That’s exactly what I intend to do.
Right after I talk to Caila about procuring another job. My car, my credit, and my student standing are all in peril no thanks to the severe monetary deficiency I’m currently experiencing.
Too bad I can’t figure out how to turn this moldy superpower into money. If I could monetize my ability to turn things into a disaster, I’d be able to solve a hell of a lot of problems in my world.
What am I saying? Jet and his love have already solved them all.
Haven’t they?
Jet
Think Ink has beenslow as shit today, which leaves me sitting in my office for far too long, thinking about far too many things. The phone heats in my hand as I stare at the number I’m about to call. I’ve never been afraid of a challenge. Never been afraid of damn near anything, but, for some reason, calling Jody and letting her know I’ve decided to do the documentary seems as if I’m about to light a match. God knows I doused myself with gasoline all those years ago.
I hit the number and place the phone to my ear before I change my mind.
My body breaks out into a sweat as a female voice picks up with a cheery hello.
“Hey, Jody, it’s me, Jet.” There, the hard part is done. I’ve got her on the phone. Just spit the words out and get it over with. “I’m ready to do it. If you want to bring your crew in tomorrow, I’ll give you a full tour of the facility and answer any questions you might have. I’d love to participate in your project.” It’s mostly true. I won’t be answering whatever questions they might have. The good thing about shielding a terrible secret is you don’t ever really have to fear people probing you about it. Jody wouldn’t know the right questions to ask anyway.
A thick silence clogs up the other end until she finally sighs hard into the receiver. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m still interested. But, in light of recent events, I’m afraid it might overshadow the integrity of the documentary as a whole. Maybe we can work on something else in the future? If you get any ideas or if I feel there’s something right for you and your shop, I’ll be sure to give you a call.” Another hard sigh clogs the receiver. “Look, I need to run. Thanks for getting back to me, though.”
The line goes dead, and I stare at my phone a little too long, just trying to figure out what went wrong.
Honey pops her head into my office. “Owen is here.”
“On my way.” I stumble into the workroom next door to find my shirtless friend on the bench. Honey has him prepped and ready to go, so I take my seat next to him. He knows the drill, literally. I’ve been filling in hisPiper Forevertat across his chest for a while now. We’ve finished the outline and moved on to layering in the vines and flowers he has forming the letters of her name.
“What’s up, sugar plum?” He sheds a mile-wide grin. “Heard you’ve been getting your balls jiggled by the girl who’s had you by them all along.”
“That’s right.” I shake that conversation with Jody out of my mind and pull my tools forward.
“Hey”—he mock socks me in the gut—“what’s the long face for?”
“Nothing. Some documentary I was invited to do backed out at the last minute. But I’ll deal with that bullshit some other time. Guess it wasn’t meant to be.”
“What about you and Daisy?” He stretches his legs out, getting comfy for the hour long torture session we’ve scheduled. “You two meant to be? Just between the sheets or is this something more?”
“Something more.” I pick a needle up and start and stop it for effect. “I didn’t see it coming, dude.” I start in on him, and he lets out a hard grunt.
“Why didn’t you warn me?”
“Warn you about what?”
He motions for me to lighten up. “Warn me when you’re about to dig deep, would you?”
I lighten up, and he nods in appreciation. “Why didn’t you warn me it would feel like falling off a cliff?”
“Dude, if you’re as into Daisy as Piper claims, then you will never hit bottom. Enjoy the free fall, man. It only gets better.”
A dull smile comes to my face as we spend the remainder of the hour in silence.
“I’ll block out a few hours for you if you want next weekend, and we can finish up that work of art.”
“I’m good.” Owen takes the handheld mirror and appreciates his dimples a moment. “I like my pain in sixty minute increments.”
I blot him down with ointment and tape up the wound I’ve just inflicted.
“Be careful. Keep it clean—”
