“I’ll take that as a yes.” He smirks softly, looking at my crossed arms before turning to where Asher’s tattooing. “Have you ordered lunch?”
“No, not yet. Harriet stopped by when I opened and told me I was getting skinny again and that she’d be dropping the stuff later tonight.”
“Yes,” Ty hisses happily. “So I’ll call and order some small stuff and then we’ll wait.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Asher agrees and gets back to working.
“You guys said a lot of stuff without really saying anything,” I say. My hands are still holding my middle with the notebook trapped in between my arms and my body.
Ty just chuckles and nods. “Yeah, I get that,cariño. Go find a comfy spot, I’ll get some food and bring it to you.”
“Alright,” I say with a tight nod. I can’t help but feel like the best move would be for me to go to the backroom. Out of gossiping people’s sight. My feet move quickly towards the backroom, and I don’t look back.
The moment I walk back there, I can breathe a little easier knowing I’m out of view. There are no windows, no doors. It’s simply a white room with a little kitchenette, big bulky fridge and a beat up table with some chairs around.
Almost giddy, I go over to the table andcreate.
Time flies by, I’m so enthralled with the piece I’m working on. My skills are rusty as hell, but that doesn’t stop me. Instead, it makes me clench my jaw and focus harder. I won’t let this beat me.
I decided on drawing an updated version of Athena. The Goddess of Wisdom and War. My fifteen-year-old self got about halfway and then life forced me away.
I sketched out her long, lithe, strong body, standing ethereal and powerful at the top of a hill, just staring down at the battle ground.
My focus is onher, but I’ve roughly sketched out the rest of the details. There’s a helmet on her head, glinting with the sun as she doesn’t even squint. Like even the sun bows for her.
I’m working on the staff in her hand, shading it just right so it pops off the page.
“Wow.”
I jump out of my fucking skin. My hand covers my hammering heart as Ty stands on the other side of the table, watching me work.
“What the actual fuck, man? How are you so goddamn quiet? Do I need to put a bell on you?” I’m breathing deeply, trying to calm myself as he stands there looking incredibly proud of himself and chuckling.
“Sorry, Rox. I stood at the door for a while, waiting for you to hear me. I said your name a few times too, but you were zoned in.” He pulls out the chair next to me, sitting down gently. “May I?” He gestures to the book.
Sliding the book over to him so he can see my work closer, and I feel like I’m fifteen all over again. Sitting next to the cute boy that actually took interest inmeinstead of anything else.
“Athena,” he says breathlessly.
“I… I didn’t get a chance to finish my last one,” I say quietly, twisting the pencil nervously in my hand. “I’m a little rusty, but I think it’s pretty good.”
“Very good,” Ty tells me, not looking away from the page for a moment. “It matches mine.”
He flips through the book and lands on one of the first pages. Sliding the book back over, my breath is taken away at what’s on the page.
“Wow,” I saw, the word being pulled from my lungs with the air. His work is like a gut-punch I’d gladly take over and over. “You have such a gift, Ty.”
I look up at him after my eyes get their fill of his version of Athena. His cheeks are red.
Burning red.
He clears his throat and shifts slightly. “Thanks.”
“I’m being serious.” I want to show him I’m being honest about his talent, but let’s be real. I want to see how far I can push him until that blush goes down his neck or…more.
Ty starts to stutter a little before flipping back to where I was drawing, but I stop the pages from flipping when I see something like a portrait. Maybe a girl he’s into, or was into.
“What’s this?” I tease him softly, smirking as I see his eyes dip down and the blush intensifies.
