Taking Chances (Blackrock Book 2) (42 page)

“Just
working with my dad,” I answer as she nods sipping her soda,
“So what’s going on here are we friends still?” I
ask needing to get to the point before I waste anymore of my time on
frivolous friendship.

“I
was thinking the same thing I thought you didn’t want to hang
out anymore” she shrugs looking down at her feet.

“Paige,
Jesus we could have been having fun on the beach or the mall” I
gape at her shaking my head.

“Sorry”
leaning over she hugs me but I need to clear some things with her,
“Look Paige Max and I are friends and I will always be his
friend. I love Knox and you know that I do I would never leave Knox
for Max, you should trust him more he does love you.”

“I
know, I don’t know what has gotten into me these last few
months but I can’t seem to trust anyone,” Shaking her
head she stands up grabbing a soda for me. We sit and talk for a
while getting our friendship back on track but I have a feeling we
will be here again.

“So
your birthday next week, what are we doing?” she looks excited,
I shrug my shoulders because I don’t want to celebrate without
Knox. “We have to do something maybe a Spa day?” she
smiles at me.

“Yeah maybe” my
unenthusiastic answer has her raising her eyebrows at me, “I
miss Knox too much, and the next two weeks will be the hardest.”
I groan leaning my head against the wall and fill her in on all
things Knox.

“Don’t
worry it will be over before you know it” she pats my hand, we
hear Max opening the door singing away as he walks into the kitchen.

“Hey what’s up
ladies?” he smiles at us before sticking his head in the
fridge.

“Max
it’s like a hundred and ten degrees and you’re wearing
jeans and boots,”

Popping
his head up he grins at me “yep so?” my answer is an eye
roll.

“Okay I’ll let you
guys hang out I have to hit the store” standing I wave at them
making my way out into the heat. After my grocery store trip, I walk
around the town because I don’t want to sit in the apartment
all alone, I make a stop in some of the boutiques not finding
anything nice, I grab an ice latte from Joe’s and continue
walking around the strip. I find myself outside of the tattoo shop,
looking at the drawings through the window, the door opens giving me
a blast of the cool air conditioning so I step inside if only to cool
off.

“Hi
how are you?” the girl behind the counter asks.

“Good thanks” I look
at the pictures on the wall, dragons, hearts, all kinds of symbols
and flowers. You name it, and it is up here all to be placed on
someone forever, my mind wanders back to last year when Summer and I
agreed to get tattoo’s for our nineteenth birthday’s only
next week I will be twenty.

Taking
a seat on one of the cracked leather chairs I pick up a large book
containing more drawings, “So you looking for something
particular?” she asks me stepping around the counter she sits
beside me.

“Oh
I don’t know to be honest I was just thinking about a promise I
made with my friend last year.”

She
arches her pierced eyebrow and I tell her about it, “So why
didn’t you guys go through with it?” she rests her feet
on the coffee table in front of us where about ten more books are
piled up.

“Oh
she died on her birthday,” I answer flicking through the book
but not really looking at the pictures it’s been a year now,
and I still feel the stab of pain as if it were yesterday.

“Sorry
about that” she rubs my shoulder then picks up a book from the
middle of the pile handing it to me she leaves me to look inside.
Opening it I see all kinds of drawings of remembrance, and ‘I
will never forget’ but towards the end of the book I find a
beautiful picture of angel wings, they look soft and billowy with a
slight golden hue around the edges. I run my fingers over the picture
staring at it for a while.

“Yeah
that’s one of my best.”

Looking
up I see the tattoo artist looking at the picture too, “I drew
it for my niece who died when she was five,” my heart breaks
for the little girl who lost her life so young as I run my fingers
over the picture again. “So you want it?” he taps my
shoulder and I bite my lip.

“I’m not sure,”
he laughs at me.

“Yeah
it’s for life so maybe think on it.”

Closing
the book I stand up giving a sad smile “hey I haven’t
seen Knox in a while he still needs to finish his last one” he
says walking behind the counter.

“Oh he has been away all
summer should be home in a few weeks” the artist nods, “cool
send him in maybe we can do yours too” he waves at me and walks
behind the curtain into the back area.

