I nod and give him a handshake and a back slap. “Sounds good. Thanks for coming out tonight. I appreciate it. Whenever you’re ready for your next piece, let me know. I still owe you.”
Jake does contracting on the side, helping out the less fortunate when he’s not at the church, as well as doing handcrafted woodwork. He was the one who made my reception desk. I met him a few years back when he wandered into the shop, looking to get a back piece done, and we became fast friends. It didn’t surprise me that a priest had walked through the doors that day, considering we get all walks of life in tattoo shops; what surprised me were the kind of tattoos he had on his body. He has ink that you only get if you're a part of something bigger, more sinister. He’s one of the nicest guys I know, and there’s no reason to think the worst of him, even if those tattoos tell a story of a past that’s darker than I’ve ever seen before.
I watch him leave and catch him doing a double-take towards Wren. He slows as he passes her, and when she looks up at him, her eyes widen slightly, but she schools her features and looks away. I don’t miss the blush that fills her cheeks, or the way Jake takes half a second to pause next to her, just staring.
One thing I know for sure about Jake is that he’s committed to his vow of celibacy. Most women would fall at his feet at the opportunity to get him in bed for one night, but he never takes a second glance like he did just now. I find it peculiar that Wren caught his attention, and I watch him double-time it out of the shop after checking her out.
I finally take a moment to look around the party, soaking everything in. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, and a lot of my clientele from the surrounding area showed up to be here tonight.
I know I need to go mingle, but I find myself searching for Penny in the crowd. I don’t see her or Autumn, and my heart drops at the thought that they snuck out without saying goodbye.
“You got a minute?” Alex, Penny’s dad, asks, catching me off guard.
“Yeah, everything okay?”
He chuckles. “Everything is fine. Your place is great. You should be proud of yourself.”
I give him an appreciative smile and a nod of thanks.
“Anyway, my wife and I are headed out, and I just wanted to tell you thank you for inviting us. We aren’t at the coffee shop as much anymore because Penny manages it for us. But don’t be a stranger. In fact, I was thinking that maybe we could collaborate on something that benefits both of us.”
I nod my head. “I’d be down for that.”
“I don’t want to take up any more of your time, but I’ll have Penny talk to you about it later.”
I look up to see if later is now, and Alex catches my wandering eyes.
“Autumn didn’t feel well, and they snuck out to go upstairs a few minutes ago.”
I give him a tight-lipped smile. “Right. Of course.”
He reaches his hand out, holding a card. “This has my cell on it. If you ever need anything, just let me know.”
Like father, like daughter.
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
His hand lands on my shoulder, and he gives it a tight squeeze. A little bit tighter than what’s considered normal. Did he notice the way I apparently looked at Penny earlier, like Lucas, Preston, or Becca did? No. I don’t think so. I didn’t look at her in any special way.
“Welcome to the neighborhood, Declan.”
He leaves me standing by myself, and I shake off the weird feeling that he just laid a warning on me.
Hours later, once everyone has left the party, and I’ve closed up the shop, I stop on the landing in between Penny’s apartment and mine, staring at her door.
It’s eerily silent, and I wonder if Autumn is okay.
I rub the spot in the middle of my chest and head into my apartment. I shouldn’t care. I don’t care. Not really. But she didn’t look well when she came up to Penny earlier, and I just hope that she didn’t catch a bug or something.
It would be bad for business.
I pull my phone out of my pocket as I’m getting undressed and see a few missed text messages.
One is from my sister, who couldn’t make it tonight because she’s on the other side of the country working. And the other is from Penny. I take a deep breath and open the one from Penny first.
Penny: I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye, but thank you for inviting us to your opening. The shop is amazing.
Me: Thanks for stopping by… is Autumn okay?
