Saving jay, p.4
Saving Jay, page 4
part #3 of Breaking Free Series
There was no look of recognition on her face, and I felt myself relax when I realized she didn’t know who my father was.
Ripping the receipt off the machine and plucking a pen out of a cup on the desk, she handed both to me. I signed my name and slid the receipt back to her across the dark wood. Just as she opened her mouth to say something, the man with the Mohawk I’d seen yesterday walked in through the back entrance. His dark eyes were on us as soon as he took his first step in, and without hesitation, he made his way toward Jade.
“Oh, hey, Dustin. This is Jay. He was just here to set up his back piece.”
He lifted his chin in my direction, and their body language told me everything I needed to know. He wanted Jade, and he saw me as competition, but she was oblivious to it all.
Good.
I met his stare and smirked before letting my eyes move back to Jade.
“I’ll see you in a few months.”
She grinned. “Okay. See you then.”
It wasn’t until I left Jade’s shop that I realized how much her presence had seemed to affect my mood. She was so full of life and vivacity, and her energy had felt contagious.
Jade
I was busy tattooing for the rest of the afternoon, but I couldn’t get Jay off of my mind. Seeing him in jeans and a hoodie had been like seeing an entirely other side of him. It wasn’t just the clothes though. He’d also seemed more relaxed. The air of authority he’d had the last time we met had been gone. I was excited about his tattoo, and the concept only made me more curious about him. He obviously had a darker side that both thrilled and scared me a little.
I’d almost died when he took off his shirt. The image of his naked torso paired with his dimples and that beautiful face had done some serious damage to my lady parts. I was attracted to him, and I could tell he was interested in me, too. He could’ve just been curious though. I was probably a lot more outspoken than he was used to. Men like him most likely dated dainty supermodels, not quirky tattoo artists like me, but there was no denying the crazy energy I’d felt when we were together.
As I cleaned my client’s ribs, I was lost in my own thoughts when Jackson came to lean in the doorway. He was a big guy with a thick long beard and bald head. He was intimidating to those who didn’t know him, but to me, he was like a big teddy bear.
“Wow. That’s gorgeous.”
My client and I both looked up at him as he admired the outline of a peacock I’d just tattooed on her.
“Isn’t it?” she asked with a big smile.
I loved seeing that look on my clients’ faces.
Jackson had been tattooing for over twenty years and worked with some of the world’s best artists. His opinion meant a lot to me. His perceptive green eyes came to mine, and he gave me a small nod that made my chest swell with pride.
“You eat lunch yet?”
I shook my head. “No, not yet.”
“Dustin said your next appointment isn’t for two hours, so let’s go get some grub. I’m starving.”
“Sounds good.”
After getting my client wrapped up, I sent her to Dustin to pay for her appointment and get the usual aftercare instructions. I cleaned up my station and walked out to find Dustin flirting with a woman as she browsed through our portfolios. Trix was focused on the octopus he was tattooing on a guy’s leg.
“We’re going to get some food. You guys want anything?” I asked, giving Dustin a warning look.
He meant well, but that man flirted with any and all females, and it had gotten him into trouble more times than I could count.
“Nah, boss. I’m good,” he said, ignoring my look. He gave me his lopsided grin before turning his attention back to the woman next to him.
“Trix?”
I turned to look at him. He had his baseball cap sitting sideways on his head, and his brown eyes were zeroed in on the man’s leg in front of him as he tattooed it. I didn’t think he’d even heard me.
“Trix!”
He blinked and stopped tattooing, his eyes finally moving to meet mine.
“Oh, hey, J. What’s up?”
I laughed. “Do you want some food?”
“Yeah, and get me some smokes, too. I’ll pay you back when I’m done with this.”
“Okay. We’ll be back soon,” I said.
I followed Jackson to the front door, and he opened it for me, the cool Virginia air greeting me as I walked outside.
