Chapter 16 #2
“And besides, I’d already coloured a little outside the lines where they’re concerned.
Can you imagine if I’d made that even worse by bringing back someone like, I dunno, Leo?
” I start slightly at the mention of his name.
“Precisely,” she says, reading my response wrongly as alarm.
It was actually sadness. Sadness that she feels so much pressure to appease her parents’ well-meaning vision for her that she’s maybe convinced herself she loves this guy, and that it’s worth her precious time putting up with his nonsense.
Sadness that she’s either knowingly or unknowingly putting her blinkers on when she looks at Leo, who is, the more I consider it, utterly perfect for her.
And I find it interesting that Leo’s name was the first one she thought of when giving an example.
Still, much as I dislike it, I can see where she’s coming from, but I still don’t get why she accepts the disdainful way Peter treats her friends.
But I suppose I have to respect her choices, even if every single part of me wants to grab her by the shoulders and shake her and scream in her face that she’s making a mistake.
The most important thing is what she thinks of her boyfriend.
If she’s happy, or has convinced herself that she is, then what can I do?
Nothing that isn’t going to alienate her or make me lose her friendship.
I can’t help but feel really uneasy about Peter having that tattoo removed, though. It seems like a really shitty, rude thing to do.
I run my fingers over my new ladybird tattoo absently. Even if Eli had completely botched it and the drawing had been ugly as all hell, there is nothing that would ever persuade me to remove it, because he put it there.
I remember another time, when Sadie was showing us one of her new designs - a mandala style fleur de lys - Leo instantly invited her to tattoo it on his neck, right then and there. And I know he would never, ever burn it off, no matter what.
Leo is the diamond to Peter’s rhinestone, and I wish more than anything she would magically see the light and choose him. He’s devoted to her, and I know in my bones they would be so happy. They suit each other so well, and it sucks that she's otherwise engaged, pun intended.
I suddenly feel incredibly lucky to have Eli.
Sure, we’ve only been together all of five minutes, but it’s been remarkably straightforward so far.
Once we were both sure of each other, that was that.
No bullshit. No nonsense. Well, except for my colossal misunderstanding, but that was sorted out within twenty four hours.
And I realise something.
This happiness is mine to lose.
If he and I don’t work out, it won’t be because of him. It won’t be because he yelled at me, or bullied me, or made me feel worthless.
It will be because I walked away from the best thing that ever happened to me.
Eli
“Eli,” Emily says softly at my door, and I pause tattooing my current client straight away and look up.
She’s blushing as she smiles, and Leo is cracking up laughing behind her.
“What’s so funny?” I ask, grinning at my girlfriend.
Leo leans on her shoulder and smirks. “I’ve been calling your name at this door several times, so I went to get Emily.
One word from her and you look up.” He kisses the top of Em’s head.
“I’ll add ‘get Eli’s attention’ to your contract and give you a small pay rise accordingly,” he tells her, and she giggles. Knowing him, he probably will.
I frown, and look at my client, a man in his early twenties with a fauxhawk. “He was,” he confirms, “he must have tried three or four times.”
I grin and shrug. “She’s prettier than you, Leo,” I remark. But I rather like that she’s the only one who can call my attention when I’m in the zone.
Leo gasps in fake indignation before laughing. “True,” he says, and wanders off again, leaving me smiling into Em’s eyes.
“Your next appointment is here,” she tells me.
I glance at the clock on my wall. “OK, I’ll be another two, three minutes here,” I say, “and then I’ll come get ’em.” I grin. "Speaking of coming and getting Em…" I crook a finger at her and grin, not caring if I'm being rude to my client by doing this.
She gives me a curious look and steps towards me. I lean up and kiss her lips, thrilled that I can do this whenever I want now. She giggles against my mouth, and I swear there is no better feeling in the world.
Well, not yet, anyway.
There’s still lots of firsts for us to look forward to, and I have no doubt each one will be better than the last. I shift slightly as my cock twitches at the thought. Can’t sit here sporting wood, which is why I deliberately don’t look at her ass as she walks away.
I look back at the tattoo, a black widow spider I was asked to make as realistic as possible, and finish off the shadowing under the legs.
“Your girlfriend’s cute,” my client tells me.
I look up. His eyes are friendly. I’ve been talking to him a little more than I do my other clients - in fact, I’ve been making more of an effort with all my clients since Em showed up - and he seems OK.
It’s not like he’s leering at her or trying to be all bro-ski with me. He's just being nice. And truthful.
So I smile. “She sure is.”
Leo drags us all out for drinks after work.
I was going to take Em to a nice bar this evening anyway, but I think he needs the company, and I want to take her out on a proper date as well, so I don’t really mind postponing a little.
I want to do something special for her, though.
Something she will really enjoy. Something a bit more personalized than dinner and a movie.
