Chapter 26
I’m washing at the bathroom sink when a woman sidles up beside me; she’s wearing a tank top and is fully inked out, like most of the attendees here.
There’s a stunning black cat tattooed on her shoulder.
Two sections of her bleach-blond hair are streaked with vibrant purple.
The diamond Marilyn stud near her cheek pulls up slightly when she smiles at me.
“I like your ink,” she says, holding my gaze.
“Oh, thanks. Yeah, I’ve had this one for a long time . . .”
“Sorry, I have to say something, it’s probably nothing, but when I was out there earlier, I noticed a guy watching you from across the room. He gave me a weird vibe. Do you know him or should I flag a security agent or something?”
I furrow my brows and glance at the bathroom exit. Logan already left as far as I know, and he’s the only one who would be watching me that closely.
“Are you sure it was me?”
“Yeah. He’s about this tall.” She holds her hand above me but it’s still too short for Logan. “Brown hair, average build. Kinda clean-cut . . .” Definitely not Logan. “Anything like that sound like someone you know?”
I shake my head, my thoughts circling back to everyone I tattooed today, but that description doesn’t match any of them. “I don’t think so.”
“Do you have friends around?” she asks. “I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone out there with that guy. He’s giving me the ick.”
Why is this happening? “Um—yeah. Well—no, actually.” I take a deep breath and try again, this time pretending like I’m less flustered. “Yes, I have friends, but they had to leave for a few minutes. I was just going to head to the bar for a drink.”
“By yourself?”
I nod, no longer keen on the idea. I can’t help but wonder if it has anything to do with those weird messages I’ve been getting on Instagram. Is it another artist?
“Hm . . . well, we’re about to become friends.” She holds out her palm. “Hi, I’m Rosa!”
I grin, shaking her hand. “I’m Kelly.”
“Okay, Kelly. Here’s the deal, I just came from the bar, and that place is way too crowded anyway. Wanna head across the street and get a drink instead?”
I nod. “Yeah, let me just text somebody quick.” I dig out my phone.
“Sure! I’m gonna go outside and make sure that guy isn’t around.”
“Oh, hey. If he is, would you mind getting a photo of him?”
“You better fucking believe I will,” she says, nodding before exiting the bathroom.
I open my text thread with Logan and begin typing.
Hey, I was just in the bathroom and some girl said
Fuck, he’s gonna freak if he thinks there’s some guy stalking me. It’s probably just some creep trying to get my number. I delete the message and start over.
The bar here is too crowded, I met a girl in the bathroom and we’re going to go across the street.
Rosa reenters just as I’m sliding my phone into my back pocket.
“I can’t find him.” She shakes her head. “Let’s hurry before he shows up again. Ready?”
“Yup.” We fall in stride and make our way out the door, beelining for the lobby and exiting the main doors toward the other bar.
“A scrunchie? And he still tried to deny it?”
“Right?” I throw my hands up in the air and chuckle. “Thank you!”
“God, men are such fucking idiots!”
I lift my second drink to my lips. Rosa is hilarious, she’s definitely a girl’s girl.
I have a lot of clients who are women, but the only women at Black Rabbit are Frankie and I, and we’re usually too busy working to chat during the day.
Rosa and I have a lot in common when it comes to our taste in tattoos and history in men.
After a wild day packed with excitement, this little cocktail hour is just what I needed, and hey, I made a new friend!
I already plan on telling Logan we have to come back next year just so Rosa and I can meet up again.
I shrug. “Honestly? I think it was a gift from the universe. It opened me up to a much better opportunity.”
She raises her eyebrows. “Oh yeah? Does this opportunity have a bigger dick?”
Not sure how to even answer that. I’ve felt it but haven’t technically experienced Logan yet. Not like that. I wipe away the condensation on the side of my glass, trying to avoid the question.
Rosa cocks her head to the side. “Don’t tell me you haven’t slept together yet.”
“It’s new!” I answer, laughing.
“How new?”
“I mean, we’ve been friends for a long time, he and I go way, way back. When I first met him, I had a crush, but that was so long ago, and he was a bit older than me at the time. But after Jason and I split, things shifted between us.”
“Who initiated it?” she asks. “Now I’m invested.”
“At first, I couldn’t tell if I was just making it up in my head. He’s a quiet guy, sometimes talking to him is like pulling teeth. But once I realized what was happening, I called him out on it—well, I kinda snapped—and then . . . he kissed me.”
The memory makes me all warm and fuzzy inside, granted that might just be the altitude.
She gapes at me. “Holy shit.”
“Wanna hear the craziest part?”
“Obviously!”
I lean in. “He’s felt this way for years and never said anything!” I set my drink down.
With her glass in hand, she squints and points at me. “See? They’re fucking idiots.”
I shake my head and chuckle.
“Has it been weird going from friends to this?”
I shrug. “Not really? It’s the same, but just with a ton of sexual tension added.”
“Sounds like you need to release some of that tension . . .” She eyes me while taking a drink.
I raise my glass. “Cheers to that. So, what do you do for a living?”
