Chapter 23
Chapter twenty-three
August
“Auggie, you’ve got a visitor,” Nyx called from over at her booth. “Some hot firefighter come to hose you down.”
I rolled my eyes. The crew at the shop had been relentless since I’d told them Drake and I were dating.
I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t love it though.
Their nosiness was how they showed they cared, and I was incapable of being smothered.
We’d gotten through the coffee meetup with Serena yesterday, but tonight was dinner with my folks, where I had to explain to them not only was I seeing someone, but I also wouldn’t be heading down to Florida with them.
I’d been breaking out in nervous sweats all day.
Drake agreed to meet me here first and wait around while I finished two short appointments—the clients wanted a set of coordinates, which should be an easy in and out and wrapped up in a half hour.
Drake strode to the back with the confidence that drew my attention every time. I’d fallen asleep last night with his cock in my mouth, and when I woke up in the middle of the night, that ended with me swallowing another load before I’d snuggled back up against him and passed out again.
He wore an open short sleeve button-down with a black tee that hugged his lithe form as well as form-fitting jeans that showed off his thick thighs. Goddamn. I wanted to sink my teeth into all that muscle.
“You’re drooling,” Cas said, peeking out from his booth.
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered, though I reached up to wipe it off—because I was.
Still, his dark hair was styled, his deep brown eyes shone with warmth, and his lips looked enticing as hell.
My chest squeezed tight. And he was all mine.
Giddiness erupted the way it continued to with the realization.
I’d wanted someone by my side for so long, and Drake matched me in every way.
Whether we were taking random drives at two in the morning on the highway, blasting punk music out of the stereo, or trying hikes in places we hadn’t yet discovered, every moment with him offered an excitement I was hooked on.
I’d never grow tired of this man.
“C’mere, baby,” he murmured as he offered a hand.
I took it, and he hoisted me up and then yanked me forward.
My chest collided with his, and he leaned down to claim my mouth in a searing kiss.
I melted into it as the adrenaline hit my system, waking me up better than a shot of espresso.
My whole body came to life in his presence, an undeniable awareness there that I’d recognized from the start.
A cough sounded from behind us. “Uh, August, your next clients are here.” Owen’s voice was close—had he brought them back?
I pulled away from Drake at once, my cheeks flushed. When I turned to face my boss, he stood beside two very familiar people.
“Mom? Dad?” My whole body torched into embarrassment. Shit, they’d seen me kissing Drake. Their eyes widened, and they stared between us. Owen’s words crashed in, and my brows furrowed. “Wait, clients?”
Mom’s eyes sparkled with her grin. “Yeah, your father and I wanted to surprise you. Looks like you had a surprise for us too.”
“I’ll leave you guys to it,” Owen said, offering a wave. His mouth twitched in amusement. “The rest of you, get back to your booths.”
Cas let out a huff but leaned back. Guaranteed he and Nyx would be listening in on everything we said.
“So, wait, is this an actual appointment?” I asked, still not putting everything together. “Or just a work visit?”
“An actual appointment,” Dad said. “Mom and I figured we would try being brave enough to get tattoos of our own. We didn’t expect this though.” Dad paused to glance over at Drake, who’d shoved his hands into his pockets. “Boyfriend?”
“Yeah,” he said, tugging a hand out and extending it. “Drake Castillo. Happy to meet you.”
“Castillo…” Mom said, a thoughtful look flickering across her features.
I scrubbed at my face. Oh god, this would be embarrassing.
“My ex-girlfriend’s brother, yeah.” While Serena might not have mentioned me to her family, I’d yammered at length to my folks about her, the way I did about everyone I dated.
Well, everyone up until Drake, but that was because I’d been so tangled up in their move and confused about what he and I were.
Dad let out a whistle. “That going to be complicated?”
Drake shook his head with a laugh. “Nah, Serena’s not the type to seriously date, but I am. And August is amazing.”
My heart thumped hard, and I passed him a grateful look. The tenderness in his gaze caused butterflies to explode in my chest all over again.
“He is,” Mom said. “I’m glad you see that.” She placed a hand on my shoulder. “Now, can I get mine over with first because I’m terrified and ready to chicken out.”
I shook my head, even though a grin spread on my lips. “I never expected the two of you to get tattooed.”
“It’s your art, sweetheart,” Mom said. “Can you blame me for wanting to carry a little of that with me?”
My heart squeezed tight.
“I’ll keep Drake here company,” Dad said. “Do we wait out in the front? Or can we watch?”
“Go grab chairs,” I said. “You can pull them up and watch if you want.” I brought Mom over to the table, my palms sweatier than normal.
While this was a garden-variety tattoo, just a few numbers and marks, I hadn’t expected to be tattooing my parents.
And I still hadn’t broken the bad news to them—that I wouldn’t be moving.
“And you,” I gestured to Mom. “You sit here.”
“When did you two start dating?” Mom asked while I bustled around, preparing all the equipment. The motions came automatically, which was good because my brain had checked the fuck out.
“I’m so sorry but I can’t move,” I blurted out.
Silence resounded in the wake of my confession, and I tensed, not wanting to look up.
“I know,” Mom said, her voice gentle.
I lifted my head to meet her gaze. Her eyes were soft and a little sad, but she smiled.
“Did you figure out the tattoos your father and I are getting?” she asked, nervously shifting in her seat.
“Didn’t you hear me?” I asked. Why wasn’t she angry? Or upset? Or addressing what I’d just admitted?
“The tattoos, August,” she said, a gentle smile on her face.
“Coordinates, right?” I said, glancing over the papers I’d prepped for their appointment.
“For our home,” Mom said. “The one we raised you in. No matter where we go, we’ll always carry it with us.”
