AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Dominick,” he answers the phone in a cheerful tone. “What do you need?”
Although I can’t make out what he’s saying, I can hear my brother’s deep voice on the other end of the call.
“I still have weeks,” he says. “I guarantee it’s epic.”
Again, I stand silent while Dominick says something that makes Daniel shake his head.
“I’ll tell you what,” he says to my brother. “I’ll run it by Gina before the big day. You trust her judgment, right?”
My eyes widen because I have no clue what they’re talking about.
“Good,” he says abruptly. “I need to go. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
As he lowers the phone, I ask the obvious question. “What was that about?”
“Your brother doesn’t trust me to give the greatest best man speech ever, so I need you to weigh in on it.”
Frustrated that we were interrupted, I nod. “I can do that.”
“Daniel!” the tattoo artist calls out his name. “You’re up.”
Daniel glances down at his phone. “I’ll email you the rough draft of my speech. After you give it a read through, give me your honest thoughts.”
“You want me to do that now?”
“How long will this take, Angel?” Daniel asks.
Tucking a wayward curl of her blonde hair into the messy bun on the top of her head, she smiles. “You can’t rush perfection. You’re my last client of the night, though, so the sooner we get started, the sooner we’ll be…”
“Done,” Daniel interrupts as he slides his suit jacket off.
Angel looks at me. “You can wait out here or come with us to the back if you want.”
I weigh the options, but before I can choose, Daniel makes the decision for me. “I don’t want Gina to see the masterpiece before it’s done, so she’ll wait here.”
Glancing at a row of gray chairs lined up against a wall, I nod. “I’ll do that.”
Angel steps around me to lock the shop’s door. “There’s a pot of coffee behind the counter, but be forewarned, it’s hours old, and the restroom is in the back of the shop. If you need to use it, come on back.”
“But cover your eyes if you do.” Daniel demonstrates by placing a hand over his eyes. “No peeking at my tattoo.”
Bowing my head to hide my smile, I nod. “Understood.”
“Read the speech,” he says as he sets off with Angel by his side. “I’ll be back to show you my first tattoo before you know it.”
I raise a hand in the air and mime making a check mark. “First ever tattoo. Mission almost accomplished on that wish.”
CHAPTERTWELVE
Gina
Tearswell in the corners of my eyes as I read the last line of the rough draft of Daniel’s best man speech. Overcome with emotion, I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart.
I witnessed a slice of his sentimentality last night at dinner when he made that speech honoring my brother and his fiancée, but this speech – this best man speech – puts that one to shame.
I’ve rarely seen Dominick cry, but I know he will on his wedding day when he sees Arietta in her breathtaking gown and also when he hears his best friend read this.
I drop my phone on my lap and stare at the wall opposite where I’m sitting.