“I’m a corporate girlie. Pitch decks, modeling spreadsheets, quarterly reports, blah, blah, blah.” She waves it off.
“Really?” I chuckle. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as someone who worked in an office. You have some great ink.” I compliment her, my eyes drifting toward the cat again.
“Oh.” Rosa juts out her shoulder and tilts her head toward it. “It’s actually a cover-up. Used to say my ex’s name.” She holds up a hand. “I know, I know. I learned my lesson.”
“Well, the cat is beautiful.” I take a sip. “Since we’re swapping tales of our exes’ greatest hits, what’s yours?”
She laughs. “Actually, it’s a boring story.” She huffs. “Young and dumb. He just . . . grew tired of me.” She cocks her head to the side. “If it’s meant to be, we’ll find our way back, right?”
Her words make me wince; it sounds like her heart is still broken and I’ve been going on and on about my new relationship with Logan.
“That’s true. And if not, men are shit,” I proclaim, holding up my drink in a toast.
“Hear, hear,” she cheers, clinking her glass against mine with a smile and a wink. “Okay, enough about boys—how long have you been tattooing?” she asks.
My brow furrows. “How did you know that?”
She reaches out and jiggles my lanyard. “It’s on your badge.”
“Shit, I forgot I was wearing it.” I remove it from around my neck and stuff it in my purse. “I’m finishing up my apprenticeship, but got my license a little over a year ago.”
My phone vibrates on the bar top, and the screen lights up with Logan’s face.
“Whoa!” Rosa exclaims, using her finger to turn my screen to face her. “Please tell me this is the new guy.”
My heart beats a little faster as I swipe the screen and pick up the phone. “Hey,” I answer, with a laugh.
“Staying out of trouble?” His voice is deep and gravelly, and I have the impulse to kick my feet.
Aside from his sporadic comments throughout the day, we haven’t spoken about anything from last night.
After traveling and all the extracurriculars in Logan’s bed, I crashed hard.
Today was so busy, even though we were in close proximity, it wasn’t like we had any quality time during the convention.
“No.”
Rosa bounces her eyebrows up and down.
“Uh-oh. Sounds like it’s time for me to take you home,” he teases. “Where are you?”
“The bar across the street from the convention entrance.” I glance down at my coaster with the establishment’s logo on it. “The Griffin.”
“I’m pulling up now. Get out here.”
“You’re here now?” That was fast.
Rosa sets her drink down, then digs in her purse for her wallet. I cover my hand over hers. I’m buying this round.
“I’m here now.”
I bite my lip and smile. “’Kay. Be out in a minute.”
He ends the call, and Rosa looks at me with a big smile, chewing her straw knowingly. “Who was that?”
I open my mouth but am unsure how to answer. I haven’t actually said it out loud yet. “That’s Logan” is my response.
“Atta girl!” She slaps her credit card on the bar top. “You got the last one, this round is mine. With a man like that, you have much more important things to do,” she says with a chuckle. “It’s way past my bedtime anyway.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely! Have fun!” She shoos me off. “Oh, wait—let’s exchange info! Work sends me all over the place, and I’m in Minneapolis occasionally. We should grab a drink when I’m in town.”
“I’d love that! What’s your Instagram handle?”
She cringes. “Actually, I’m not on social media. I can’t doomscroll responsibly, had to give it up. What’s your number? I’ll put it in my phone.”
I nod. If I didn’t have to rely on social media for a source of income, I’d probably do the same. I rattle off my number as she types it in.
“I’ll text you!” she says, and I quickly shove my phone back in my bag. After a quick hug and promises for future drinks, I throw back the last of my cocktail and hurry out the door.
I feel his gaze on me before I spot him.
When our eyes meet, my desire is drawn taut—all-consuming and possessive. It feels inevitable, like lust and friendship have joined forces. This is where I belong. As I close the distance between us, my body clenches with anticipation for him.
“Hi,” I say, hopping in the passenger seat and closing the door.
“Where’s Thor?”
“Dropped him off at the hotel . . . Show it to me,” he says, grinning.
“Show what?”
“You know what—when were you going to tell me you got honorable mention?”
“Who snitched?” I ask, while fishing the ribbon out of my purse.
“Casper couldn’t wait to brag about it.”
I hold out the ribbon for him to see. He leans over the console and gives me a big bear hug. “So fucking proud of you.”
“Wild, huh?” I muse.
“Well deserved. You designed an incredible piece and executed it beautifully.”
The blush rises in my cheeks. He’s not saying it as a friend or someone I’m romantically involved with—he says it as a peer, as my mentor. Pride fills my chest as I accept the compliment. It means so much coming from someone with as much talent as Logan Teller.
“Thank you.” I nod. “Everything go well with your mysterious errand?”
I didn’t come out and ask him what he needed to do, but he didn’t offer.
His grin is practically cheek to cheek. “It did.”
I tilt my head with a small smile. “Gonna tell me what it was?”
He shifts the car into drive and pulls away from the curb. “Just some boring paperwork.”