Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
* * *
“Damn, I can’t believe how busy we are, ” Jax says, falling onto the couch next to me in the breakroom we have set up in the back of the shop. It has a couple of couches, a fridge, a sink, and a bathroom. Nothing fancy, but somewhere we can go between clients. It also has a door that leads out to the back alley, where those who smoke, can, since we don’t like anyone smoking in the front. “Thank God for Celeste finding us Evan.” He drops his head back against the wall and sighs in exhaustion.
“I know,” I tell him. “We would’ve been screwed.” My cell phone rings, and like the nosy-ass he is, Jax looks over to see who’s calling.
“Tell Celeste I said hello,” he says as I stand and walk away to speak to her without an audience.
“Hey, Dimples, how’s it going?”
“Not good, Jase.”
“What’s wrong?” I close the office door behind me. With all four of us working today, there’s several different songs going at once along with everyone bullshitting over the music.
“A few years ago, when I first launched my fashion line, I joined up with a couple other designers to start a charity called I Heart the Arts. It raises money to help the art programs in schools and clubs. This year we’re going to be showcasing several models using body art to help raise money.”
“That sounds like a good cause,” I tell her, surprised and proud of this new fact I’ve just learned about Celeste.
“Yeah, it is. But the artists we hired for the show just canceled on us, so now I have twenty models with no art, and a show that’s supposed to start in eight hours.”
“What do you need from me?”
“Artists. I was wondering if maybe you knew anyone…well a few someones. Like maybe there’s some network all artists are a part of. I know you’re a tattoo artist, but maybe you all run in the same circles. I don’t know.” She sighs. “It’s a paid job.”
“I’m in, and I’m sure Jax and Gage and Willow will be too. And I can bring Evan. He’s still apprenticing but he can draw.”
“Oh,” she says breathlessly. “I didn’t mean you…”
“Am I not good enough?” I laugh. “I am an artist.”
“No! I know you are. But you’re super busy. You were just saying you’re booked until like next year. I can’t ask you to shut down for me.”
“You’re not asking. Text me the location and we’ll be there soon.”
“Yeah?” she asks with hope in her voice.
“Yeah.”
“Thank you, Jase! I love you.” The phone goes silent, and I pull it from my ear to see if Celeste is still there, or if she hung up. “What I meant was…” she starts to say, but she can’t think of a way to justify or fix what she just said, which means she meant the words.
“What you mean is you love me,” I tell her boldly, praying I don’t spook her, but needing to tell her how I feel, “and I love you too.”
There’s another bout of silence and then Celeste whispers, “You do?”
“I do. See you soon, Dimples.”
We hang up, and with the biggest fucking grin on my face, I call everyone into the office to ask them if they’re willing to help. Of course they say they are. After telling everyone waiting that we have an emergency and need to close up shop, we start calling all of our clients who were supposed to come in today and reschedule them. After locking up the shop, we head over to Spring Studios where the show is being held. On the way, I call Quinn to let her know I’m not sure what time I’ll be home, and she lets me know Rick has gone out of town for business, so she can keep an eye on Skyla without issue.
From the moment we arrive, everyone is in a frenzy. I wasn’t sure what was needed to be done, but luckily Celeste has all of the supplies. All she needs from us is our talent. We spend the next several hours painting body art on each of the models. They are completely naked, but with the art painted on, it looks as if they’re fully clothed. Celeste has specific outfits that need to be drawn on, and several designers, who are part of the show, oversee everything we’re doing. Some of the names even have my eyes going wide. These aren’t lowly up-and-coming designers. These are bigtime. And it hits me that the woman I’m dating is bigtime. She’s a famous supermodel who has taken the fashion world by storm. I can still remember the teenage Celeste, who laid in my bed and shared her dreams with me. At the time, I didn’t know all that was against her—that the hand she’d been dealt was even shittier than mine. She might’ve been Nick’s best friend, but she wasn’t raised with a silver spoon in her mouth like he was. She’s fought for everything she has.