Oh. Heat welled up in my eyes, my vision going wobbly from the liquid there.
I’d been so worried Mom and Dad moving away meant more of the same, that I was too needy, too much, that they didn’t care as much as I did about all the memories we’d shared in that house growing up.
That with them moving, we’d lose what kept our family together.
But this gesture meant everything.
Not only were they getting the coordinates inked on them, but they were having me do it. No matter how far they went, they’d have a part of me with them. My heart squeezed tight.
“I had the feeling you didn’t want to go to Florida,” Mom admitted. “When you started responding to our messages less and less, that was one of the biggest tip offs.”
I wiped my eyes to clear them from the glossiness and washed my hands before getting the tattoo gun prepped. “You’re not mad?”
Mom shook her head. “Your dad and I want to make this move, but I can see you’ve carved out a beautiful life for yourself here. It was a bit of selfishness on our part wanting to drag you away from it because you’re our only kid. We’ll just miss you a lot.”
My heart squeezed hard. That was the exact way I felt.
“I didn’t want to let you down,” I admitted with a hard swallow.
“And before Drake and I had solidified things, I had considered the idea. So much was shifting all at once. But this place here? I don’t think I’ll ever find a workplace like it again.
And I know for a fact I’ll never find anyone else like Drake. ”
“Glad to hear it.” Drake’s voice sounded behind me.
I glanced back. He and my dad had appeared with chairs to watch Mom getting her first tattoo.
Odd as fuck way for my boyfriend to meet my family, but kind of perfect in the same breath.
My insides fluttered as our gazes locked, and I beamed at him, unable to contain the fierce joy flooding through me.
“You were right about August,” Mom said to Dad. “Guess I’m doing dishes for the next month.”
“You had a bet on it?”
“We’re old, bored, and retired,” Dad said. “Of course we put a bet on it. Besides, chances are, you’ll get sick of seeing us. We’ll be up to visit as often as possible.”
“Never,” I responded, and Dad reached over to ruffle my hair, as if I were still a kid, not a fully grown adult. I basked in the attention, not giving a damn it was in front of Drake. A gentle smile lingered on his lips, those dark eyes of his warm, and I loved that he’d be getting to watch me ink.
Only fair, after I’d gotten to see him fight the apartment fire. Granted, putting ink on someone versus saving lives didn’t compare in the slightest. Like comparing apples to…well, maybe not oranges. Aubergines?
I prepped the tattoo gun and settled into the seat. “You’re getting the forearm, right?”
“Yes,” she said. “Be gentle on this old lady.”
I rolled my eyes. She wasn’t that old. “Either you’ll have a pain tolerance for it, or you won’t, but we can take as many breaks as needed.”
“Ready?” I asked as I turned on the machine and the gun hummed in my hand.
Mom was squeezing her eyes shut, teeth gritted. “Sure.”
I shook my head, a grin on my lips and my heart light as I set to work.
***
Both Mom and Dad had howled the entire tattoo appointments, but they survived the process, owners of fresh ink.
I gave them each a huge hug and promised to meet them at the restaurant, which was the original plan.
Drake had cracked jokes with my folks the entire time, blending in like he’d known them for years, rather than just meeting them.
I loved every second of seeing him with them.
“Ready to go?” I asked Drake, who was chilling back and skimming through his phone while I sterilized the last of my equipment. He’d tried to help a few times, ended up contaminating things, and we’d agreed I was better off finishing the job up myself.
“Hell yes,” he said. “I’m starving.”
“Tell me about it,” I said, then looked up. His eyes gleamed, a wolfish grin on his lips. Heat bloomed between us, but we didn’t have enough time for a quickie. “Stop. Now. I refuse to sit through dinner with a boner.”
“Who has a boner?” Rory said, strolling into the room. “Don’t let me stop you.”
“That’s definitely stopping us,” Drake commented.
He’d gotten used to Rory at once, and I loved seeing how he slotted into my life like he’d always been there.
Every other relationship had involved more of a struggle or getting blindsided when I found out they weren’t as interested as me, but with Drake, he met my energy every step of the way.
“We’ve got dinner with my folks,” I said, packing away the last of the tools and rinsing my hands again.
“Did you tell them?” Rory asked, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.
“They’d already figured out,” I said. “Apparently I don’t hide things well.”
Rory barked out a laugh at the same time Drake said, “No.”
I shook my head, warmth welling in my chest. I’d rather people know me than feel misunderstood. And these people knew me better than anyone. I clapped a hand on Rory’s shoulder. “Thanks for the push though.”
Rory met my gaze. “Any time.”
Drake slipped up beside me and linked his hand in mine. “Let’s get out of here.”
The press of our palms together ignited the electricity inside me, and I reveled in the feel of it. We strode past Cas’s stall where he was hunched over, working intently on a sketch, past Nyx’s empty one, since she’d gone home to her girlfriend, Becky.
When we exited Alchemy Ink, the night sky greeted us.
Already, velvet dark stole over the landscape, the slight chill to the air caressing me.
I paused for a moment and stared at the skyline.
Kennett Square spread out before us, a small town that I’d carved my mark on from an early age.
Headlights flashed by from the cars passing us on the road, but trees carved their silhouettes in every direction.
“A little surreal, right?” Drake murmured at my side, his palm still in mine.
That encapsulated how I felt perfectly.
Right now, I stood hand in hand with the man I was certain I’d someday marry.
And my past, my present, and my future rushed around me in such an intense swirl I couldn’t help but get caught up in it.
My dreams had always been simple ones. Chase after the art I loved. Find someone to spend the rest of my days with.
And now, standing in front of Alchemy Ink with Drake? My dreams had merged into one beautiful picture I couldn’t wait to paint.
Together, we’d chase after a lifetime of color, one stroke on the page at a time.