Twenty minutes later, Jackson and I were sitting in a local deli, eating sandwiches. They were busy, but we had found an empty table in the back. I felt like everyone was watching us. I had gotten used to the stares. It was expected when the majority of your body was covered in tattoos. But things seemed different this time.
Have they all seen the show?
“So, how have you been, J?” Jackson asked, distracting me from my paranoia.
I nodded before taking a sip from my water. “Pretty good. Busy. How about you? How are you and Cindy settling in?”
“She loves it here. She never got used to the cold up in Boston, so I think she’s happy to be down South again.”
I smiled. I was happy to know he didn’t regret his decision to come out here.
Jackson scanned the room before looking at me again. “I’m not sure you’re ready for the changes coming, kid.”
I paused with my sandwich in front of my mouth. “What do you mean?”
“This show has got people talking. They’re starting to realize they’ve got a star in their town, and the clients are about to come in droves. You’re gonna need more than just Dustin to manage things.”
Sighing, I put my sandwich down and leaned back in my seat. I glanced at the couple sitting at the table beside us. “So, I’m not just being paranoid. You see it, too?”
Jackson smirked. “You mean, everyone in the room staring at you?”
I laughed, and my eyebrows rose. “Uh, yeah.”
“That was happening way before you were ever on TV, J. You’ve gotten that reaction for years now. It just took you dropping that loser boyfriend of yours to notice.”
I could feel myself blushing as I picked my sandwich back up and took a bite. Jackson didn’t give out compliments very often, so hearing that from him had taken me by surprise.
“I’m thinking you’re going to need an accountant and another assistant for the shop, someone to make appointments and keep up with the schedule. That way, Dustin can focus on setting things up and keeping the stations clean.”
“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea. I didn’t think things were going to take off so fast. I thought I’d at least have time to adjust to having my own shop.”
“Hey.” Jackson paused until I peered up at him. “This is a good thing. More work is always a good thing. Don’t worry about the fame part. That shit will fade. It’ll just take a little time.”
Jay
I decided to hit the beach after my appointment with Jade. It had been a while since I went surfing, and I was looking forward to the peace and quiet that came with it. The beaches weren’t crowded since it was February, and the water was cold, but I welcomed the escape.
After a few hours of surfing, I tossed my board down in the sand. Unzipping my wetsuit, I peeled the sleeves off my arms and pushed the top down around my waist. With my tired muscles and my clear mind, I watched the horizon as I worked to steady my breath.
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Jade and the way her smile had made me feel. Her presence had seemed to cast a light on everything around her, and I wanted to experience more of it—soon. I didn’t want to wait another three months. I hadn’t felt this kind of attraction to a woman since Asia.
I raked my hands through my hair and sighed as I thought of Asia and what we’d been through. As hard as it had been to let her go, it was the freedom she’d shown me that made all the heartache worth it. My relationship with her had been short and bittersweet, but she’d left her mark. I knew the chance of feeling that again would be worth the risk.
“Jay?” a female’s voice called from behind me.
Looking over my shoulder, I was surprised to see Asia walking toward me in a wetsuit with a board under her arm. My pulse quickened as I blinked, trying to be sure I wasn’t seeing things.
I haven’t seen Asia in over a year, and now, she turns up just as I’m thinking about her.
Turning to face her, I smiled as she approached. “Asia, hi.”
Fuck, this is weird.
When she stopped in front of me, I could feel the awkward tension between us until she smiled and held out her free arm for a hug. I leaned in and gave her a one-armed hug before pulling away and studying her face like I used to. I always found it easy to gauge Asia’s emotions by her expression. She looked happy and completely at ease, which helped me relax.
“How are you?” she asked, her eyes studying me like I had just done.
“I’m okay. Just trying to catch some waves before the tourists come pouring in.”
She grinned and looked out at the water. “Yeah, me, too.”
We were silent for a few seconds.
“I heard about your dad. I’m really sorry,” she said.
