Spring Break Fling

Chapter 43

43

NIKKO

T he smell of saltwater and stale beer hit me as soon as I walked into the bar. It was strange to be back. Strange but I wasn’t sure if it was good. Miami felt different. I saw the city through fresh eyes. I saw all the warts and wrinkles that I had blissfully embraced before.

It was as if returning to Miami was a step back, yet here I was, trying to reclaim something I wasn’t even sure I wanted anymore. I walked away from a woman that loved me. She was probably the only woman that had ever truly loved me. Samantha was obsessed with me. She wanted to possess me. She wanted to fuck me.

But that wasn’t love.

I found a spot at the bar and ordered a beer, my mind still reeling from the encounter with Hannah. Breaking things off with her had felt like the only choice in that moment, but doubt was creeping in. I’d been back a few days and had yet to sleep or really relax. I felt unsettled. Restless. Like my skin was too tight. Did I push her away because I feared holding her back, or because I feared she would hold me back?

The bartender slid the beer toward me with a nod. “Thanks,” I muttered .

Diego walked in a few minutes later. He slapped me on the back and took the seat next to me. “Well, look who finally dragged his sorry ass back to civilization,” he said.

The bartender brought him a beer before shuffling away.

“Missed me?”

“Like a rash,” Diego shot back, his grin widening. “So, how’s Boise? Full of potatoes and heartbreak?”

I took a long sip of beer, savoring the cold bitterness. “You could say that.”

“I thought you’d be bringing her back with you,” he said. “I was thinking you’d have a ball and chain, never to be seen in a bar again.”

“Not even close,” I said. Although it had been very close. But she chose otherwise. I was saving face by not admitting the truth. “How’s it going at the shop? I hope none of my enemies have been making trouble.”

“I haven’t seen or heard anything. Been quiet. Like real quiet. People come in looking for you all the time. When they find out you don’t work there anymore, they turn right back around and leave.”

“Yeah?”

“They all want to know where you went. When we tell them you’re not working anywhere, they get bitchy. They think we’re just being dicks not wanting to send business your way. I’ve had some words with a few of them.”

“Sorry about that,” I said.

We both knew I wasn’t sorry. It was nice to know people cared about my work. In a sea of generic tourist tattoos, some of my art actually meant something to people. They wouldn’t get passionate and angry if they didn’t care.

Diego laughed, the sound rich and carefree. “Don’t sweat it, man. It’s actually kind of entertaining, keeps the days from becoming too monotonous.”

I nodded, taking another sip of my beer, letting the cool liquid calm my thoughts. My eyes scanned the dimly lit bar, recognizing a few faces. This was my world. I didn’t belong in Hannah’s world sitting around, eating lasagna, and playing cards with her family .

“Man, you don’t look thrilled to be back,” Diego commented, studying me more closely now.

I shrugged. “Maybe I just need to get out of Miami for good.”

Diego raised an eyebrow. “And go where? Back to Boise? You gonna turn into a potato farmer?”

“Maybe,” I said, half-joking.

He shook his head, chuckling. “You need something to shake you up. Miami’s too small for you now, brother.”

“It certainly feels smaller,” I said.

“So, you going to tell me what happened between you and Hannah?” he asked after a few minutes. “I know something did.”

I took another long pull of my beer, the bottle cold against my palm. “She got offered a job in New York. Big corporate gig. Exactly the kind of thing she’s been working toward.”

Diego leaned back, watching me carefully. “And that’s bad because...?”

“Because it means she’s not moving to Miami like we planned. She decided there is no us. She wanted me to move to New York with her, but that’s not my world. I’m not a corporate guy. I’m a tattoo artist. New York would eat me alive. And a long-distance thing, which is what she suggested, is just prolonging the inevitable. It would never work. I know that and I think she does too. She just doesn’t want to admit it.”

“So, you broke up with her?” Diego’s tone was neutral, but I could see the judgment brewing in his eyes.

“I didn’t break up with her,” I said defensively. “I walked away. If she wants to go to New York, so be it. She can go. I’m not going to follow.”

Diego snorted. “Sounds like a breakup to me. Sounds like you needed an excuse to bail out of another relationship.”

I stared into my beer, Diego’s words hitting uncomfortably close to home. “It’s not like that,” I muttered.

“Isn’t it?” Diego pressed. “You’ve got a pattern, Nikko. The moment things get serious, you find a way to sabotage it. Which is fine with most of the losers you date, but Hannah was nice. ”

I slammed my beer down harder than necessary. “I didn’t sabotage anything. Hannah chose her career over me.”

Diego raised an eyebrow. “Did she? Or did you give her an impossible choice?”

“Whatever. It doesn’t matter. It’s over. She’s in New York. Probably moved into a fancy apartment in a building that touches the clouds. We wouldn’t have worked anyway. She’s uptown, I’m not. It was fun while it lasted.”

He nodded and thankfully said nothing more on the subject. “Marcus decided to press charges against Samantha for trashing the shop.”

“No shit?” I said, eyebrows shooting up.

“Yep. She’s getting charged with vandalism and destruction of property. Her boyfriend posted bail, but she’s still got a court date. She’ll probably get community service, but it’s something at least.”

