Private Show (The Private Series) (30 page)

I feel myself start to tear up, and I hear the sound of the tattoo gun starting up. I take in a deep breath as he starts the outline.

“All done.” Tony notifies me as he wipes off the last of the smeared ink.

I avoid looking until I am in front of the mirror. Erin helps me stand and she gasps when she sees it. Man I hope that means it looks good…

When I look in the mirror I really tear up and start to softly cry. It is beautiful. Perfect. I can’t stop looking at it. I decided to get a coffee mug, with the British flag as its decorative print and music notes as the steam. The Union Jack is traditionally red, white and blue, but that’s not really me. My flag is pink, lavender and white. The colors are so bright and crisp. I really couldn’t have asked for anything better.

We walk out to the reception room and as I am putting my jacket on, Tony stops me. “Hey Tess…” He reaches up shyly and holds the back of his neck. “If you have any questions, feel free to stop in.”

The tone of his statement didn’t match his uneasiness of the first part of his statement. I think he is holding something back.

“Thanks.” I tell him.

“I would love to be able to tattoo you some more, so whenever you are ready you know where to find me.”

“Oh, I will be back.” I assure him. And I will.

I am awakened by the beeping of my phone. I had set it to notify me of any e-mails from Gwen.

Gwen Sawyer:
Class, we are reaching the final couple of classes. See you in the art room at 1pm!

I look at the time and I have a little over an hour, great. I jump up and knock my leg on the nightstand. “Motherfucker!” I scream out. I swear I am the only person on the planet to forget that she has a fresh tattoo.

I limp over to my shower and take a cool one to help soothe the throbbing. It seems to be okay; it just hurts likes a bitch.

As I get ready to go, I notice the photo of me and Ben. Damn. I look down to my leg and I smile. I don’t think I should be smiling right now, though. I miss him so much and I know I can fix it all by calling him; he would be here in a nanosecond. I just need the time yet to figure
me
out. He sends me a single peony every morning. It is left on my doorstep and with that thought my heart jumps and I dart to my door and wing it open to find another one this morning. I look to the left and right down the hallway to see if anyone is watching. I pick it up and add it to the quickly filling vase.

I lean in and smell the pink flowers and I calm down. It is almost a relief to know that he still wants me and hasn’t given up, but at the same time my mind always goes back to Nicole. Men carry on relationships and mistresses all the time and half don’t get caught. I mean, shit, my Dad didn’t get caught up with for years.

It is freezing outside, so I hustle to my car. I shove the key into the ignition and crank it.

Nothing.

I try again…

Still nothing.

Fuck! This really fucking figures! I need to get to class, seeing as its one of the last, I do not have time for this shit. “Come on, start! You have been with me since high school. You have never acted up for me before.”

After ten more minutes of futile efforts, I call James.

“She died!” I yell.

“What? Who? Who died?” I hear sheer panic in his voice. Crap, I guess I could have said it a little differently.

“Oh, sorry. My car! She died.”

“Fuck, Tess! You scared the living shit out of me.”

“I am sorry, I didn’t mean too, but it’s not starting and I need to get to class or I am going to be late.” I explain, hoping that he will offer me a ride, or, better yet, to fix my car.

“Yeah, what else is new? You are late to everything.”

I stick my tongue out at my phone.

“I know your poking your tongue out at me,” he says. What the hell? Is he psychic now?

“I know, I know. Will you please help me?”

“I’ll be right over,” he assures me.

Less than ten minutes later, he is parked nose to nose to my Honda and he pulls out some jumper cables.

“Thanks. I really appreciate it.” I warmly say.

“You know I will always be around to help you, Tessy. Okay, try to start it now.”

I jump back in and turn the key. But all I get is some clicking noises and even I know that’s not a good sign.

“Tess, I don’t think you are going to like what I have to say.” James says as he peeks around the hood at me.

I bring my arms up and hug my steering wheel, and drop my face into them. “She is a goner, huh?”

James removes the cables, tosses them back into his truck, and comes around to my window. He looks sympathetic, “I am sorry, but yeah, I think she has officially shit the bed. She gave you a good run, though, eh?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

He squints his eyes and leans into my window. “You got your nose pierced?” He sounds stunned.

I lift my fingers to shiny, cold metal in the middle of my nose and smile. “Yes. Yes I did.”

Shaking his head, he smiles. “It was only a matter of time I suppose. I am actually surprised it has taken you this long to do it.”

I open my mouth to tell him about my tattoo, but I decide to keep that for another day.

“Hey, do you need help buying a new car?” he offers. If I was in my old life, the life I had a couple of months ago, I would have had to say yes.

“Nah, I should be okay. I got paid this week and I should be able to afford a good used car.”

“So what kind of car will it be? I’ll start looking for you.”

I step out of my deceased vehicle and hop into James’s truck. I think about what kind of car I want. “A jeep.”

“Jeep? Okay, I can dig that, any specific model?”

I smile and tell him, “Jeep Wrangler. Any color is fine.”