I looked down at the sand and nodded before peering back up at her. “Thanks.”
“If you ever need to talk or just need a friend…I hope you know I’m here, if you need anything.”
I nodded, but I thought we both knew that I wouldn’t take her up on that offer. Asia and I had been too close for me to feel comfortable with the distance between us, but it was nice of her anyway.
“I heard about you and Marcus getting married. Congratulations,” I said, running my hand through my wet hair.
She smiled, and the sun lit up her beautiful face as she looked up at me. “Thanks.”
I could tell she was contemplating what to say next.
“So, are you seeing anyone?”
I chuckled and glanced out at the water. “No. Despite my mom’s best efforts, I’m still single.”
Asia grinned, but her eyes stayed fixed on mine. I knew she could see through all the bullshit I tried to hide behind.
“You will. She’s out there. And when you find her, you’ll know.”
Asia’s words made me realize how much she still cared. I guessed it had been easier for me to assume she’d forgotten all about me.
“Take care of yourself,” she said, sincerity obvious in her stare.
“I will.”
“Good. Well, I guess I’d better get out there. I’ll see you around, Jay.”
“Bye.”
I stood there for a few seconds and watched as Asia made her way toward the water. Tilting my head back, I looked up at the endless sky, still a little shocked at the pure coincidence of that moment.
What the fuck was that?
Jade
After closing up shop, the boys and I decided to go out for a few drinks. One of Trix’s clients had suggested a spot with live bands and cheap beer, so we decided to check it out. I was used to being the only woman in the group. I also got used to being treated like one of the guys.
When you were a tattoo artist, it came with the territory. It was hard enough to gain respect in the tattoo industry, and being female only made it more difficult. Any woman in this field had to grow a thick skin and learn to dish it out as much as she took it. If you didn’t stand up for yourself and believe in your ability, you could be fuckin’ sure no one else would. I’d learned to stop beating around the bush and to quit sugarcoating the truth a long time ago. If you wanted respect, you had to demand it.
“Damn, I love the beach. These chicks are all tan and sexy,” Trix said as his eyes followed a waitress walking by our table.
Dustin twisted his neck to check out her ass.
“So, what happened with that girl you were talking to last night?” Trix asked Dustin when he turned to face the table again.
Dustin’s face lit up with a shit-eating grin. “She sucked my dick like a pro, dude. She even fit both of my balls in her mouth.”
I snorted and almost choked on my beer as Jackson shook his head, trying to fight a smile.
Trix’s eyes sparkled. “Damn. You always get the good ones.”
“You’re gonna get herpes,” I said once I’d finally swallowed.
“Don’t hate, J. Just because you’re trying to re-virginize yourself.”
My jaw dropped, and I elbowed him in the ribs.
“Ow! Shit.”
“I’m not trying to re-virginize! Just because I don’t fuck every dude who hits on me doesn’t make me a prude, Dustin.”
I glanced at Trix, and he looked away, taking a sip from his beer, as Jackson gave me a sympathetic grin. They both knew Damon and all the shit he’d put me through. Unlike Dustin, they knew the real reason behind my lack of interest in the opposite sex.
“Come with me to the bathroom then. We can give it a go,” Dustin said, wiggling his eyebrows at me.
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, right.”
Jackson raised his hand as another waitress walked by, and she stopped at our table. Trix’s eyes went directly to her cleavage.
“Can we get another round of beers?” Jackson asked, pointing to his empty glass.
“Sure thing. What were you drinking?”
“Three Fat Tires and one Heineken,” he said, pointing to my glass.
The waitress’s eyes met mine, and a seductive smile spread across her red lips. “Oh my god, are you Jade Holliday?”
All the guys turned to look at me, and I grinned.
“Yeah, that’s me.”
“Wow. You’re gorgeous. I’d love to get some ink from you one day.” Her eyes moved to my breasts before meeting mine again. She was totally hitting on me.
