Chapter 8
“ A fter I show you the shop,” Duke said, “we’ll go home and see what we can salvage from your cabin.”
“I’m sure you have better things to do today,” McKenzie said.
“Not at all. It’s our day off, and I’m happy to help you. Besides, you shouldn’t be over there by yourself. It’s not safe.”
After a period of silence, she said, “I thought I was being so independent coming out here to start over and to figure out what’s next for me and Jax.” She sighed as she looked out the passenger-side window. “We all know how that’s worked out so far.”
“Blame it on Ethel. She’s the one who messed things up.”
“How could I have come here with a baby and not known there was a hurricane in the forecast?”
“You didn’t have Wi-Fi, TV or a good phone connection. It’s not your fault. I should’ve gone over there to make sure you were okay, but I didn’t want to freak you out by just popping in.”
“Freak me out?”
“The tats scare some people. They think I must be a menace or something.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I agree, but I didn’t want to scare you, so I stayed away. I regret that now.”
“I went to your house first that night when I left the cabin, but you weren’t there.”
He winced. “Oh crap. I was at the Beachcomber with some friends. We closed the place ahead of the storm.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“It was, but I wish I’d been home when you came by.”
“Thankfully, Blaine saved us.”
“I’m so glad he did.”
He took a right into the ferry landing parking lot and drove to the far end where his shop was located alongside the massage studio in a two-story building that had apartments on the second floor. The rent from those apartments helped to keep him afloat in the off-season when the studio was slow. Not that she needed to know that.
He waited until she’d removed Jax from the car seat before he got out of the truck and went around to open her door.
“Thank you.”
Her smile was so dazzling, it made him go stupid in the head. “No problem.” Duke hoped it was okay to take hold of her elbow to help her down from the truck.
He was so out of practice when it came to being around women, and he never wanted to be anything other than respectful. But he couldn’t let her trip and fall, especially with the baby in her arms.
As he put the key into the metal door that bore the logo he’d designed himself with Duke’s Tattoos in the center, he felt the familiar pride that hit him any time he walked into the studio he’d made his own over the years.
A red-brick wall bearing the same logo was the first thing visitors saw when they entered the space. To the left was a reception desk he’d built and varnished himself following an online template that’d looked much simpler than it’d turned out to be.
He flipped on the lights, which flickered for a second but stayed on. “The power is still kinda sketchy.”
“I hope it stays on.”
“You and me both. I’m out of business without it.”
“This is such an amazing space.” She took in the exposed ductwork that lined the ceiling, which had been painted black, and the leather sofa in the reception area. “I’m not sure what I expected, but this is really nice.”
“Thanks. Took me a few years to get it the way I wanted it, but it was worth the effort.”
“Tell me everything. How does it work?”
“Never had a tat?”
“Nope. I’m untouched by ink.”
“Well, that’s a crying shame.” The words were said before he took a second to decide whether they should be.
McKenzie laughed. “I’m such a baby when it comes to needles. I can’t imagine willingly sitting still and letting someone poke me with them for hours.”
“It’s not that painful. Well, most of the time, it isn’t. Depends on where you’re getting the ink. Joints and bony areas tend to hurt the most.”
She shuddered. “I couldn’t do it.”
“Sure, you could. You survived a hurricane—and childbirth. A tat would be nothing after that.”
“Right.” She rolled her eyes. “The only reason I survived the hurricane is because Blaine rescued me. Who knows what would’ve become of us if he hadn’t come along when he did?”
“You would’ve figured out something. But anyway, enough about that. We’re all about positive thinking, remember?”
“Right.”
“Come in.”
They walked into the main part of the big, open room where four stations were set up to the specifications of each artist. “This is my area.” He gestured to the deluxe table he’d saved up for over two years to buy and then special ordered from the mainland. It had arm and leg rests that made his customers comfortable while he worked.
“Do people usually know what they want when they come in?”
“About half the time they do. For those who just want something, we have books over there full of designs to give them inspiration.”
“So the person picks what they want and then what?”