He shakes his head and smiles. “I will see what I can dig up.”

We pull into the campus and I give my big brother a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for the lift.”

I walk into class late as usual, I shoot Gwen an apologetic smile and she shakes her head. Afterward, I approach her to explain.

“I understand, Hun.” Wow, she just called me Hun. No one calls me that except for my mom.

She must be reading the surprise on my face. “You know I think of you as family, don’t you?” Gwen says. “I know you and Benjamin are going through something, but that doesn’t matter in my eyes. You are always part of my family now, Tess.”

I give her a hug. “Thank you, Gwen, that means a lot to me. I think of you as a second mom.”

“Oh, stop you’re going to make me cry! I not only gained Caroline as a daughter but you as well. And Tess… don’t worry about Benjamin. He will come around.”

I take a step back. “I think he has, but it’s just me.” And I walk away. I think she understands. Thank God.

I tighten my jacket to my body. Maybe I should have called James to come and get me after all. It’s late in the afternoon and the sun is starting to hide away behind the thick clouds. It feels like rain soon. I pick up my pace and start to haul butt home.

I am only a couple blocks away when the sky opens up. Great, real great. I dart inside of a small music shop on Capitol Hill. It’s nice and warm in here. I look around and see rows of CDs and vinyl records, and people wearing headphones and bobbing their heads as they listen to music.

I French-braid my hair to keep it from looking like it belongs to a wet shaggy dog, and I take off my jacket. Fingering through the thousands of albums, I pick up a few on my way down the lines.

“Nice choices.” The voice is familiar. I pop my head up and look to my right. I am greeted with a handsome smile and hipster glasses.

“Oh, hey,” I say to my recent tattoo artist.

“Tess, right?” He adjusts his black frames.

“Yeah, it’s Tony, right?” I ask so I don’t sound like I remember him… or was checking him out at the tattoo shop.

He holds up his own stack of CDs. “Stocking up too, I see.” He looks cute in his glasses and now a deep red slouchy. He is wearing black jeans, black boots and a fitted gray hooded Hanley. He isn’t as tall as Ben or as toned, but he is attractive. “So, how’s that tattoo feeling?” He asks.

I tell him about my morning mishap. He gives off a soft laugh and tips his head down and looks at me with a cute smile. “There’s a great café next door… would you want to grab a cup of coffee with me?” He bites the corner of his lip, which adorns a lip ring I didn’t notice before.

I fidget with my CDs and look at the rack next to me. I don’t know what to say. I have never been asked out, out in the open before. I’ve only had the horrible high school experience and Ben. Never face to face with an acquaintance. He seems like a great guy and we have the same taste in music and he even offered me coffee.

Coffee
.

I find my voice, “I am sorry, but I am seeing someone. Well, sort of… it’s complicated.”

He gives me a half smile and nods. “The reason for the tattoo? I assume you’re not British, so the flag on the cup is it for him?”

“Yes.” I look down. I feel a little uncomfortable right now, I don’t know why, but I do. I feel like someone is watching me. I turn around.

Looking over my shoulder he asks, “Who’s that? The woman staring at you?”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not entirely sure, but I have a feeling.”

“Well, I think she thinks differently… here she comes.” He warns me.

She has a smug look on her face and her nose in the air, “Tess, isn’t it?”

“Yes, do I know you?”

She tosses her long locks over her shoulder in pure snobbish fashion, “You should.”

I cross my arms over my chest
, I can do this, I can do this
, I repeat my mantra. “You’re Nicole.”

“Ah, good you do know who I am.”

“Yeah I saw you pretty clearly in New York.” I tighten my jaw. “Which by the way how did you know we were headed there to begin with?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I was in the city shipping back my last boxes to Seattle. I am moving back.” Her tone is somewhat threatening, but also sounding a bit unsure.

“Trying to get back with the one man you know you fucked up with huh?” And she did fuck up. Ben, even through his flaws is an honorable man… now.

She has become fidgety, “Yeah, well, did he tell you about our run in at Chatz and how he came back to my place?”

I knew it! I knew that was his car in someone’s driveway, but I never would have thought that it was her house!
Calm down Tess, you don’t know the whole story. Are you going to trust a woman like her or your own instincts?

My pause must be a giveaway in my answer, because she laughs nervously, “Of course not. Who’s this? The new boyfriend?” She looks appalled by Tony’s appearance

“One, no I don’t doubt Ben being at your place, not that it’s any of your business, Nicole, but no, this is not my boyfriend. He is a friend, though, and my tattoo artist.”

“Where is Ben?”

“What’s it matter to you?”

“Oh, nothing just making it easier for me to get back with Ben, by moving on so quickly,” obviously sarcastic. “Thanks,” She puts her overpriced manicure on my shoulder.

I take in a settling breath of air, because I don’t know how much more of her crap I can take and talking with her is really pissing me off. Tony sees my discomfort; he puts his hand on my lower back and leads me to the registers. But she’s not done.