An emptiness she wasn’t sure how to fill.
***
The following morning, ahead of her shift at José’s, Drea stood in Second Circle Tattoos.If someone had told her a year ago she would be spending time inside a tattoo shop, she’d have laughed in their face.
Her dad had been covered in cheap-looking ink, his arms a mess of faded blue.She’d stared at the anchor on the back of his hand when he yelled at her.For the longest time, tattoos had reminded her of feeling small, of being vulnerable, of being at the mercy of someone you wanted desperately to love you.
It was still early, the studio eerily quiet.Lia was tattooing what looked like a baby’s footprint onto the shoulder of a young man, while a woman and a small child sat watching close by.Guilt crept through her.She’d judged people with tattoos for so long, it was hard to break the habit.Seeing the transformation in Harper as she got her tattoo, and getting to know Trent, Cujo, and the others at the studio had changed her opinion.Not that she was going to get one anytime soon.
Harper was standing behind the desk, her back to Drea, checking something out on the laptop.The black vest she wore with part of the back cut away displayed the amazing broadsword Trent had inked on her to cover the scars her ex had inflicted.To think that was how they met.
“Hey, Harp,” she said.They were on the same shift today, although it was still too early to head over to José’s.
“Hi, Drea.How are you holding up?”Harper twisted her long, dark hair into a messy bun on the top of her head.
“I’m doing okay.Still got quite a bit to do, though.”The list of things she needed to do to close out her mom’s estate seemed to keep growing.She’d knock one thing off, and add another two.
Harper smiled sympathetically.“I can only imagine.If I can help at all, you only need to holler.”
“Drea.”Lia walked over from her station and hugged her tightly.“So sorry to hear about your mom.You okay?You need anything?”
“Thanks, Lia.I’m doing okay.”And it was the truth of it.She really was.The gaping hole in her heart left by her mom’s death was a reaction to the loss of a relationship they never developed.But finally her mom had found peace.
Drea watched as Lia cashed out the young man she’d tattooed.
The door to the office swung open.Cujo and Trent emerged, the contrast between them quite breathtaking.Cujo as blond as Trent was dark.
“Hello, ladies.Can I interest you in some ink this morning?”Trent kissed the back of Harper’s neck.
“I think you did enough already.”Harper laughed.
It felt strangely awkward.Trent was being openly affectionate with Harper, but Cujo was keeping his distance.
“What about you, Drea, going to sit for me someday?”Trent asked.
Drea smiled, but Cujo shoved him the shoulder.“Not gonna happen,” he said sullenly.
Trent looked at Cujo then Drea, and laughed.
Cujo had moved a little closer to her and she was desperate to kiss him.He looked good enough to eat in his converse, black jeans, and a white T-shirt.But more than that, he clearly needed a hug.
“Drea,” he said quietly in greeting.
“Brody,” she replied.“How are you?”There was so much more she wanted to ask, but the wall between them seemed insurmountable, the rift fracturing what they’d built.
“Why didn’t you take the truck?”
“I asked how you were,” she said, ignoring the abrupt question.
“And I wanted to know why you didn’t take better care of yourself last night by taking my truck?”
This was getting them nowhere.
“I was fine.Anyway, it’s not a problem.I handed in my notice last night.”
“You did?Thank God.I was worried shitless, you all out and about in the early hours of the morning.”
There may be issues between them, but he really did care for her.
