24. Nate
TWENTY-FOUR
nate
“I still can’t believe this place.”
Wandering though Lucas’s tattoo parlor before it was officially opened for the day, I looked at each of the pictures on the wall. “Respect,” I said, coming to one of Pat Tillman, a fallen American hero. “Grunt Ink. How’d you come up with the name? Last you were thinking back at base it was Main Street Tattoos.”
“I was still salty then,” he said. “Was avoiding a military name.”
“And you aren’t now?”
Lucas had been discharged from the army after ten years of service for nothing more than defending a woman’s honor from an asshole superior who was still over there swinging his dick around and getting away with it. Things were better these days than in the past, but guys like that still existed in the military unfortunately.
“Eh, not much I can do about it now. Figured it was time to move on.”
I started leafing through his designs. With Zoe back to work, I had nothing on the agenda today besides this tattoo and some soul-searching. “Mighty big of you. You were singing a very different tune not all that long ago.”
“Charlee may have mellowed me out a bit.”
“You don’t say?” That was the understatement of the year. “Okay, something like this. I was also thinking the sniper symbol.”
“Let me see what I can do,” Lucas said. “Give me a few minutes.”
I’d seen his designs before and was still amazed at how quickly he could put something together. As Lucas worked, I thought about how lucky he was to have a talent he could make a living off of. My only talent was being a good shot, but that wasn’t getting me very far in the civilian world.
“How’s it going with Zoe?” he asked while he worked.
“Couldn’t be better.” I thought about that for a second. “Or maybe a little. If I had a clue what was next for me, I’d feel a hell of a lot more valuable to her.”
Lucas stopped working. “That’s probably the most honest thing you’ve ever said. I guess Zoe is mellowing you out too.”
“I guess the right woman will do that.”
“Sounds serious?”
I sighed. “I want it to be.”
“There’s a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”
“Yeah, there’s a but. It has nothing to do with her, though. I just have to get my shit together.”
“You mentioned some ideas the other day.” Lucas flipped the design around.
It was fucking perfect. “I love it.”
“Good. Let me print this up, and we’ll get going. You can sit over there,” he said, nodding to the chair in the tattoo room. I headed toward it, waiting for my friend. By the time he came back and prepped me, I was ready to let the topic of conversation drop, but Lucas wasn’t having it. His tattoo pen touched my upper arm, my new tattoo officially underway. “Send it.”
I sighed. “I’d gotten used to the idea of a restaurant, so when that fell through, my first thought was to do it anyway.”
“Yeah, I remember. But you dismissed that idea. Said it wasn’t something you’d have chosen to do if not for your uncle.”
“Which is true. I’m not much of a foodie. But maybe something else. I have enough saved up to invest in a business and like the idea of being my own boss.”
“I can’t argue with that.”
“I’d gotten myself used to the idea of long hours, but I just don’t know. Something about it feels. . . off.”
“So, it doesn’t have to be a restaurant. Why don’t you do some research and take time to figure it out? You know I’d love to have you here.”
“The question is, would Zoe?”
“Seems an obvious answer to me if dinner the other night is any indication. You guys bolted pretty quickly.”
The corners of my lips turned upward thinking of what happened after dinner.
“You guys are clearly pretty compatible in at least one way.”
“No doubt about that.”
We were quiet for a bit. I let Lucas concentrate on his work.
“She’s good for you.”
Assuming we were talking about Zoe, I said. “Yeah, she is.”
“You just have to take care of yourself. I know it’s an adjustment.”
“That’s an understatement.”
Lucas stopped. I looked at my arm. It wasn’t finished. Glancing up, I wondered what was up with Lucas’s expression. He seemed concerned.
“What is it?”
“I saw the way you jumped when the waitress dropped her tray the other night at dinner.”
I knew where he was going with this. “I’m fine.”
“Which might be the case. But you were shot. In a war zone. If you weren’t one hundred percent fine, there’s no shame in that.”
Probably not a good time to mention the nightmares. They’d only started since I got back, which was odd. You’d think I would have had more trouble right after it happened.
“Like you said, it’ll be an adjustment.”
Lucas started working again. “One you don’t need to go through alone.”
Wanting to change the topic, I mumbled, “Thanks,” and glanced down at his work. “Looking good.”
“Nothing but the best at Grunt Ink.”
“I’m happy for you, Lucas. You said you wanted to do this and look.” I gestured with my other hand around the place. “It’s fucking awesome.”
“Can’t argue with you there. Your business will be too.”
Your business. That Lucas didn’t even question my idea and assumed it would be a success was just like him. He might be rough around the edges, but the guy was as good a friend as they came.
“Thanks, man.”
“Anytime.”
My phone buzzed, but I didn’t look at it.
“Go ahead and take it. I’ll be right back.” Lucas put down his tattoo pen.
Picking up my phone, I wasn’t surprised to see Zoe’s name at the top.
Miss me?
More than you can fucking imagine.
Good. ’Cause I was thinking, maybe I could run back to the apartment at lunchtime and take the afternoon off.
Want me to pick up some lunch?
Sure, though eating wasn’t what I had in mind.
I think I’m picking up what you’re dropping.
Yeah?
Yeah
Good. See you at noon.