I took another swig of beer. “Karma’s a bitch. Samantha in a reflective vest picking up garbage on the side of the road? That would be something to celebrate.”

Diego kissed his fingertips and spread them. “Chef’s kiss, my dude. Pure poetic justice.”

I chuckled. “That actually makes me feel a little better about the dumpster fire my life’s been lately. That woman tried to fuck my life up.”

“She succeeded.”

“Well, yeah, I guess she did.” I shook my head. “But I’m glad she’s getting some payback.”

Diego nodded and chuckled. “And get this—Jessie blew a gasket the other day. She told Marcus she might quit because she ‘can’t handle our douche-baggery’ without you around.”

I snorted. “Sounds like Jessie.”

“She said you balanced us out,” Diego added. “Apparently, we’re insufferable without your ‘wise, muscly ways.’ Her words, not mine.”

“ Wise, muscly ways ,” I repeated, shaking my head. “That’s a new one. I never considered myself wise. A smartass, but wise is not a word I think anyone has ever used to describe me. ”

Diego’s expression turned more serious. “You ever think about coming back? Marcus isn’t the type to hold grudges, man. A conversation might be all it takes.”

I leaned back, chewing on the idea. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I’ve been drawing a lot since I got back. Got some attention from galleries and other shops, but…” I shrugged, letting the sentence trail off.

“But what?” Diego pressed.

“But I’m not sure I want to change directions right now,” I said. “Hannah—she told me I could make it on my own. Start my own thing. But that feels like a lot. I don’t know the first thing about starting a business. That seems like a lot of commitment.”

Diego scoffed. “Nikko, you’ve got talent coming out of your ass. What’s stopping you?”

“Comfort zone, maybe,” I said, swirling the beer in my glass. “Or fear of failure. Take your pick.”

Diego jabbed a finger at me. “Don’t be a chicken shit. Hannah might’ve screwed up by walking away from you, but she wasn’t wrong about your talent. You’ve got something raw, man. Something people can’t learn. You were born with this in your veins. Stop holding yourself back.”

Before I could respond, Jessie burst through the door like a whirlwind. Her hair was a new bright purple color, making her stand out. “Holy shit, Nikko!” she squealed, throwing her arms around me. “You big, stupid bastard! I’ve missed you. Diego told me you were back in town, but I didn’t think that was true because you didn’t call me.” She whacked me in the back of the head. “Asshole.”

I chuckled, hugging her back. “Missed you too, Jessie.”

She pulled back, grinning. “You’ve got no idea how boring it’s been without you. Diego’s jokes suck, and Marcus keeps playing this godawful yacht rock playlist. I swear, if I hear ‘Kokomo’ one more time, I’m burning that place down.”

Diego feigned offense. “First of all, my jokes are gold. Second, ‘Kokomo’ is a banger. ”

Jessie rolled her eyes and turned back to me. “You see what I’m dealing with? Insufferable. You better be sticking around.”

“I’m thinking about it,” I said. “Sit, I’ll buy you a beer.”

“Damn straight you will.” She looked around the bar. “Where’s that woman?”

“If you’re referring to Hannah, don’t. I don’t want to hear it. She’s not here.”

“He dumped her,” Diego said.

“No, I did not.”

“She dumped you ,” Jessie said. “I knew it. You finally find a good girl and you fucked it up. Classic Nikko.”

“Drop it, Jessie,” I growled. “I’m not in the mood for you to count down the top ten reasons why I suck.”

“Yep, nasty breakup.” Jessie leaned forward, unfazed by my objections. “Okay, spill. What really happened?”

I sighed, taking another long pull of my beer. “She got a job in New York. Corporate gig. Wanted me to move there with her, but it’s not for me. So, it’s over. Period. Can we not talk about her anymore?”

“Sometimes things just don’t work out,” Jessie said with a sympathetic look. “But you’re allowed to be sad about it.”

Thankfully, that was the last that was said about it. We talked tats, local happenings, and nothing in particular. For a few hours, I felt a little less like my heart had been ripped out and stomped on. I’d missed this—missed them.

“Any more from those guys looking for you?” Diego asked.

“Nope. But I haven’t gone looking for them. My dad doesn’t know I’m back in town.”

“Do you think they’ll back off?” Jessie asked. “They know you don’t have the money. Maybe they’ll move on.”

“I don’t know,” I said. “This might be the calm before the storm.”

“I think I felt better when you were out of their reach,” Jessie said.

“I’ll keep my eyes open,” I said.

“You always do,” Diego replied.

I headed home for the night, making sure I locked up tight just in case. I went to bed and stared up at the ceiling. The ache for Hannah crept back in. I could still hear her voice, see her smile, feel the weight of what we’d lost. She’d made her choice, and I’d made mine. That was the end of it. All that was left was pain.

At least I wouldn’t have to wonder what could’ve been. I’d given it everything I had. The only thing I could offer was me mooching off her in New York. That wasn’t going to make her happy. She’d resent me and I would feel the same about her. We would break up eventually. I think we both knew that. It was better to just cut our losses before it got too painful.