José came out of the kitchen’s saloon-style door.“What’s with you today,chica?You’re all over the place.You feelin’ okay?”
“Didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”It had been three o’clock before Harper had finally come down from the adrenaline high, and four before she’d passed out.
“That guy above you making noise again?”Eddie in apartment eleven was nice enough.He looked out for her in a brotherly way.But the combination of his working as a bouncer in a nightclub and his love of metal often meant guitars and screaming disrupted her sleep.
“No.Eddie was good.He’s trying to keep it down.I might be coming down with something.”She felt bad about lying, but Trent had confused her and it was going to take more than a couple of hours’ sleep to figure it out.
“Look, Drea just walked in and we aren’t too busy.Why don’t you take off and go home?Get some rest.Don’t come in tomorrow if you still feel sick.”
Harper forced a tight smile.“Thanks, pops.”Concern etched his features as he looked at her, but he’d never asked her about her issues.She desperately wanted to leave, if only it didn’t feel like she was taking advantage of José’s sweet nature.“I’ll make the time up next shift.”
Still feeling guilty about bailing on José, but so exhausted that she could barely think, she went to the break room to get her purse.
“Hey, Harper.Busy today?”Drea greeted her when she walked in, not looking up from where she was fixing her hair into a messy topknot using the mirror on the back of the door.
Harper sat down.“Not too bad.Crappy tips,” she said with a yawn.“I’m heading home.”
The slam of the locker reverberated around the small break room as Drea slumped down onto the bench next to Harper, and their shoulders touched briefly.Harper flinched at the connection, even if it was with one of the only people who knew anything about her past.
From the moment Drea had interviewed her two years ago for the job at José’s, Drea hadn’t taken her standoffish behavior as anything more than a challenge.Somehow Drea had wheedled her way into her life and Harper was glad of it.But even so, it had taken until three months ago for Harper to tell her about even a small part of what Nathan had done to her and that she was hiding.
“Really?You okay?”“Tired.I didn’t get to bed until late.”
“If that stupid Eddie is rocking out ’til—”
“It’s not Eddie.”Harper cut off the rant quickly.“I…” Harper took a deep breath, blowing the air out again slowly.
“I, what?”Drea turned in her seat to look her full in the face.“What did you do?”Her eyebrows lifted.“Hang on.This is a new look for you.You actually look guilty.”
“I went to see if I could get a tattoo.”
“What?Wait.Really?Where?”Drea’s eyes narrowed.
Harper’s hands flared, unable to control the wave of panic caused by simply talking about her plans.“My back.I went to Second Circle Tattoos.”
“Whoa.That’s huge.I had no idea you were considering that.How did it go?You good?”Drea asked, concern softening her golden features.
“No, I freaked out like a giant wuss.But yeah, I’m having something drawn up.I know how you feel about tattoos, and four years ago, I would have agreed with you, but please don’t judge me for this.”
“Are you kidding?”Drea’s eyes widened.“How could you even say that?I just don’t want any for me, but I can totally see why you would want to.”
“I still don’t know if I am going to go through with it.We’ll see on Thursday.”Trent’s dimples flashed into her mind for the briefest moment.
“Wait a sec.What’s with the face?What else are you not telling me?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing my ass.Wait.Who did you say you went to?Second Circle?Is that the one owned by that hot-looking guy?Super tall with that messy kind of hair that you just want to shove your hands into?”
Harper struggled to conceal her smile.“So?”
“You are crushin’ on the tattoo dude!”The squeal was so high it could have cracked glass.“Can’t say I blame you.That guy is one long, tall glass of ice cold water.Pity about all the tattoos, but hot from the neck up nonetheless.”
“His name is Trent, and no, I’m not.He’s cute is all.And really, really good at tattooing.”
“Trent, is it?Well.I’m watching you.”Drea bumped her shoulder.“First time is going to be the toughest.You know that, right?And I’ve never seen that look on your face.Gotta admit.It looks good there.”
***
