Indelible

by Jove Belle

  Oliver pointed to the angel on Luna’s bicep and said, “Who did your tattoo, Luna?”

  Angie didn’t like how fixated Oliver was on Luna’s tattoo. He was too young to start the argument over permanent body art.

  Luna scratched lightly over the image. “I did.”

  “Cool.” Oliver sat back like that decided everything.

  “How is that possible?” Angie couldn’t even draw a proper stick person on a stationary piece of paper. A tattoo on her own arm would look like a cracked-out connect-the-dots—good intentions, but crappy results.

  “Mirror and tons of patience.”

  “What about family?” Jack asked.

  Angie wondered if he was checking off a mental list of questions.

  “Not much to tell. There’s just me.”

  “Impossible,” Jack said. “You didn’t just appear on the planet, full-grown and ready for life.”

  Angie was interested in her answer. Other than a few fleeting statements about her mom, Luna hadn’t shared much about family.

  Luna shrugged.

  “Mother, father, brothers, sisters?” Perhaps Jack thought Luna didn’t know exactly what family was.

  “I’m an only child.” Luna sank into her chair and rested her sunglasses over her eyes.

  Jack was undeterred. “Father?”

  “Never met him.”

  Angie scooted her chair closer to Luna’s and rested her hand on Luna’s arm, smoothing her thumb back and forth. So far Luna was doing great. Not that Angie should care how well they all got along. She didn’t plan to invite Luna back.

  “Really? You don’t know anything about him?”

  Jack was starting to irritate Angie. Did he realize he was coming across like an asshole?

  “Mom said he was a plumber from Jersey. She moved here before I was born. He stayed there.”

  Everyone else remained quiet throughout their exchange. Angie was amazed. Oliver and Tori should be playing video games by now, and Sandy should be making noise about leaving. The woman couldn’t stand to be off her Harley for too long on sunny days. Angie had no idea what Perez would normally be doing at this point, but she wouldn’t be sitting quietly while others talked. The impending disaster of Jack giving Luna the third degree was simply too much to ignore.

  “And what about your mom, Luna?” Jack took a drink and regarded Luna over the top of his bottle. “Angie, have you met her?”

  “She died nine years ago,” Luna finally answered. “I’d been out of school for a year.”

  Angie did the math. If Luna finished her bachelor’s at twenty-two, her master’s at twenty-three—unlikely considering it took the average person longer—that made Luna a minimum of thirty-three. She was at least six years older than Angie.

  “I’m sorry.” Jack seemed satisfied. Perhaps he realized that he’d asked too much.

  “It was a long time ago.” Luna shrugged, but her body was still tense.

  “Who wants dessert?” Angie stood, hoping Luna would follow her to the kitchen. She didn’t move. “I’ll be right back.”

  Inside the kitchen, she could hear that regular conversation had resumed around the table. She prepared strawberry shortcakes for everyone, trayed them up, and headed outside with a vague flash of being at work on her day off.

  She served everyone and took the remaining one for herself. Luna offered her a small smile as she took a bite.

  “Luna.” Oliver scooted closer. “Guess where Mom and Grandpa are taking me next weekend? Oaks Park.”

  Jack cleared his throat. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that.”

  Angie braced herself. She was accustomed to Jack bailing at the last minute. Oliver, however, had been essentially blanketed from that. “What happened, Dad?”

  “I got a job. It’s just a couple of days, but next Saturday is one of them.” Jack picked up odd jobs wherever he could. Since Oliver was born, he’d tried to arrange his schedule around Angie’s, and in the past couple of years, he’d worked less and less. Passing on an opportunity, no matter how small, was just not an option. “I planned to tell you later today.”

  Oliver jutted out his chin and crossed his arms. “That sucks.”

  “Why don’t you ask Luna to join you?” Jack poked his fork toward Luna.

  Angie shook her head and took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure how to explain her concerns in a way Oliver would understand.

  Luna placed her hand on Angie’s leg and stroked gently over her thigh. “That’s not a good idea.”

  Oliver’s face fell. “Why not?”

  Luna shrugged and removed her hand.

  “How ’bout we go, just the two of us, Oli?”

  “But I like Luna. I want her to go.”

  “I don’t think so, son.” Angie spoke quietly.

  Jack put a hand on Oliver’s arm to stop him from speaking. Oliver glared at Angie and took a bite of his strawberry shortcake, then chewed with angry, exaggerated movements.

  Angie didn’t want this argument. The day, while tense at times, had been just about perfect. A door-slamming tantrum from Oliver would ruin it.

  “Mom—”

  “Oliver, enough.” Angie used her best mom voice. Firm, but not screechy. It didn’t always work, but she hoped Oliver would hold himself in check since they had company.

  Oliver ran to his room and slammed the door. On his way he yelled, “It’s not always about you, you know!”

  Angie debated following him, but opted to let him cool off before she tried to talk to him. She smiled at everyone. “Sorry about that.”

