Ashes, p.2
Ashes, page 2
“Damn, woman. I’m thirty-five, and you’re like twenty. Are you even old enough to be drinking that martini?”
“I’m twenty-four, thank you very much,” I grumble before taking a long sip, polishing off most of my drink.
“Well, you look fucking amazing. Last time I saw you, I think you were eating dirt in the backyard with pigtails.”
“One, I never wore pigtails. Two, I’ve never eaten dirt in my life. And three, you’re still an asshole like the rest of the Walshes. What a pity.”
“Why is it a pity?”
“Because you’re not too hard on the eyes, but the one thing I don’t do is Walshes. Therefore, you’re on the no-fuck list for eternity.”
“If I wasn’t a Walsh—” he stops, setting his beer down “—you’re saying you would’ve left with me?”
“Sure would’ve,” I lie. “After the night I had, I could use a little reminder of why men are worth the hassle, and you may have been able to scratch the itch I have.”
“I can still scratch it. No one has to know.”
“I’ll know, and that’ll be enough. No Walshes ever. We swore an oath to my father to steer clear…”
“And a good girl like you always keeps the promises she makes to her father?” he asks and waits for my reply.
“When it comes to the Walsh family…I sure as fuck do.”
“Predictable,” he mutters.
I lift the glass back to my lips, swallowing every last drop of the chocolate goodness. “I’m out. I’ve had enough males for one night. Thanks for the chat, Dylan Walsh.”
“Thanks for the memories, darlin’,” he says with a wink. “I’ll be seeing you around.”
“No, you won’t. It’s been over a decade, and I’ve never laid eyes on you until now. I don’t see it happening again anytime soon.”
“I lived out of state, but now I’m back. I’m sure we’ll run into each other again soon.”
“Don’t hold your breath,” I mutter, tossing a ten on the bar top before walking away, careful not to fall on my face in the impossibly high heels.
Do not fall. Do not fall.
I’d never live that shit down if Dylan fucking Walsh saw me go down in a blaze of glory. I lied when I told him I didn’t remember him. I do, but I haven’t thought about him since the day I saw him get in a fistfight with his father and take off on his motorcycle, the engine roaring until it faded in the distance.
Dylan Walsh is no doubt nothing but trouble like the entire Walsh clan. He is not the type of trouble I need in my life, especially if I’m looking to settle down.
Don’t turn around, I tell myself before my hand touches the door, but I can’t stop.
That is my biggest mistake.
I peer over my shoulder. Our eyes meet. I feel the sizzle as he smiles, winking at me again, looking at me as if I am his prey.
“Fuck,” I whisper to myself as I turn back around and haul ass to my car, peeling out of the parking lot and leaving that trouble right where I found him.
2
Rosie
“Well, well, well. Someone looks exhausted today,” my sister Gigi says as I walk into Inked. “I’d say the date went well.”
I glare at her, stopping near the front desk with my coffee in one hand and my phone in the other. “For your information, the date did not go well.”
She perks up at the news, giving me her full attention. “It didn’t?”
“What happened?” Lily asks, coming out from the work area to join us in the customer waiting room.
I sigh, unable to hold in my distaste for the evening and men in general. “He went to the bathroom and never came back.”
Lily’s eyes grow huge. “He what?”
I glance out the front window, unable to look at them. “You heard me. It’s embarrassing enough to say it once. I’m not doing it again.”
“Jesus. Men are such tools.”
Pike, Gigi’s husband and my brother-in-law, strolls out with his hand under his shirt, scratching his stomach as if he just rolled out of bed. “What’d I miss?”
“Rosie was ditched last night,” Gigi tells him and then turns her attention back to me. “Did he at least pay the bill?”
I shake my head as I set my coffee, phone, and purse down. “Nope,” I snap.
Pike leans on the counter next to me, one arm extended and holding his body weight. “You need a man who acts like a man.”
I glare at him. “Thanks for that sage advice. I’ll go ahead and order one from Men ‘R’ Us because it’s just that easy.”
He gives me a small smirk. “Maybe get off the dating apps and try meeting people the old-fashioned way.”
My face doesn’t change as I keep my eyes locked on his. “And what would that be, o wise one? Enlighten me with your old-man knowledge.”
“Hey now,” he warns, but his face is still warm and sweet.
“Should I hang out in bars because that’s where all the reliable and good ones are?”
He shrugs one shoulder while still leaning, looking calm, cool, and collected. “Maybe. It’s how I met your sister.”
Gigi waves her hand, shooing him away. “Don’t listen to him. Men know nothing.”
“That ain’t no lie,” Lily whispers with a small giggle.
Luna rushes through the front door, almost spilling her coffee down the front of her white tank top. “Fuck. I hate mornings.”
“It’s three in the afternoon,” Pike tells her, glancing down at his watch.
Luna throws up a hand and rolls her eyes. “It’s morning in my world. Why are men such dicks?”
Gigi laughs. “Because they think with theirs, babe.”
Luna grunts. “Well, you can add Jack to the list. He just told me he needed a break because I’m too clingy.”