I mean, I’m looking forward to nights like that, too, but I want to wow her a little for our first date.
I’m racking my brains, but nothing has jumped out at me as a stellar idea so far.
I’ll think of something.
In the meantime, it feels incredible to be sat in the Red Lion once more, this time with my arm around Emily.
She snuggles up a little shyly, and it’s so cute.
Her head fits perfectly under my chin, and her hair smells so good.
Happy peace settles over me when she stays put.
It gives me hope that I can be a real part of her healing. And maybe my own, too.
Leo is usually the life and soul, but he’s Leo on speed tonight. Dean and I share a look. He’s talking a mile a minute, getting fresh rounds in almost quicker than we can drink them, and spitting out jokes like teeth after a fight he’s lost. He’s not OK. Not by a long shot.
“Jeez Louise,” Sadie remarks, her eyebrows raising at Leo, “what’s got you in such a hyper mood?”
He gestures to me and Em. “EmEli is a thing now,” he exclaims. “Isn’t that reason enough? In fact, a toast.” He grabs his glass and raises it exuberantly, spilling a little of his Magners on the table. “To the happy couple! May they always be this happy and this hot.”
There’s a slightly awkward silence as everyone clinks their glasses against his.
“Oh, shoot,” Em mutters, staring at her phone.
“What’s up?” I ask her.
She looks up at me. “I got sniped on eBay,” she says.
“Urgh, I hate it when that happens,” Sadie sympathizes.
What were you bidding on? Dean queries.
“Oh, it - ” she starts, shaking her head slightly and waving her hand, but then she stops.
She takes a breath, and then, much to my delight, she actually tells us.
“There’s a card game I like, and I, ah, well, Gav got rid of my copy of it, and I’ve been trying to replace it since I started earning again.
I had the winning bid right up until the last second. ”
My jaw tightens. That asshole threw her stuff away. What the ever loving fuck.
“Gav is a douche,” Sadie comments mildly.
“Yep,” Emily agrees.
What’s the game? Dean asks, and it’s great to see him and Emily interacting so easily.
Charmaine never really bothered herself with Dean after the first year or so of marriage, and bitched and moaned if he ever needed my help with anything, or if he had an episode, and if I had to get up in the night to sit with him.
If that wasn’t a red flag, I think grimly, I don't know what was. Looking back, now I’ve met Em, I can’t imagine what I was thinking with my ex-wife.
But hindsight is always twenty-twenty, especially when you have such a gorgeous point of comparison.
“It’s called Sentinels of the Multiverse,” Emily replies. “It’s a cooperative game, bit of nerdy fun, but I used to lose whole evenings to it.”
“Hey, nerdy fun is still fun,” Leo protests, “it’s right there in the name. Nerdy fun. And I say we trash Gav’s house for daring to spoil it for you. C'mon. What's the motherfucker's address? Road trip. I call shotgun.”
I shoot him a warning look, but Em chuckles softly.
“Nah, he doesn’t get any more of my time or energy.
” I’m thrilled to hear her say that, and I kiss the top of her head to make my feelings on that subject clear.
She squeezes my hand, and I don’t care how much of a sap I look as I smile down at her, because happiness like this is worth anything you could name.
“Well, I also say we trash the dickhead that sniped you,” Leo rambles on. He’s halfway to being hammered by the looks of things.
“Or she could just check out other sellers,” Sadie says, frowning slightly at how over the top Leo is tonight. If even Sadie has noticed…
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll find a good deal at some point,” Em replies. “It’s just that this was the lowest price I'd found for it, and unfortunately being a literal card carrying nerd is pricey.”
“So, how does the game work?” Leo asks, and while she explains, I have a lightbulb moment.
There’s a shop in town that sells board games, comic books and action figurines, that kind of thing.
I even saw a replica of a Cylon from the original Battlestar Galactica in there when I walked past once, and she mentioned liking the modern series, so I bet she’d really enjoy a look around.
Maybe that could be our first date? Only trouble is, it closes at five thirty. ..
“Hey, Leo,” I say suddenly. “Can I ask a favor?”
“Sure,” Leo replies, “what do you need?” He seems to be calming down a little on the outside, but I can see in his eyes the storm is still quietly raging.
“Can Emily and I finish work a little early tomorrow? My last appointment will end around three. Can I steal her away after that?” Her eyes fly to my face, and I grin.
“That could be arranged,” Leo says with a knowing smile.
“Thanks, boss.”
“Hey, far be it from me to get in the way of a good time,” he winks. He seems to be more chill now, eyes down at the table and tracing the grain of the wood with his thumbnail. His glances at Sadie now and again, and there’s something about him that’s just...slumping.
I feel really sorry for him, and genuinely wish I could help.
“What are we…?” Em trails off.
I kiss her briefly. “It’s a surprise.” I’m pretty sure I’ve got this right, but I can’t wait to find out.