“We discuss the design until I’m sure they’re happy with it, reminding them several times that there’s not really a do-over once it’s done. For instance, I discourage people from tattoos with boyfriend or girlfriend names.”
McKenzie laughed. “Probably a good call.”
“They always think they’ve found ‘the one.’ I’ve had a few people come back to have them altered after the breakup. I always want to question spouse names, too. Like, are you sure this marriage is solid before you put it in permanent ink?”
“I never would’ve thought of any of that, but you make good points. I bet people don’t love that question.”
“They don’t, but I ask it anyway.”
“What happens once you’re settled on the design?”
“I run the design through a thermal printer, which spits out a template that I apply to their skin after it’s cleaned, shaved and prepped. The template peels off, leaving an outline of the design that I then fill in with the ink we’ve agreed to ahead of time. Sometimes people want all-black designs. Other times, they want color.”
Was he talking too much and giving her more info than she wanted?
“That’s when the needles come into it, right?”
“Yep. And we have a bunch of different sizes and types, depending on what the design calls for.”
“It must’ve taken years to figure out how to do this.”
“About a year before I was fully trained and comfortable with flying solo. I was lucky to have a great teacher who then helped me to buy him out when he retired. He set me up with a very nice life here.”
“That’s so great. I’m sure you worked your butt off to deserve that kind of help.”
“I did, but I loved it from the start, so it was a good fit for me. I love the camaraderie with the other artists, and the customers are fun, too. We get a lot of vacationers and first-timers looking to do something a little crazy—by their standards, anyway. They’re so excited, which makes it fun for us.”
“I’m sure that is fun. Other than the breakups, do they ever regret it afterward?”
“Not that we see. They’re usually still high on the adrenaline of it when they leave us. If they regret it, that probably happens after they get home. You want to see some of my stuff?”
“I’d love to.”
He gestured for her to take a seat on the sofa. “That little guy must get heavy after a while.”
“He does. He’s not so little anymore.”
“You need one of those stroller thingies.”
“I had one at the cabin. Maybe it survived the collapse.” She pulled a blanket and some toys from her backpack and put them on the carpet for Jax to play with.
Duke sat next to her, bringing his leather-bound portfolio. “If it did, we’ll find it and clean it up for him.”
“Thank you for being such a great friend to me when I really needed one.”
Her kind words went straight to his already-overcommitted heart. “It’s my pleasure to help you. Your grandmother did the same for me once upon a time. I’ll never forget her kindness or how much it meant to me. I’m just paying it forward like she’d want me to.”
“She was forever telling us that kindness matters and to take care of people who need it.”
“That sounds like her.”
“It drove her crazy that my mother was nothing like her. She takes care of herself before everyone else.”
“I might’ve heard something about that a time or two.”
“What did she say?”
He shook his head. “I’m not spilling any secrets. All I’ll say is that she saw it and wished it wasn’t like that.”
“It wasn’t easy to be her kid.”
“Rosemary saw that, too.”
“Yeah, she did. Thank goodness for her. Anyway, show me your work.”
For the next thirty minutes, she flipped through each page of his portfolio, studying every design with interest and curiosity that amused and aroused him.
That last part was a bit unsettling. Despite his best intentions, he’d have to be dead and buried to not be attracted to her, especially as she exclaimed over his work.
“You’re incredibly talented, Duke, but I’m sure you know that.”
He shrugged, embarrassed and delighted by her praise. “It’s the one thing I’m really good at, so don’t be too impressed.”
“Too late. I already am, and you’re also very good at cross-stitching.”
“That’s easy, and it’s similar to what I do here. Just another artistic expression.”
“Cross-stitching is not easy, especially the way you do it without a template, and don’t try to tell me otherwise. I made a mess of every sampler I ever started. Gran eventually gave up on me and patted me on the head as she told me I’d have other talents.”
Duke laughed. “That also sounds like her.”
“She certainly didn’t suffer fools.”
“No, she didn’t, which was why I liked her so much. There was no BS with her, you know?”
“I sure do. She had no patience for my teenage nonsense. She’d tell me my bad attitude would get me nowhere in life and to come back when I could be pleasant. Since there was nowhere else I wanted to be but with her, I sweetened up quickly, so she’d let me come back to her house.”
