“I’ll get my own clients soon,” he said. “And build up my fanbase again.”
I glanced down at the tattoo on my upper bicep. Intricate linework and hatching covered my skin, and the illustration of a pack of wolves running across a hillside looked as fresh and clear as the first day I got it. “I’ll be happy to show off the product,” I said, flexing my muscle and grinning. “Just say the word.”
Rip laughed, then dug into his food. For a minute, we ate in silence, and I tried not to stare as his jaw slowly worked over each bite of fish, and Rip savored each moment of the meal.
“Delicious,” he finally said. “I should get pissed at you more often. You almost never cook, and now I’ve gotten two meals in one week.”
“We almost never cook,” I corrected, laughing. “Unless you count frozen meals, or the pizzas you make on special occasions. Anyway, you just let me know next time. We can skip the part where you’re frustrated with me and go straight to the meal after.”
“It’s a deal,” he said, washing down a forkful of potatoes with a swallow of beer. “And thanks for taking things seriously.”
I nodded, thinking again of how much weight Rip tended to carry on his shoulders, like he was responsible for me and his aunt on top of just taking care of himself. “No problem. You talk to Grace today?”
Rip nodded. “She’s doing okay. I think one of her friends is stopping by tonight. Should be good for her to have a visitor.”
“You want to swing by later?”
“She said to take the night to myself. We’ve got breakfast plans in the morning again.”
Rip finished the meal, then tossed his fork on the plate. He gave me a few more compliments as he attempted to clean up, but I pushed him aside.
“I’ll finish,” I said. “You’ve been working all day anyway.”
“Want to watch a movie once you’re done? Finish off these beers?” He lifted another from the table, then popped the top off.
“Sure,” I said. “This should only take a minute. Want to pick something?”
Rip took a swig of his beer, then nodded. “My bedroom? I’ll set up the laptop.”
“Perfect,” I answered. “I’ll meet you there.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
