CHAPTER 9
REESE
Reese finished unlacing her skates and unclipped her helmet as Lida slumped onto the ground next to her. “You wanna grab dinner tonight?” Lida asked. The sight of her gear recklessly tossed around the wooden floor made Reese shudder as she began to meticulously arrange her own belongings.
“Sorry babe, I can’t tonight,” Reese answered.
Lida shook her long dark curls out as she tossed her helmet aside.
“Plans with Kiran?” she asked curiously.
Reese shook her head and pulled her hair into a messy bun.
“Well if it’s not me and it’s not Kiran, then who else could you have plans with?
” she pressed. Her voice cut through the din of the rest of the team talking and packing up for the day.
“I have other friends, you know,” Reese quipped.
“Bullshit,” Lida laughed.
Reese’s eyes narrowed. “I’m actually going to get a tattoo,” she added quickly.
“Bull. Shit,” Lida snarked with another laugh.
“I’m serious,” Reese answered to a surprised looking Lida. “I’m getting a bird. Right here,” she pointed to the inside of her bicep.
Lida’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why?” Her voice sounded acidic.
Reese zipped her bag and shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” she explained.
She laid the charm on extra thick and added, “You actually convinced me ages ago, but I couldn’t think of something I wanted to get until now.
” Lida’s mouth turned up at the corners but her eyes remained hardened and unsure.
“Are you going to the artist I told you about?”
“No, I found another one,” she replied casually. “She’s one of my friends who works at the shop Kiran goes to.” Lida stopped packing up her gear and sat still, carefully watching Reese.
“Who?”
Reese fidgeted with the tag on her shirt as she avoided eye contact. “I think I mentioned her to you before. Her name’s Jette.” She hoped that Lida would stop asking questions, but knew deep down that the interrogation was just beginning. Lida was relentless both on and off the track.
“Hmm, Jette,” Lida exhaled. She drew the name out slowly.
Reese spoke up nervously, “We’ve been hanging out a lot lately and she had an opening in her schedule so she offered it to me.”
“You’re friends?” Lida raised an inquisitive eyebrow and scooted closer. “Why haven’t I heard of her before? Who is she? Is she hot?”
“Oh my god, Li,” Reese huffed in exasperation. She hoped her cheeks were still flushed from practice and wouldn’t betray her.
“You’re avoiding the question,” Lida retorted with a smirk. “So that means yes,” she concluded.
“She’s—” Reese began but it was pointless to lie to Lida. “Okay yeah, she’s gorgeous. But it’s not like that,” she admitted as Lida stared at her. After years of friendship, Lida could read her like a book. Reese felt uneasy as Lida’s warm brown eyes lit up mischievously.
“Okay, let me get this straight. You hang out all the time, but you’ve never once mentioned this chick to me.” Lida ticked off her fingers as she continued, “She’s gorgeous, and you have a tattoo date set. And you guys are just friends?” Lida’s voice was thick with doubt.
“Just friends,” Reese repeated before draining the last of her water bottle.
“Have you thought about kissing her?”
Reese coughed, tears springing to her eyes as she choked on her water. Lida chuckled and clapped her on the back, her eyes still flashing playfully. “Okay, okay, that answers my question,” she remarked.
“We’re just friends,” Reese spit out defensively.
“Bitch,” Lida began piling her gear into an oversized duffel.
“You’ve got a terrible poker face. Friends don’t think about kissing each other,” she explained.
“You and I don’t daydream about kissing each other, do we?
” Her words were firm, but Reese could tell that Lida was excited to hear more.
“When can I meet her?” she asked enthusiastically.
Reese wiped her face and answered, “Not sure. She’s leaving for a couple months and then she might be moving.
” Her throat felt tight as she said it out loud.
She and Jette practically texted nonstop now.
And even though they hung out all the time, neither of them ever seemed to want to address that particular elephant in the room.
She pushed the thought from her mind and pulled her bag over her shoulder.
“I gotta run home and shower before my appointment,” she said hurriedly. “Call me later tonight?”
Lida shot her a knowing smile and replied, “You got it, babe.”
Reese ran through the million things that were still waiting on her to-do list as she made her way to the parking lot.
Her mind was racing, simultaneously excited and nervous at the idea of getting her first tattoo.