  Luna returned the smile but still looked sad. “It’s okay, I understand.”

  “Thank you.” Sometimes being a mom was exhausting.

  “Luna, did your mom ever marry?” Jack was back to grilling Luna. Given Oliver’s outburst, there really weren’t any comfortable topics, but this one certainly didn’t help.

  “No. I don’t think she even dated.”

  “Really?” Jack whistled. “I can’t imagine going twenty-four years without…companionship.”

  “I don’t know for sure.” Luna fidgeted with the label on her beer, peeling back one corner. “If she did, she did it without me knowing.”

  “Why?”

  “She didn’t want me to get attached or something.” The label was halfway off.

  “What did you want?”

  “I wanted her to be happy.” Luna kept her eyes focused over Jack’s shoulder. “I felt guilty that I kept her from meeting someone.”

  “Hear that, Angie?” Jack resumed his campaign for Angie to involve Luna in their lives more.

  As bad as she felt about what Luna was saying, Angie still hated the constant parade of new women through her dad’s bedroom. They made noises she didn’t want to hear and left the next morning with their heels in their hand. “I hear, Dad.”

  “You should take your son to Oaks Park. And you should take Luna with you.” Jack gave up circling his point and zeroed in on it.

  “Dad, I—”

  “You want that boy to think you’ve sacrificed everything for him? That’s a lot of guilt to saddle him with.”

  “It’s better than having him think he’s in the way.” Angie regretted the words as soon as they were out. It was too late to change anything now, so why bring it up?

  “So you trade one for the other? Oliver deserves better, Angie.” Her father’s voice softened. “You deserved better. I just didn’t know how to give it to you.”

  “You did the best you could.” She gave herself this answer any time she tried to reconcile the screwed-up things Jack did when she was little with his almost perfect devotion to Oliver.

  “I really did, but you’re better than I ever was.” Jack held her gaze. “Do the right thing for your son.”

  Angie nodded. At this point, she had no idea what the right thing was, but she was having a harder time seeing the harm in a day-trip to an amusement park. It wasn’t Oliver’s fault that Jack had to cancel. She co
uld take him alone, but even that would feel like a punishment at this point.

  “Think we should tell the others they can come back out?” Jack gestured toward the house. Angie hadn’t realized that everyone else had fled the scene, leaving her and Jack to hash it out alone.

  “Not yet.” She finished her bottle of beer. “Tell me why this matters to you so much.”

  “He worries, Angie.” Jack looked more serious than Angie ever remembered. “He wants you to be happy, too.”

  Angie didn’t know what to make of Jack’s assertion. Oliver didn’t look worried to her. Then again, he spent more time with Jack than he did with her. Perhaps the topic of his concern about her was top secret and kept between the two of them.

  “Can’t I just tell him that I am?”

  “It’s not enough. He wants to see it.”

  “Okay.” Against her better judgment, Angie went in search of Luna and Oliver. She might as well tell them the news at the same time.

  Chapter Ten

  Wednesday, September 9

  “I really like this one.” Perez held out yet another manila folder full of sketches and a personal profile. “She studied at the Art Institute and has great definition.” When they moved to their new location, Perez would transition from novice to mentor. She was stressing over the selection process for her first apprentice.

  The file included a head shot of the artist. The photo was irrelevant to her ability as a tattoo artist, but more than half of the applications included one. “And she’s hot,” Luna said. “That doesn’t hurt.”

  “Are you allowed to notice that anymore?”

  Luna closed the file. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “You’re chasing a single mom. She’ll have you on lockdown before you know it.” Perez handed the next file to Luna.

  “I wish.” Luna would gladly follow whatever guidelines Angie decided to set. “But it’s not likely. Angie has more important things to worry about.”

  Perez’s playful tone disappeared. “With so many applications, how do I pick one?”

  “Pick two.”

  “Two?”

  “One for you, one for me.” Luna’s concession was out of character. Normally she’d be agonizing over the candidates along with Perez.

  “Shit.” Perez looked on the verge of panic. “How did you decide? When you selected me.”

  “You don’t remember?” How could Perez possibly forget? When she’d arrived for the interview, Luna had tossed her file in the trash and forced her to sketch image after image in rapid-fire succession. “You were nervous as hell, but you could still create.” Perez’s passion had made her impossible to ignore.

  “You scared the shit out of me.” Perez shuddered, then reached for another file.

  Luna stopped her. “Just set up the interviews. I’ll sit in.”

  “Great.” Perez pushed the stack to the corner of the counter. “Now what?”

  “Now I walk to The Cadillac and meet Angie. If I’m lucky, she’ll let me escort her home.” Luna punched Perez’s arm lightly. “And you get to stay here and close up.” Sometimes being the boss rocked.

  “You nervous?”

  “About?”

  “Saturday,” Perez said.

