From Bittersweet Promises #2
The woman just smiled at me, her eyes wide.
“It’s nice to meet you, too. And Lake does speak highly of you.
Also, this is very awkward, so I’m so sorry if I say something stupid.
I know that your cousin said that I should be set up with you which is great but I’m not great at blind dates and apparently this is a double date and now I’m going to stop talking.
” She said the words so quickly they all ran into one breath.
I shook my head and laughed. “We’re on the same page there.”
“Okay, good. It’s nice to meet you, Leif Montgomery.”
“And it’s nice to meet you too, May.”
We made our way to Lake and Zach, who had gotten our table, and we all sat down, talking about work and other things. May was in child life development, taught online classes, and was also a nanny.
“I’m actually about to start with a new family soon.
I’m excited. I know that being a nanny isn’t something that most people strive for, or at least that’s what they tell you, but I love being able to work with children and be the person that is there when a single parent or even both parents are out in the workforce, trying to do everything. ”
I nodded, taking a sip of my beer. “I get you completely. With how my parents worked, I was lucky that they were able to get childcare within the buildings. Since they each owned their own businesses, they made it work. But my family worked long hours, and that’s why I ended up being the babysitter a lot of the times when childcare wasn’t an option.
” I cleared my throat. “I’m a lot older than a lot of my cousins,” I added.
“Both of us are, but I’m glad that you only said yourself,” Lake said, grinning.
She leaned into Zach as she spoke, the four of us in a horseshoe-shaped booth.
That gave May and me space since this was a first date and still awkward as hell, and so Lake and Zach could cuddle.
Not that that was something I needed to be a part of.
“Oh, I’m glad that you didn’t judge. The last few dates that I’ve been on they always gave me weird looks because I think they expected a nanny to be this old crone or someone that’s looking for a different job.
” She shrugged and continued. “When I eventually get married and maybe even start a family, I want to continue my job. I like being there to help another family achieve their goals. And I can’t believe I just said start a family on my first date.
And that I mentioned that I’ve been on a few other dates.
” She let out a breath. “I’m notoriously bad at dating. Like, the worst. Just warning you.”
I laughed, shaking my head. “I’m rusty at it, so don’t worry.
” And even though I said that, I had a feeling that May felt no spark towards me, and I didn’t feel anything towards her.
She was nice and pleasant, and I could probably consider her a friend one day.
But there wasn’t any spark. May’s eyes weren’t dancing.
She wasn’t leaning forward, trying to touch my hand across the table.
We were just sitting there casually, enjoying a really good steak, as Lake and Zach enjoyed their date.
By the end of dinner, I didn’t want dessert, and neither did May, so we said goodbye to the other couple, who decided to stay. I walked May to her car, ignoring Lake’s warning look, but I didn’t know what exactly she was warning me about.
“Thanks for dinner,” May said. “I could have paid. I know this is a blind date and all that, but you didn’t have to pay.”
I shook my head. “I paid for the four of us because I wanted to be nice. I’ll make Lake pay next time.”
May beamed. “Yes, I like that. You guys are a good family.”
“Anyway,” I said, clearing my throat as I stuck my hands in my pockets. “I guess I’ll see you around.”
May just looked at me, threw her head back, and laughed. “You’re right. You are rusty at this.”
“Sorry.” Heat flushed my skin, and I resisted the urge to tug on my eyebrow ring.
“It’s okay. No spark. I’m used to it. I don’t spark well.”
“May, I’m sorry.” I cringed. “It’s not you.”
“Oh, God, please don’t say that. ‘It’s not you. It’s me. You’re working on yourself. You’re just so busy with work.’ I’ve heard it all.”
“Seriously?” I asked. May was hot. Nice, but there just wasn’t a spark.
She shrugged. “It’s okay. I’ll probably see you around sometime because I am friends with Lake. However, I am perfectly fine having this be our one and only. You’ll find your person. It’s okay that it’s not me.” And with that, she got in the car and left, leaving me standing there.
Well then. Tonight wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great. I got in my car, and instead of heading home where I’d be alone, watching something on some streaming service while I drank a beer and pretended that I knew what I was doing with my life, I headed into Montgomery Ink Legacy.
We were the third branch of the company and the first owned by our generation.
Montgomery Ink was the tattoo shop in downtown Denver.
While there were open spots for some walk-ins and special circumstances, my father, aunt, and their team had years’ worth of waiting lists.
They worked their asses off and made sure to get in everybody that they could, but people wanted Austin Montgomery’s art. Same with my aunt, Maya.
There was another tattoo shop down in Colorado Springs, owned by my parents’ cousins, who I just called aunt and uncle because we were close enough that using real titles for everybody got confusing.
Montgomery Ink Too was thriving down there, and they had waiting lists as well.
My family could have opened more shops and gone nationwide, even global if they wanted to, but they liked keeping it how it was, in the family and those connected.
We were a branch, but our own in the making.
I had gone into business with Lake, of course, and Sebastian, when he was ready, as well as Nick.
Nick was my best friend. I had known him for ages, and he had wanted to be part of something as well.
He might not be a Montgomery by name, but he had eaten over at my family’s house enough times throughout the years that he was practically a Montgomery.
And he had invested in the company as well, and so now we were nearly a year into owning the shop and trying not to fail.
I pulled into the parking lot, grateful it was still open since we didn’t close until nine most nights, and greeted Nick, who was still working.
Sebastian was in the back, going over sketches with a client, and I nodded at him. He might be eighteen, but he was still in training, an apprentice, and was working his ass off to learn.
“Date sucked then?” Sebastian asked, and Nick just rolled his eyes and went back to work on a client’s wrist.