He finally confessed to me not long after I caught him tattooing his ex, Deyanira. Learning what he did—and where—made my blood boil.
There must be something in the fucking water around here that turns men into idiots.
Jaw clenched, I stand up and peel off my gloves. “Give me a second. Take a quick break,” I tell my client.
Rune is still raging at his station, throwing things and cursing under his breath.
I know there’s only one way to get through to him. I stride over, grab him by the back of his shirt, and clamp my hand around his throat. I shove him into the divider and get right in his face. “Get your shit together or get the fuck out of our shop. You’re making a damn fool of yourself and scaring customers. I’ve had enough of this bullshit.”
The fight leaves him. His throat works under my grip as he tries to swallow.
I let him go and turn to Bear, who’s leaning against the wall, smirking at the scene. I raise an eyebrow. “You planning to fuck things up with your lady, too?”
Bear snorts and laughs, shaking his head. “Hell no. I worship my wife. You guys are just dumb fucks.”
I hope he’s right, but the men in this shop have a talent for screwing things up with the women they love.
Fuck.
Maybe I really should have the water tested around here.
Coffee Dates
Keaton
Mom’shandbrushesoverthe top of my head as I make notes on the paper in front of me. “What are you working on, sweetie?”
I drop my pen, lean back in my chair, and sigh. "Just trying to figure out this so-called coffee 'friend' date with Charlie."
Her eyes widen, and a smile slides over her face. “You didn’t tell me you had a date with her.”
I let out a shaky laugh. "She just said yes yesterday, and since then, I've been a total fucking mess. My emotions are all over the place."
Dad walks into the kitchen to rinse his empty cup out and slide it into the dishwasher. Then he leans back against the counter and folds his inked arms along his chest. “What’s going on in here?”
Mom joins Dad at the counter, smiles, and gives him a quick kiss. She tucks herself under his arm and says warmly, "He’s got a date with Charlie."
Dad jerks his head my way in surprise, and I can see the happiness in his eyes. “Really?”
I shrug and rub the back of my neck. "It’s not really a date. We’re just getting coffee as friends."
“But it’s a start, right? If she wasn’t ready to take steps forward with you, she wouldn’t have answered,” Dad replies.
“That means she already had you unblocked. You told me a few months ago that she had you blocked on everything,” Mom says.
Huh. That didn’t even occur to me.
A surge of hope makes my heart race, and I sit up a little taller. Dad laughs, clearly noticing the moment everything clicks for me.
“I’m nervous,” I admit. “How do I stay on track? How do I keep it friendly when all I want to do is wrap her in my arms and never let her go?”
They both take a seat at the table. Mom pushes the notepad out of the way and grabs one of my hands.
“Easy. It’s not about you, Keaton. You have to remember that. She set the boundaries she needs from you, and it’s up to you to keep them if you want any sort of future with her. You’re lucky, son. Not everyone gets a second chance when they fuck up as hugely as you have. She’s blessing you with another chance. If you do anything to fuck that up, that’s a regret you’re going to live with for the rest of your life,” Mom says.
“We’ve seen the changes in you, son. You’ve matured so much since all of this went down. What you did, the pain you caused Charlie and yourself…it’s made you grow up,” Dad adds. “I don’t think we’ve told you this yet, but we’re damn proud of you and who you’ve become this last year.”
A gentle peace settles over me, and I realize just how long I’ve been craving those words from my parents.
