I nod. Whatever this new feeling is, it’s hard won, and I’m happy to just let it be for now.
“Hey, I wanted to say, sorry if we put Stone on the spot the other night. I think Hilton was just trying to make a connection, but when all that high school stuff came up, I’m not sure your guy liked talking about it.”
“It’s fine,” I say quickly. My instinct is to cover up and say nothing was wrong. But when I catch the open, familiar look on Milo’s face, I realize how much I really have been missing his perspective.
“He’s had a hard life,” I say, “with lots of violence in it. It’s kind of confusing for me, learning how to navigate all that.”
Milo nods. “I like Stone,” he says. “He really seems like a sweetheart, and if you trust him, I trust him. Just make sure you take care of yourself, too. I know you still struggle with the fallout of being bullied.”
I nervously drink from the coffee and turn my eyes away. I really hate the idea that my bullies still have some sort of power over me, but I also know Milo is right. I can get a little panicky around physical violence. It’s one of the reasons I prefer to hide away from stuff like that in the first place.
There just aren’t really fist fights at the stop motion animation studio.
“He’s left all that behind,” I say, “so I don’t think I’ll have to worry about it.”
“Sure,” Milo encourages. “But you still need to look out for yourself. I would hate for something bad to happen.”
I grip the mug, and a defensive urge rears up. “Like what?” I say tightly. “Like he gets in a fist fight when we’re on a dinner date, and I break an arm?”
“No,” Milo says quickly, his voice easing me. “Something bad like you have a stress reaction and screw things up with a guy you really, really like. And I can tell you do really like him, Matty. More than anyone I’ve seen you with in years.”
Some of the tension rolls out of me. Things are way more complicated than Milo understands, and my head is swimming, but I know the advice is right.
If my feelings for Stone are as strong as they seem, I can’t let my past come and screw everything up. That would just be letting the bullies win.
“Thanks for the advice,” I say, then reach across the table to give Milo a quick hug. “It means a lot.”
“Of course,” he says with a smile. “You’re my best friend. It’s what I’m here for.”
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
STONE
Hey,I decided I’m ready to get the tattoo.
I sit behind the desk at Blade and stare at the message from Matty. It’s been a couple of days since the weekend trip, and we’ve been texting often. He shoots off quick messages and jokes that brighten my day every time, but we haven’t made plans to see each other again yet.
Hell yeah, I text back.Sounds like a plan.
Do I make an appointment or something?
I lean back in the chair and glance around the shop. Tattoo machines buzz in the background, and a young guy with a flannel shirt flips through the flash art.
Caesar has ordered that I can’t take any walk-in clients, but he did leave the door open for me to bring my own appointments in, so long as Billie approves.
Jeremiah’s punishment was about the same. He got suspended some work, but with his steady clients, he’s already back at it. The way he’s been breathing down my neck, though, you’d think I fucked his whole life up.
Yeah, let’s make an appointment,I text back to Matty.You can come after the shop closes sometime soon. I’m usually the last one here.
I flip through the book and find a time that works for both of us. My pulse kicks, and I can’t tell what makes me happier, getting back to work or making plans to see Matty again.
Then I think back to the weekend. I don’t know when the last time was that I just spent a day chilling like that, drawing and hanging out in the sunshine with someone I like as much as I like Matty.
Hell, I can’t remember ever liking another person as much as I like Matty, period.
I kick my boots up on the desk and lean back, texting with him a while longer, until Billie comes out from the back and interrupts me.
“Stoney baloney. What’s up?”