I shake my head, wishing I could wring Jack’s neck. “He’s an asshole, sis. You’re better off without him.”
Luna frowns. “But we had plans.”
“You had pipe dreams, sweetheart,” Pike adds, not making the situation any better. “Jack was never ready to settle down. He’s busy traveling the world, pretending he’s G.I. Joe.”
“Fuckin’ military men. I swear to God, I’m never dating another one,” Luna adds, glancing up toward the ceiling.
“You say that after each breakup, but the uniform gets you every time,” I remind her.
“No more military,” Luna repeats with a straight face but lying through her teeth. “If I want a man in uniform, I’m going for a hot firefighter or cop. They don’t get deployed or stationed clear across the country or world. I need someone who’s going to be closer. I don’t know how the hell I can be clingy with someone who’s a thousand miles away.”
“Yo. What the hell?” Carmello says, joining us. “In case any of you have forgotten, we’re running a business. We have customers and appointments. I’d like to get out of here at a decent hour tonight.”
Gigi turns to him and narrows her eyes. “Yes, sir, boss man. We know. We’re between customers.”
Carmello shakes his head. “Not Rosie. She has someone waiting for her in the consultation room who’s probably ready to walk out by now. He’s been waiting at least half an hour.”
My back stiffens as I glance around at my family. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Gigi shrugs. “He wasn’t on the schedule. He called asking for you before he just showed up. I told him you had limited time and could do a walk-in consult, but he’d have a long wait. He said he’d wait as long as necessary. And now, he’s waiting as long as necessary.”
“What do I have? Thirty before my first appointment?” I ask Lily, who’s closest to the computer.
“You did, but they canceled,” Lily says.
“Fuck,” I hiss. “People suck.”
“Ah. Such rainbows and sunshine this morning,” Carmello teases with a smile.
“This is going to be an awesome day,” Pike adds, hating when one of us is crabby and really hating it when a few of us are—like today.
“Maybe your consult will want the spot?” Lily says, trying to be positive like she always is.
“Probably not,” I reply as I stalk toward the consultation room with my coffee in hand, shaking out my bad vibes. The last thing I want to do is pass on my attitude to my potential client and chase away business.
I rush into the room, saying, “Sorry you’ve waited so long,” to the back of his head. “If I would’ve known I had someone waiting, I…” My voice dies as soon as he turns around and our eyes meet. I almost stagger back but somehow keep my feet planted.
“I told you we’d see each other again,” he drawls with a smirk that’s nothing short of salacious.
I grunt and move toward the other side of the table before setting down my coffee. “What are you doing here?” I ask, sliding into the chair across from him. “There’re other ways to find me than wasting time at my business and costing me money.”
“Who said I’m wasting your time or costing you money?” He relaxes into his chair, one arm bent and resting on the back, the other one extended across the table.
I stare at him, and he stares right back. “You’re in my place of work.”
“This is a tattoo shop, yeah?”
“You are correct, Einstein.”
He lets out a little laugh, not bothered in the slightest by my dig. “I’m looking for some new ink, and I know—or at least heard—this is the best place in the area. I took a shot that you followed in your father’s footsteps and were working here since there isn’t much else to do in this shit-ass town. And, boom! Here I am, and you are too.”
“Oh yay,” I say sarcastically and fidget with my travel coffee mug because there’s something about Dylan Walsh that has me a bit off-kilter. “You should’ve asked for one of the more senior artists like Pike or even Gigi.”
“Nope,” he retorts, shifting in his seat to lean over the table and close the small amount of space between us. “I wanted you, darlin’.”
“Fuckin’ fabulous,” I grumble and push my coffee to the side because I need to meet Dylan head-on, and fidgeting of any kind won’t be allowed. “Why don’t you tell me what you want and where you want it. Let’s start with the easy shit, and I’ll see if it’s something I can do before we move forward.”
“You can,” he says easily and quickly. “I have faith in you.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Is it because of my tits or my ass?”
“Both,” he replies without missing a beat. “But I also know you wouldn’t be working here unless you were great. Inked doesn’t hire shit, even if they’re family.”
“Fine. Tell me what you want,” I say with a sigh, resigned to at least go through the motions with him. Whatever it takes to get Dylan Walsh gone sooner rather than later. I could bicker with him all day, but it wouldn’t do anything except make him stick around longer than necessary.
“I want to get the first three lines of ‘Do not go gentle into that good night,’ along with some sort of decoration around it so it’s not just plain script.”
Somehow, I don’t even blink. I never would’ve pegged the man in front of me for a poem type of guy, but here he is, asking for one of my favorites tattooed on his flesh forever. “Can you elaborate on the decoration? And do you want fancy script or something more like a typewriter font?”
He thinks for a minute, his eyes never leaving mine. “I like the idea of a clean typewriter font. As for decoration, I’ll let you pick.”
“So, pink flowers, then?” I tease, hoping it’s enough to chase his ass away.
“Whatever you think works best. I trust you.”
“Why?”
“Why what?” he asks.
“Why do you trust me?”
“Because you’re the artist.”