“Expressions, over by the mall. Come by anytime, sweetheart,” Dustin said.
She glanced at him before gazing at me again. “Seriously? You opened up a shop out here?”
“Yes, she did,” Trix chimed in.
“Awesome. I’ll definitely come by,” she said, giving me another flirtatious smile before walking away with her tray.
“Bring your friends!” Dustin shouted after her. “Fuck. I got a chub from just watching you two,” he said, adjusting his crotch under the table.
“She wants a taste of that pink taco,” Trix teased, wiggling his eyebrows at me.
“Oh, shut up.”
“Just promise me one thing. If you ever—I mean, ever—decide to give her a taste, please, for the love of God, let me watch,” Dustin pleaded, his eyes looking desperate.
“You’ll be the first to know.”
“Fuck yes!” he said.
He shook his fist in the air, and we all laughed.
Jay
It was Sunday morning, and my mother had asked me to meet her for brunch to discuss my last date. She was dressed in her Sunday best, sipping coffee in the swanky restaurant she often went to after church. My father wasn’t with her. He was probably at the office or doing something that he felt was more important, still acting like nothing had changed.
I watched her profile as I approached the table. My mother was a beautiful woman. She’d recently cut her long brown hair, saying that it was getting to be too much trouble, but besides that, she looked just like the woman I remembered as a kid. The only difference was she appeared more fragile, and she had a few more wrinkles around her eyes.
“Good morning,” I greeted her. I leaned down to kiss her cheek before taking a seat at the table.
I’d put on a suit because I knew she liked them and didn’t like my ink. There was a time in my life when I would have done the exact opposite just to defy her, but now, all I wanted was to see her smile, and she did. Her sad blue eyes met mine before studying my face like she hadn’t seen it in years.
“Such a handsome man,” she murmured before reaching across the table and covering my hand with her much smaller one.
I looked down at them and flipped mine over, so I could give her hand a gentle squeeze. My mother had never been the affectionate type, but I found myself wishing she had been. We’d lost so many opportunities to show each other how much we cared, and now, it was like we were trying to catch up, but no amount of time would feel like enough.
When our eyes met again, my mom seemed to come back to the present as she moved her hand to her lap and straightened her back. “I ordered your favorite omelet. Do you want some orange juice?”
“No. Coffee is fine. Thanks,” I told her as I took a sip from the cup she had waiting for me.
“So, tell me,” she said as she placed her other hand in her lap.
When I lifted my eyes to hers, she raised an eyebrow.
“It was awful.” I leaned back in my chair and turned my coffee cup in my hand before taking another sip.
“No,” she drawled, looking sincerely disappointed.
“She didn’t shut up during the entire meal. I barely even got a chance to say hi to her before she started.”
My mom tried to hide a smile before she apologized, “I’m sorry, dear. Nancy did say her daughter was having trouble finding someone. Perhaps that’s why.”
“You think this is funny, don’t you?”
Our waiter brought out our food.
My mom tried to look offended. “No, Jason. How can you say that? I just want to see you happy. That’s all.”
I thanked our waiter before picking up my fork and smirking at my mother. “Yeah, but you still get a kick out of hearing how horrible the dates are.”
My mom straightened the cloth napkin in her lap before responding, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I saw the corner of her mouth lift into a grin.
“Sure you don’t.”
My mom and I spent the next two hours talking and laughing as we ate our brunch and sipped our coffees. Everyone always said how much I looked like my mother, but until this day, I’d never realized how alike we were.
It was one of the best dates I’d ever had.
Jade
I woke up around noon on Sunday with an awful hangover. Luckily, my first appointment wasn’t until two, so I still had time to recover.
Between Trix’s antics and Dustin hitting on every woman in the room, there had never been a dull moment. Once people had started recognizing me, we had begun getting free drinks from the bar, and I’d had at least four different guys ask for my number. Trix and Dustin had made sure to chase them away pretty quickly though, which had been fine with me.
