Chapter 32 #3
“Creeps, more likely. And Mama’s boys.” She flips her hair over her shoulder. “Dating is haaard.”
That sparks a debate that I (fortunately) can’t contribute to, since it entails venting about men.
Seeing as Jamie is the only man I ever dated, I have no grounds for complaint.
Yet. While it’s hard to imagine the two of us arguing, I’m sure there’s a big fight waiting for us somewhere down the road.
Am I happy about it? No.
Am I looking forward to the make-up sex? Hell, yeah.
“Oh, look at the bracelets!” Sarah chirps, grabbing Jamie and taking off with him.
They stop at a jewelry stall for a few minutes before moving on. Elbows interlocked like they’ve been besties their whole life, they go stall to stall, while I trail after them like an afterthought. Clearly, my presence here isn’t needed. How ungrateful—they only met thanks to me!
I was glad and relieved when Jamie started growing his circle of friends.
He’s been on his own for so long, I wanted him to have a life outside of our apartment, outside of us.
Someone to bitch to about me when I annoy him.
So when he hit it off with Seth and then reconciled with Nat, I was happy for him.
But I’m starting to feel like chopped liver.
Maybe our first argument is closer than I thought. How dramatic should I be about it?
TBD.
I cheer internally when Sarah finally announces that she has some stuff to do at home and we need to part ways.
Yes, please, part away. When she exchanges numbers with Jamie with the promise of getting in touch soon, I’m not sure how I feel about it.
I guess, as long as Jamie is happy, it’s okay.
And judging by the fierce hug Sarah gives him and he easily returns, it seems he’s plenty happy.
Damn, I can’t possibly burst his bubble.
Something must show on my face once we’re alone, though.
“Oh my God, Tyler, I’m so sorry!” He looks at me with big, earnest eyes that instantly melt my heart. “I didn’t mean to ignore you like that. This was supposed to be our date. Are you mad?”
He seems on the verge of tearing up, and that just won’t do. I gather him up in my arms, dropping a quick kiss on his lips.
“Nah. I’m glad you had fun. Sure, ideally you’d have it with me, but that’s fine.” I push a short strand of unruly hair behind his ear and give him a sly smile. “You can make it up to me later.”
He blushes and nods. “I can definitely do that. But still…sorry.”
“It’s okay. You should make friends. Although I was surprised that you invited her to tag along. I didn’t think you’d be comfortable around her.”
“I didn’t either,” he admits quietly. “But I know what it’s like not to have friends. Plus, she seemed nice. And I figured, if you—” He scrunches his nose. “If you were interested in her before, even if it was just for one thing, she can’t be a bad person.”
Just look at him, feeling jealous but letting his bleeding heart call the shots. How did I manage to find someone like him? Someone so pure, yet filthy in the best way?
“Yeah, she is a good person. Bad luck with guys, as you’ve heard. Figures you’d feel a sense of kinship.”
“Not anymore,” he corrects, expression solemn. “Now I have a good one. The best one.”
Wow, he knows how to go straight for the jugular.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
The moment stretches, the air around us charged with tension that’s both heavy and comfortable. A slow-cresting surge, that I’ve already felt before, rises inside me once more. This…compulsion that pushes three little words to the tip of my tongue. All the previous times, I hadn’t felt ready.
I think I’m ready now.
I raise my hand to Jamie’s face, cupping his cheek. I feel my lips part, the beginnings of a sound forming, but then, from the corner of my eye, something catches my attention.
Jamie frowns, craning his neck to see. “What are you looking at?”
“What do you think of tattoos?”
I can tell the moment Jamie zeros in on the tattoo stall. He stills before snapping his gaze to me, horror written in his face.
“No. Never.”
My shoulders fall. “Why not?”
He sputters, as if he can’t believe I’m even asking this. “They’re done with needles.”
Oh. That’s what he meant.
I bark out a laugh, relieved. “Fair enough. So, it’s the needles you object to, not the ink?”
He shakes his head. “Not at all. I think it’s amazing that you get to carry something that has a meaning with you wherever you go. That it’s part of you.”
He couldn’t have given a more perfect answer.
