AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Owen had other plans that made us rethink that. Rex is running around a bit, but he wanted me to stay here so I wouldn’t be alone. Got something cool coming in?” I ask, nudging my chin at the partition.
“That’s okay with me. Angel will be here by ten. I have a client coming in a few to get her areolas worked on. If you want to get paid while you wait, clock in and help prep my station?”
“I might as well work since I’m here. Rex doesn’t want me out front, just in case.”
“I got you, Raina, baby,” she says with a smile. “Those Lorenzo types ain’t nothing new. Just keep your head down and this will all blow over. If it’s not about you or nothing you did, you should be good.”
I like how she’s always positive, but I don’t think she fully understands the depths of shit Owen’s gotten me into. Although, I can’t complain since I’m bringing it to their shop. I have to get my mind off things as I clean up her chair and the table where she’ll set up her ink and the tattoo gun.
“You’re probably right,” I tell her but shift the conversation immediately to work. “Did you and Angel talk about my idea?”
Avery’s sitting on a stool with her sketchbook in hand, drawing for the client scheduled to come in. She peers up from the page. “I think that busting some tattoo myths can be fun and doing those snappy transitions from pig skin to real skin will bring in some new clients. Do you have any other ideas?”
“A few. I was thinking about maybe once a month, if you set up that subscriber account stuff I was telling you, you can run a raffle or a contest. Subscribers get to submit fan drawings or any drawings within reason, you know? Nothing that’s going to take two hours or longer.”
“All your followers get to vote on the best tattoo and subscribers get to enter the raffle to win it?” Avery asks, finishing my idea.
“Yeah, exactly.”
“How about you? How’s your drawing coming along?”
I let out a sigh of exhaustion. “Not very far since last week. It’s like, on paper everything is fine, but once I get to an orange or the pig skin, my fuckin hand won’t stop shaking.”
“Yeah, that’s no good for tattooing. Maybe think about what you’re eating.”
“What?”
Avery stops drawing to look at me. “You need your strength to sit for hours between drawing and tattooing. Food is fuel. Don’t tell me that huge hunk of handsome body guarding you isn’t trying to fatten you up.”
“He says I’m perfect, but he made me a full breakfast this morning. Better than the Pop-Tarts and protein shake I normally choke down.”
“Ah, breakfast this morning means you spent the night. So is that misteryourmister now?”
I can’t stop myself from blushing at the memory of Rex. I answer her with a shyness I shouldn’t have, but Rex brings it out of me. “Yes, he’s taking care of me in every way I can possibly think of.”
“Good for you, girl,” she replies with a smile. “I fell in love with Angel the same way. Don’t tell him I said this, but I was floundering about until he came into my life. If it weren’t for him, I don’t think we would have gotten this shop off the ground. Business isn’t my strong suit.”
“You two make an amazing team. I think me and Rex will be the same way.”
She smiles. “I can say that’s something you can look forward to. If you can see the way he looks at you when you’re not looking, that man has it bad for you. Hold onto him tight. Real men aren’t as common as one would think.”
I know she’s right because my father is a prime example of a man with so much promise to be great. But he gets in his own way, which leaves me in the line of fire too many times to count.
“Avery?”
“Yeah?” She stops drawing again to look at me.
“How soon is too soon to know?”
“To know what, hun?”
“To know if you’re in love or something like that?”
She giggles, crossing her princess-tattooed arms over her sketchbook. “Or something like that? Love is love, honey. There’s something about the way a man behaves around you that will tell you if he loves you or not. Even when he knows you’re fully capable of taking care of things yourself, he goes above and beyond to take care of certain things for you. It’s not always the case, but when it matters, that man will come through for you.”
“And if he doesn’t? Like, take Owen for example. The last few times I’ve locked myself out of my apartment and didn’t feel like dealing with my building manager, I’d call him because he has a spare key. He’d promised to show up but never did. Rex always shows up for me. No matter what.”
“There’s a stark difference between a man who loves you and a parent who loves you. Parents come with baggage from their own childhood. They either repeat their bullshit with you or try to do things differently. Either way, all that happens is their kids still need therapy as an adult.” She chuckles to herself.
