Total pages in book: 125
Estimated words: 121992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121992 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 610(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
I was apparently smitten with him, whether I was willing to admit it or not. Thus, my current situation: checking my phone and looking out the shop window for any sign of Colby.
With only ten minutes until I had to open, I decided to visit the truck outside and grab a coffee. It was one of those rare dry, breezy mornings in the city when the humidity had taken the day off. I waited in line and ordered my usual, a small coffee with one cream and one sugar. When I turned around with the little blue cup in hand, I spotted him walking toward me.
Colby was headed to work, dressed in a three-piece navy suit and looking all…rich and shit. Damn, he could rock a suit. Seeing him dressed to the nines made me want to jump him.
Instead, I lifted my cup in a salute. “Hey, you.”
“Hi.” He smiled. “Long time no see.”
“Yeah. I should be saying that to you.” What does that even mean? That I’ve been waiting for him to call? Ugh.
“The past couple of days have been a literal shitshow.”
“Uh-oh.” I frowned. “Why?”
“Stomach bug. Not me. Saylor. We’ve never been through anything like it. And on her actual birthday, no less.”
“Oh no. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah. She might have gotten it from someone at the party. I got lucky. It’s so far evaded me.” He sighed. “You’re not sick, are you?”
“No.”
“Good. I would’ve felt crappy if you’d gotten it.”
“Is she okay now?”
“Yeah. We waited a full twenty-four hours on day three to make sure she was over it. But she went back to preschool today.”
“Thank goodness. I can’t imagine how horrible that must’ve been.”
“Yeah. Real sexy to be covered in vomit for two days straight, right? That’ll make you change your mind about dating me.”
“Actually, the fact that you’re such a good, hands-on dad is one of the sexiest things about you.” Agh. Speaking without thinking again. Given that I had no desire to date someone with a kid, I didn’t quite understand why him being a good father was such a turn-on. But it was. Still didn’t need to share it, Billie.
“Well, that’s a great note to head to work on. I’ll take that compliment and run with it. Unfortunately, I’m running a bit late, so…”
I waved him off. “Go! Go.”
Colby looked over my shoulder, and I turned to find his friend Holden had suddenly appeared. I’d almost forgotten he’d booked the first appointment of the day.
“Whaddup?” Holden said.
“What are you doing?” Colby asked.
“I’m actually headed over to Billie’s.”
Colby’s eyes narrowed. “What are you doing there?”
“You know that tat I have of Hailey’s name?”
Colby’s brow lifted. “Yeah?”
“I’m finally getting rid of it. Billie is going to cover it up for me.”
When Holden booked the appointment, he’d mentioned he wanted to remove an ex-girlfriend’s name from his lower abdomen. We’d decided to have him look through some of my designs first since he didn’t have a clue what he wanted.
“Isn’t that practically down by your dick?” Colby groaned. “The one you said you got so she’d see her name when she was going down on you?”
“That’s the one. Down by the V…not the dick, though.” Holden laughed.
“Trust me,” I said. “There’s a big difference between ‘practically down’ by someone’s dick and actually on someone’s dick. I’ve tattooed both, so I should know.”
Colby’s eyes widened. “You’ve tattooed someone’s dick before?”
“I have.”
“That’s awesome.” Holden laughed. “I wanna see pics, if you have them.”
I’d expected Colby to laugh, too, but his face was stone cold. He didn’t look happy about any of this. Not the V nor the dick.
Colby cleared his throat. “Well, you two have fun. I’ve got to get to work.”
Holden and I watched him walk away for a few seconds before he followed me into the shop. Once the door closed behind us, he turned to me. “What the hell was that all about?”
I played dumb. “What do you mean?”
“Colby looking like he wanted to murder me.”
“Really?”
“You didn’t notice?”
“Notice what?” I blinked.
“The look on his face when he found out what you were helping me with!”
“I wasn’t paying attention to his face,” I lied.
“Well, I was. I know my friend. He did not like the fact that you’d be touching me. He must like you, Billie. Colby hasn’t been into anyone in a long while.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It must be your imagination.”
“He likes you,” he repeated. “He mentioned that you guys hung out the other night, too, right? So don’t tell me I’m imagining things.”
Feeling my face heat, I pointed. “Mind your beeswax, and get in the chair. We got work to do. I have a fully booked day.”
Holden dropped the subject of Colby as we looked through the drawings I’d put together based on our last consultation. He settled on a series of musical notes intertwined together as they flowed from the mouth of a bird and wrapped around two drumsticks. It would be a little challenging to fully cover the name with the art he wanted, but I knew I could figure it out. I hadn’t screwed up a tattoo yet and wasn’t planning on starting today.