“But you’re…you’re you and covered in tattoos, and nowhere on your skin are there any other flowers, especially pink ones, but you’d let me do it?”
He nods. “Why the fuck not?”
“Because I said pink.”
He tilts his head to the side and looks at me funny. “And?”
“You’re not a pink guy.”
“Darlin’,” he whispers, adjusting himself in his seat as he gazes across the table at me. “You don’t even know what kind of guy I am, but if you think pink is good, I’m all for it.”
“You’re nuts,” I mutter.
“Never claimed to be playing with a full deck, especially where you’re involved.”
I roll my eyes. “There’re a lot easier ways to get laid than having pink flowers permanently inked on your flesh.”
“Name one,” he tells me.
I shrug. “Go to a bar and pick someone up. I’m sure there are plenty of women who would take you up on the offer.”
“Tried that last night. Didn’t work.” He smiles, and damn it all to hell, I can’t help but laugh.
“You’re an idiot.”
His smile only grows wider. “We doing this or what?”
I can’t bite back the sigh. I have no excuse. I have the time since my first client canceled, and although Dylan can be a dick, his money is as good as anyone’s. “Yeah. Give me thirty minutes to draw something up, and we’ll do it if you have time now.”
“Got nothing but time, sweetheart.”
“Great.”
“Great,” he repeats.
“You want to stay in here or…”
“How about I go get you and me a fresh cup of coffee, and I’ll come back in thirty to get this going?”
“You don’t need to do that.”
“I know I don’t need to do that, but I could use a cup and I’m not a selfish prick who isn’t going to bring you back a cup too. Unless you’d rather have something else.”
“No. No. Coffee’s fine, but just so you know, you’re still not getting in my pants,” I tell him as I rise from my seat.
“I’d be disappointed if all it took was a cup of coffee, darlin’,” he says as he stands and moves toward the door before I can, blocking my exit.
I’m inches from him, my neck craned back, staring up at his handsome, rugged face, itching to see if the hair on his jawline is as coarse as it looks. “You wanna move?”
He shakes his head and doesn’t budge. He doesn’t reach out to touch me. He doesn’t do anything but stare down at me, making my heart flutter and my belly flip. “You feel it, don’t you?” he asks softly.
“Feel what?” I lie, somehow stopping my voice from cracking.
“The electricity. The connection. The whatever there is between us in this room now and last night.”
I wrinkle my nose, but I don’t look away. Show no fear. Give no information. “I have no clue what you’re talking about, Dylan.”
“Rosie,” he whispers softly, making the flip in my belly turn into an Olympic sport. I don’t flinch as he reaches up, touching my jaw with the pad of his thumb so lightly goose bumps break out across my flesh. “You feel it.”
“I…” I start to say, but the words die as his hand falls back to his side and he slides out the door, leaving me standing in the consultation room alone.
“Fuck,” I hiss, bending over at the waist and placing my hands on my knees as if I’ve been sucker-punched in the gut. “This can’t be happening to me.”
I want Dylan Walsh. He knows it, and now I can’t deny it. There is an electricity between us, a connection I’m going to have a pretty hard time denying as long as he’s around.
I have only one way to stop anything from happening between us.
Distance.
“Rosie?” Gigi asks, her voice rising on the last syllable. “You okay? Did that guy do something wrong? Because I’ll totally go after him and beat his ass.”
I don’t rise, staying hunched over to avoid her gaze. “No. He didn’t do anything wrong, sis. He was fine. I just think I… I don’t know. Maybe I ate something bad or I’m getting sick. I don’t feel well suddenly.”
Her hand is on my back a second later, rubbing small circles like Mom did when we were little and didn’t feel well. “Why don’t you go home and rest? We’ll cover your customers or reschedule them.”
“But he’ll be back in thirty.”
“Big design?” she asks, still comforting me and my lying mouth.
“No. It’ll take two hours max depending on how intricate he wants to go.”
“What’s he want?” she asks.
I tell her the basics, but I do so standing up instead of staying crouched over like a weirdo. “You sure Pike has time?”
“For something that small, he can totally make it work before his next appointment. If not, one of us will handle it. I’d rather you go home and rest than overdo it and make yourself sicker.”
“You’re the best,” I tell her, feeling like a selfish asshole, but it is the only way I can think of to put that important distance between Dylan and me.
“Now, go. Get some rest and text me later.”
“I will,” I tell her, giving her a quick hug. “Thank you for this.”
“That’s what family is for, babe. We always have one another’s backs.”
If she only knew the real reason I was ditching, running away from the man who was bringing me coffee and was about to let me put pink flowers on his skin. “I got yours next time.”
“Wouldn’t expect anything less.” She smiles.
I don’t waste any more time, grabbing my purse and phone, leaving my coffee behind. I’m out the door and in my car, running away like a coward.
3
Rosie
“So, is there something you want to tell me?” Gigi asks over the phone, and her voice is filled with attitude. It’s the same tone I hear from my mother when she knows something but wants me to be the one to say it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I will die on this hill of deceit.
“The man who was here…”
“Was Pike able to squeeze him in?” I ask, still ignoring her fishing attempt.