“I can’t imagine you as a nasty teenager.”
McKenzie snorted with laughter. “I was the worst, but thanks to Gran, it didn’t last as long as it might’ve otherwise. She wasn’t having it.” She continued to turn the pages, giving each piece of art her full attention. “I can’t get over how detailed your work is. How hard is it to get the fine details into the final product?”
“It’s not that hard once you know what needles to use for what effect. The art is the easiest part of running this place. It’s the business stuff that makes me crazy. I hear the words QuickBooks, and I nearly break out in hives.”
“Oh, I love QuickBooks. I used it to keep the books of a couple of businesses at home when I was in high school and college.”
Duke looked at her without blinking. “You know QuickBooks?”
She glanced over at him, smiling as she nodded. “Uh-huh.”
“Will you help me with it?”
“I’d love to.”
“I’ll pay you anything you want to make it so I never have to open that hateful program again.”
She lost it laughing. “You don’t have to pay me. I’m living in your apartment and letting you drive me around. It’d be the least I could do to pay you back for all you’ve done for me.”
“You don’t have to pay me back for anything, but I’d love some help with my accounting. It’s the bane of my existence.”
“I’ve got you covered.”
The door swung open to admit his next-door neighbor Sierra, who owned a massage business. She had spiky dark hair, sleeve tattoos he’d done for her and a body that made the guys who worked for Duke drool. “Saw your truck out there on your day off.” She stopped when she saw McKenzie and the baby. “Oh, sorry. Didn’t realize you had guests.”
“Sierra, this is McKenzie and her son, Jax. She’s Rosemary’s granddaughter. Sierra owns the massage studio next door.”
“Oh, hey,” Sierra said. “Loved your grandma. She was dope.”
“Yes, she was.”
“She made the best banana bread. I miss that.”
“I know the recipe.”
“Don’t tease me unless you plan to come through.”
McKenzie smiled. “I’ll come through.”
“I’ll hold you to it.”
“Guess what else she knows how to do?” Duke asked with a big grin.
Sierra stole a mint from a bowl on the reception desk. “What’s that?”
“QuickBooks.”
“Stop it. Really?”
“Yep,” McKenzie said. “And I’m good at it. I even took a class.”
Duke stared at her. “You took a class.”
“I did.” McKenzie’s smile was nothing short of dazzling. “I aced it.”
“Name your price,” Sierra said. “I’ll give you everything I have.”
“That’s not necessary,” McKenzie said with a laugh. “I’d be happy to do it for you.”
“If you do it, you’ll be paid,” Sierra said. “Handsomely.”
“We can fight about that another time.”
“When can you start?”
“Maybe tomorrow?” She glanced at Duke, as if to ask if that worked for him. “I just have to see what Tiffany needs at the store.”
“We’ll take what we can get.” He glanced at Sierra. “Meet here around this time tomorrow?”
“I’ll be here,” Sierra said. “My first client is due any minute. Very nice to meet you, McKenzie and Jax. Have a good day, you guys.”
“Nice to meet you, too.”
When Jax started to fuss, McKenzie put the portfolio on the glass coffee table and picked him up for a cuddle. That settled him right down.
“You’re good with him.”
“I’m lucky that he’s an easy baby. Now, anyway. At first, he wasn’t at all, but we figured it out, didn’t we, buddy?”
“Yayayayaya.”
“Ya is his first word.”
“He’s a cutie.”
“So’s Sierra. She’s freaking gorgeous.”
“Yes, she is. The guys that work for me follow her around like puppies.”
“But you don’t?”
The question surprised him. Was she asking if he and Sierra were a couple, or was he reading too much into an innocent question? “Nah, we’re just friends. Have been for years.”
“I see.”
He had so many questions he didn’t dare ask her, but all at once, he needed some air. “What do you say we head home and see what we can salvage from the cabin?”
“That’d be great. Thanks for showing me your studio. It’s absolutely amazing.”
He thought she was absolutely amazing. “My pleasure.”