“I feel the same way.”
I take his hand and head towards the tattoo stall.
“Where are you going?”
“To get some ink.”
Jamie literally digs his heels in, forcing me to a stop.
“Now?! And here?!”
“Why not? I’m supporting local artists.”
“Yeah, but…” He glances at the stall with an anxious expression. “Isn’t this something you should really think through?”
“Nah. I know what I want. No doubts.” I raise our joined hands. “You can hold my hand in case I get scared.”
“Yeah, right.” He rolls his eyes, but I feel him squeeze my hand harder as we continue to the stall. There are two artists, both currently with customers, but they stop and look up when we get there.
“Can we help you?”
“Hi, yeah. Would I be able to slip in for a quick one?”
“Sure thing,” the one working on what looks like a small ornamental tattoo on the girl’s shoulderblade says. “You okay to wait ten, fifteen minutes?”
“No problem.”
“Great, just have a seat.” She nods towards the chairs. “Do you want one of our pieces or you have your own?”
I wave my phone at her. “I have one in mind.”
“Cool, mind sending it to this email address?” She points at a small make-shift desk with a card terminal and some art. “And can you scan the QR code and complete the waiver and health check?”
“Sure.”
I open my email first, typing in the address.
“What are you getting?” Jamie tries to peek over my shoulder.
I hide the screen from him. “It’s a secret.”
He huffs, unimpressed. “I’m going to see it in about fifteen minutes.”
“Guess you can wait that long, then.”
He crosses his arms, pouting while I send the email and go through the documents. I can’t wait for his reaction when he sees it. He’s gonna freak out, no doubt. But I know he’s gonna secretly love it.
I can’t say getting a tattoo is something I’ve spent a lot of time considering, but it has crossed my mind. And… I don’t know, but suddenly coming across this stall, just when I was about to confess my feelings for Jamie, seemed like a sign I couldn’t possibly ignore. It felt right.
Once the girl’s tattoo is finished, paid for and the area sanitized, the artist approaches us, looking at her phone.
“How big do you want it?” She must be checking the email I sent her.
I show her my forearm. “To fit my wrist. Or slightly above. ”
She gives it a quick assessment. “About an inch, then?”
“Sounds good.”
“Great. I’m Cindy, by the way. Tyler, was it?” She must’ve gathered that from my email.
“Correct. Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” She crooks a finger, so I follow her to the chair. “Hop on. And can I see the completed forms?”
Once I do, she starts prepping the area, starting with shaving. I’m a bit baffled by how much hair comes off.
“I had no idea my wrists were so hairy,” I point out with a laugh.
She chuckles. “We’re getting rid of the fluff too. Could mess up the whole process.”
“Makes sense.”
“First time?” she guesses, either from my question or my lack of ink.
“Yeah.”
“Did you read the waiver properly?”
“Yeah, no issues.”
“Good.” She cleans my skin, then sprays something on it. “You’ll get aftercare instructions too, and I’ll walk you through the healing process.”
“Thanks.”
“Okay, so…” She brings up a very thin sheet of paper. “I’ll do the stencil now. If you don’t like something about the placement, let me know, and we’ll redo it.”
“Sure.”
She’s careful and meticulous as she applies the stencil, taking her time to make sure it transfers properly.
“How is it?” she asks when she peels the paper off.
I lean forward to inspect it, a coil of affection settling in my chest as I realize this is soon going to be part of me. Just like Jamie said.
“Perfect.”
“I want to see,” Jamie demands, so adorably impatient.
I hold my breath anticipating his reaction.
He blinks. I can practically see the wheels turning in his head. “Is that…” He takes a step to the side, looking from a different angle.
His jaw nearly hits the floor. “Tyler! Are you crazy?!”
“What?” I feign nonchalance. “I’m just getting something that means a lot to me.”
That cuts his protests short. In fact, he goes completely speechless.
“Okay.” Cindy slaps on a pair of gloves. “Since you’re happy with it, I’ll get started. Let me know if you need a break.”
The second she brings up the gun and hovers it above my wrist, Jamie snaps into action.
“Tyler! Are you sure? That’s a very visible area.”
“Oh, I know.”