Opening
the door I step out into the cruel heat, and walk to the corner
standing in the shadow I lean against the brick of the building, that
was a beautiful picture. It looks so majestic and alive before I have
time to change my mind my feet are walking back into the store.

“I
want to do it,” I announce startling the girl behind the
counter “ok” she answers nodding like I am about to rob
her at gunpoint. The next thing I know I am in the chair with my hair
piled on top of my head while the artist shaves my shoulder.

“I
know you not hairy but its how it works.”

I
nod as he places the transfer onto my shoulder taking up a mirror he
shows me “Is this ok for you?” looking into the mirror I
see the angel wings on my right shoulder blade and I nod feeling
giddy.

I
watch as he selects colors and needles setting up his tray for the
work of art he is about to perform on me.

“Ok
this will sting for a few minutes but you should get used to it. If
it hurts too much raise your left hand, and I’ll stop but once
I start that’s it no chickening out half way through, I have a
rep to keep.”

He
smiles at me before placing the surgical mask over his mouth and
nose. I nod, and he has me rest my right arm across my body with my
palm on my stomach, telling me to relax. I hear the buzz of the
needle before the sting makes me shriek “You ok?” he
asks, I just nod hiding my face while he chuckles. The needle goes
into my skin marking me for life stinging, and buzzing, my head feels
light so I take deep breaths and after a while I don’t feel it
anymore - its like getting a shot from the dentist after a while you
feel the movement but not the pain. I let my mind relax and listen to
the music piping through the speakers, it’s mostly heavy metal
with some indie bands mixed in as well, I wonder what my dad will say
or Knox for that matter. I remember him saying he wanted to be with
me when I decided to get one but some things a girl needs to do
alone.

“Ok
all done” lifting my face from the headrest I notice that
indeed he is done, holding up the mirror again I see my beautiful
wings, tears well in my eyes.

“Holy
crap that’s amazing” he smiles at me.

“Yeah
and I have decided to retire that picture so you are a one of a
kind.”

His
smile saddens as he rubs Vaseline on my new ink and tapes a gauze
bandage over it.

“It
will scab tomorrow but that’s normal if you think something is
wrong come back and see me ok,” I nod shaking his hand then he
leads me out front to the check out “hey give her Knox’s
discount” he tells the cashier.

“Oh
thanks you don’t have to” I say but he waves me off.

“See you round Bailey”
I fork over the payment and leave the store in a daze, did I just get
a tattoo? Holy crap I just got inked! I feel high as I walk back to
the apartment the fog surrounding my brain is making me dizzy.

Walking
through the parking lot, I see Max leaving for work “Hey bro”
he smiles, “S’up sis” he hugs me tight making me
wince “What the heck?” he points to the trademark gauze
from the tattoo shop his eyes wide and his jaw slack.

“Oh
yeah just got it” I grin at him he spins me round by the
shoulders picking at the edge of the tape.

“Hey
he said to leave it on till tomorrow” Max rolls his eyes at me
as he peeks inside.

“Damn sis that’s
beautiful” he recovers it smiling.

“I know right it’s
for Summer and I” I hug him again, “See you later I might
pop over it’s been a while,” leaving Max I head home to
find food. By nine o’clock I text Paige to see if she is going
out tonight and agree to meet her in the parking lot in a few
minutes. “Hey” she waves at me.

“Hey it’s been so
long since I was in the bar,” I say as we walk through campus
“Are you doing the tour this year?” I ask looking at all
the signs for next week’s campus tours.

“Na I am chillin this year”
she answers laughing.

Walking
into the bar feels strange it still looks the same, but the feel good
vibe is missing maybe because the students are slowly trickling back
to school, and it’s still a little empty. Karaoke night is upon
is again as Paige and I sit at the bar I look around at the faces,
only a couple of people are regulars but most of the rest are all new
to me.

“Bailey
oh my god” Amber hugs me “It’s been too long girl,
no Knox and no Bailey this place was not the same” she shakes
her head at me.

“Hi
Amber” I answer while Max brings our drinks singing to himself,
“You seem happy,” I say sipping my Jack.

“Yeah its good to have you
guys back in here” he winks at Paige before walking away. It is
good to be back in the land of all things college related including a
good hang out. Paige and I dance like we used to, together having fun
maybe things will be back to normal with us.

