night, I would get there when I was ready. Right now, I was at a place where I wanted to breathe and work my way there. And I would.
I found an open spot and pulled Simon and Slade with me, placing myself in the middle. After a few minutes, Darcie came out on stage hyping everybody up. She clapped her hands above her head, her hips wiggling back and forth as she danced. Buck followed her out, and I didn’t know who the whistles were more for, her or him.
“Howdy, folks! How y'all doing tonight? Y’all here to learn some line dancing? Well, if so, give me a holla!” She cupped her ear, waiting for everyone to respond.
“Yee-haw!” rang out around us, and already I felt lighter, the atmosphere penetrating my sadness and pushing it away for a moment.
“That's how you do it, folks! Okay, let's get to it then!”
The music started, and she showed us a two-step. I learned instantly that Slade was a horrible dancer, and Simon was a decent one. Mostly, I found myself laughing for the first time in months. While things weren't perfect, heck, things were nowhere near perfect, I still felt like maybe there was a light at the end of the tunnel.
When they walked me home that night, I remembered to check my phone and found a message from Thane.
Thane: Sorry, Cherry. Emergency surgery. Can't meet tonight. Drinks tomorrow?
Something Slade had said wormed its way to the surface, sinking into my consciousness, and for the first time, I doubted Thane. So I didn't respond, figuring I'd wait to see how I felt in the morning. Pushing it back in my bag, I regarded the guys when we made it to the shop.
“I guess I'll talk to you guys later. Are you staying or heading back?”
“We have one more day. Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow before we go?” Simon asked, hopeful.
“Yeah, I think that'd be okay. I have to work tomorrow, but I'll let you know when my lunch break is.”
“I'm sure the boss will give you a night off if you ask nicely.”
“Ah! That's right!” I exclaimed, smacking Slade on the shoulder. I’d forgotten earlier in the barrage of questions he hadn’t answered. “Why didn't you tell me you own this place too? And how come I could get an apprenticeship here but not back at Emblazed Tats? Hmm?” Once I started, it spewed out of me, and I found myself on a roll. “And you wonder why I don't know how you feel about me! Because of stuff like this!”
He held his hands up in a placating gesture, but it made me want to smack him more. “Sorry, I didn't want to give you a chance before as a way of punishing you, and that wasn't fair. I was an asshole, Peach. Okay? You already know this about me. I held a grudge and took it out on you for making me want you so damn much. I'll probably always be apologizing because, let's face it, once an asshole, always an asshole. When you moved here, I told your dad you could stay in the apartment as a way to make it up and keep you safe.”
“Wait, it's your apartment too? You’re my dad’s buddy? Has there been anything truthful?”
“My feelings for you.”
His face was serious, and I couldn't deny he meant what he said even if I didn't trust it. My anger deflated, and exhaustion covered me from the emotional whiplash I'd experienced today.
“Fine.”
“Since we said we're starting over, cards on the table, and all that,” he paused, nibbling on the lip piercing. It wasn’t intentional this time, more of a nervous gesture. “I named it after you.”
My mouth hung open, and he immediately leaned forward, using my stunned silence to his advantage to kiss my forehead before walking away. Gaping at Simon, I searched him for any answers.
“I didn't know that, and I promise, no more secrets on my end.”
He kissed my cheek and then jogged to catch up to Slade. Walking in, I climbed the stairs in a daze at the implications.
Equinox. Nox.
Emblazed. Blaze.
Fudge, he really was Blaze then. So, Thane had lied?