Before she realized, she was already pulling onto her street.
As she climbed the stairs two at a time, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
JETTE
We’re still on for today, right?
Reese bit the corner of her lip and swallowed the feeling that arose in the pit of her stomach. She smirked to herself as she typed out a reply.
REESE
Who is this?
JETTE
you ass
See you soon :)
Reese hovered over the screen before deciding not to respond.
She didn’t want to seem too eager even though she had been daydreaming about today all week.
Jette had drawn up a couple designs and sent them over as she completed them.
Each one more perfect than the last. She turned on the shower and peeled off her workout clothes, letting them fall to the floor in a pile.
She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror and took a step closer, carefully inspecting herself.
Swallowing her nerves, Reese stepped into the shower, eager to get on with the rest of her day.
. . . .
She fussed with her hair in the mirror before giving herself an approving once over. She tugged at the hem of her favorite shirt, a soft knit olive green tank with a deep v neckline. Bounding down the stairs, she heard Kiran’s keys in the lock.
“Babe?” he called out breathily. His hair was matted down from the sweaty baseball cap that swung from his hand.
“I’m just headed out for my appointment” she said while reaching for her coat. “I’ll text you pictures!” Her voice sounded higher than usual, but she wasn’t sure if it was from excitement or nerves. Kiran’s brow furrowed. Reese reminded him, “My tattoo appointment?”
He nodded and bent down to give her a kiss as she slid past him out the front door. “Oh right. Good luck,” he called out dully.
The air was icy and the sun was just beginning to set as she crossed the street.
The anxiety lingering on the outskirts of her mind finally began to settle in.
The idea of getting a tattoo wasn’t new.
After all, Lida and Kiran had been trying to convince her to get one of her own for years now.
Her heart thundered as she turned the corner and saw the faint glow of the shop in the distance. There was no going back now.
Heat poured out as she opened the door and the sudden change in temperature gave Reese full-body chills. She called out Jette’s name into the empty room. Music was faintly playing in the background as Reese shrugged off her jacket, leaving it draped over the front counter.
Jette’s voice came from the back hallway before she came around the corner in her standard uniform of head-to-toe black.
Fluidly, she pushed her sleeves to the elbow and lifted her arms, pulling her long dark hair into a ponytail.
She smiled, revealing perfect teeth behind full lips when her dark eyes met Reese’s.
“You look great,” she complimented, “That color is perfect on you.” Reese returned the smile and felt another shiver creep down her spine.
Jette seemingly caught the subtle movement and asked, “Is it too chilly in here?” She always had a way of noticing every tiny detail in Reese’s expression, every small shift in her posture.
It made Reese feel exposed, as though Jette could see every thought that crossed her mind like reading a teleprompter on her forehead.
Not that she was thinking anything inappropriate—not this time at least. Jette glided across the room before locking the front door behind them.
Her sweater had large cut outs in the back, leaving her tattooed shoulder blades on display.
Reese’s gaze lingered on the bare skin between the black fabric.
“No, it feels great,” Reese stammered, her voice betraying her thoughts which were now becoming more inappropriate by the second. “Is anyone else in today?” she asked hopefully. Though she couldn’t be sure which answer she wanted to hear.
“Nope. The shop’s closed on Sundays.” Jette gestured for her to follow.
“Wait, the whole shop is closed?” Reese pressed. “Why’d you tell me to come in on your day off?” she asked incredulously.
Jette glanced over her shoulder as Reese followed down the hallway.
“Because I wanted to see you,” she said plainly.
Reese’s ears grew warm. “And I don’t mind coming in on my days off if I’m excited to work.
” Her voice was calm and confident. Again, Reese’s eyes latched on to the exposed skin on display from Jette’s waist to the nape of her neck.
Her fingers twitched inexplicably, wanting to trace the delicate curve of her spine right here in the overwhelmingly empty hallway.
Jesus christ, she really needed to get a grip.
The door to Jette’s station swung open and the faint fumes from the disinfectant left Reese’s nose tingling.
She leaned against the doorframe as Jette washed her hands vigorously in the sink.
“Are you excited?” Jette asked, still keeping her back to Reese and Reese had to all but force herself to look away. What was it about that damn sweater?