“Are
you singing?” she asks and I shake my head no “Not for a
few months” I laugh as we sit back at the bar, “let the
freshman take over for a while” images of Knox pop into my head
uninvited because I really miss him, and all thoughts of him make me
watch the clock knowing I have two weeks to wait is like waiting for
a bomb to go off while you are locked in a room with it.

“Hey
Max you should do an eighties karaoke night once a month” I
yell at him making him walk over to us.

“Yeah we need to do
something these songs are doing my head in” Paige and I laugh
at is bored tone.

“Now come on Max we both
know you miss Gemma” he throws his head back laughing at me.

“That is all Knox sis she
is the one who gave him some lip action” my eyebrows raises in
question.

“What
do you mean lip action?” he laughs again.

“You
know that first night you guys were here she cornered him out back
and ‘sucked’ his thumb into oblivion” I nearly
choke on my drink.

“No
I didn’t know that tell me,” Max tells me about that
night and what Gemma did to Knox out back no wonder he was trying to
hide from her. I remember that was our almost first kiss, in the
hallway by the restrooms. I can still feel the heat of his hands on
my shoulders, as he hid behind me his minty breath against my cheek
when he laughed. Paige waves her hand in front of my face “earth
to Bailey” blinking I focus on her,

“Wow
you have been in deep” I nod and smile.

“God Paige I hope these two
weeks fly by.”

After
Max closes we walk down to get a hot dog and my phone rings “Hi”
I wave as Knox pops up on screen.

“Hey darlin what you
doing?” turning the camera I show him, “Awe man” he
groans. Max grabs the phone from me and starts talking to Knox while
I eat my hotdog, walking home half way through campus I hear him ask
for me.

“Hi babe” I smile
shoving the last bite in my mouth Knox raises his eyebrow.

“Call
me when you get into bed darlin’.”

I
nod and we hang up. “Ooh someone is getting phone sex,”
Paige teases.

“Nope” I point at her
and Max “Someone is getting the real thing” Max laughs
grabbing Paige around the waist.

“Hell
yeah someone is” he growls making her laugh.

“Goodnight kids” I
wave walking towards my own door. They wait until I am inside and
flash my bedroom lights before leaving the parking lot, within ten
minutes I am washed and in bed with the iPad. “Hello babe”
I smile seeing his face.

“Hello yourself did you
have fun?”

“Yeah
I haven’t been to the bar in over a month so it was good to go
back.”

He
frowns at me “I thought you were still going each weekend.”

“No
babe I missed you so I stayed away, two weeks” I sing clapping
my hands,

“Yep two weeks I can’t
wait” he smiles back at me. “So next week we have to go
tour some buildings my dad designed so I won’t be able to call
you Thursday or Friday.”

I
pout at him “Babe Friday is my birthday” he sighs
heavily.

“I
know darlin but we will be up in the mountains so I wont be able to
call you but happy birthday, I hope your wish comes true” he
winks at me.

“My
only wish is that you were here” he nods his eyes shining at
me, we talk for an hour before I get sleepy “I love you babe I
really, Really do.”

“I
love you too darlin I cant wait to come home.”

It’s
the morning of my twentieth birthday. My phone has texts from Cara,
Roger, Max, Paige, and dad all wishing me a happy birthday. Replying
thanks to all of them I take a shower. Knowing Paige she will want to
leave for the spa by ten. Walking down to the parking lot she is
waiting by her car.

“Yay! Spa day,” she
chirps as we climb inside and speed off for a day of pampering and
relaxing. It’s been way too long since I have had a spa day.

“We
should do this once a month,” I announce making her smile.

“Yeah
I’m down.”

We
arrive at the Edgewater hotel located between Blackrock and Marion.
It sits back against the ocean with surrounding gardens and tennis
courts. Paige and I are greeted at the lobby and are then escorted to
the spa where a lady holding two fluffy bathrobes meets us. She shows
us to the locker room and assigns us a locker each, which smells of
cedar wood and jasmine. We leave our clothes and purses and walk out
into a private water garden with two large Jacuzzis and a rain shower
in the center, which has a cycle of water in different speeds that
rain down from the biggest showerhead I have ever seen. We take a
seat in one of the Jacuzzis. At first the water is boiling but I soon
acclimate. My body sinks as I groan in pleasure.