  Saturday. Oaks Park with Angie and Oliver. “Terrified.” Luna flipped through the appointment book and verified that she had nothing else scheduled that night. She didn’t. On her way out the door she repeated, “Absolutely terrified.”

  *

  “Slow night.” Angie counted out her tips. The diners had been generous, but her earnings were still lighter than usual. “I can’t believe I agreed to take Sunday off to go to an anniversary party for people I don’t even know.” Luna had no idea how much it would cost Angie to miss a day of tips. She battled a sliver of resentment about the request, especially after Luna showed up uninvited Labor Day.

  “I’m sure it’s important to her.” Tori rested her hip against the edge of the counter. She’d finished counting out a few minutes ago and was waiting for Angie.

  “I’m sure paying the mortgage and buying groceries is important to me, too.”

  “Angie, it’s already done. Relax and enjoy it.”

  Angie tucked her money into her front pocket and slipped her jacket around her shoulders. “Are you going?”

  “No, I have to work.”

  Angie punched Tori in the arm, not appreciating her sense of humor.

  “Seriously, Perez didn’t mention it. I assume that means we aren’t going.” Tori shrugged.

  “You guys have been seeing each other a lot.”

  Tori smiled, but her goofy, happy expression told Angie that her mind was a million miles away. “I kinda like her.”

  “Yeah?” Angie was happy for her.

  “Yeah. What about you and Luna?”

  “She’s nice.” Angie thought Luna was more than nice, but she forced the hopeful, yet nagging, voice to quiet down. She wasn’t ready to give it full volume yet.

  Tori held the front door open for Angie. “She likes you.”

  “How can you tell?”

  “Because she’s standing right there.” Tori pointed to Luna, who was leaning against the wall next to the entrance.

  “Hi.” She held out a single rose. “I thought maybe I could walk you home. If you’re talking to me, that is.”

  God, she had the sexiest smile. Angie took the rose and gave Luna a quick kiss. She just couldn’t resist those lips. “Walking is good. Talking is negotiable.”

  “I can accept that.” Luna tucked Angie’s arm into the crook of her elbow. “Since Angie’s not talking, how are you tonight, Tori?”

  “On my way to see Perez. I’m doing just fine, so I can talk to you all the way to the shop.” Tori’s tone added innuendo to a statement that was otherwise benign, which always amazed Angie. “How about you, Luna?”

  Angie eased her hand into Luna’s and interlocked their fingers. She liked the romanticism of being escorted, but craved the texture and intimacy of Luna’s palm against hers.

  “Angie’s holding my hand, so I guess I’m doing rather well.” Luna squeezed it gently.

  The crisp night air chilled Angie and she shivered in her lightweight jacket. Luna pulled her closer, wrapping her arm around her waist. “Cold?” She spoke quietly, her mouth turned toward Angie’s ear.

  “I’ll be okay.”

  Luna didn’t loosen her grip. “Better safe than sorry.”

  “Why are you here?”

  Luna should be at Coraggio getting ready to close the shop, not surprising her after work.

  “I missed you, and I wanted to see you,” Luna said, then kissed Angie’s hand.

  They strolled in silence, holding hands and smiling. When they stopped in front of Coraggio, Tori waved at Perez through the glass.

  “This has been really awkward.” Tori stepped through the door Perez held open for her. “But you guys are freakin’ adorable. You make me want to puke.” The door swished shut behind her.

  “So.” Luna faced Angie. “Want to come in? Or should we continue to your house?” She looked hopeful.

  What would happen if Luna walked her home? She would kiss her good night at the gate and that would be that. If they stayed here, much more would happen. Sweaty, wonderful things.

  But Oliver had school tomorrow morning and he didn’t deserve to have zombie-mom fix his breakfast.

  “I need to get home, but I’m fine. You can stay here.”

  Luna gave her a gentle, nibbling kiss that made Angie rethink her plan about not following Luna up the stairs.

  “I want to go with you.” Luna stepped back, squeezed Angie’s hand again, then started toward Angie’s house.

  Angie enjoyed the companionable quiet. It was enough to simply hold Luna’s hand and be near her. She appreciated that Luna didn’t try to fill the silence with forced banter.

  The front porch light lit the path from the sidewalk to the door. Angie tried to tell Luna good-bye at the gate, bu
t couldn’t force the words. She tried again when they reached the porch, but couldn’t bring herself to drop Luna’s hand. It simply felt too good meshed with hers.

  “Coffee?” The invitation surprised Angie. This time of night she had to be careful. Caffeine wound her up rather than helped her unwind. Still, she wanted Luna to say yes.

  “You sure that’s okay?” Luna ran her fingers up Angie’s arms and settled her hands at the base of Angie’s neck, toying with the hair that had fallen out of the sloppy bun on the back of her head. “I should go and let you get some sleep.”

  Luna loosened the clips and finger-combed Angie’s hair as it fell around her shoulders. It felt divine. Angie groaned and let her head fall against Luna’s shoulder. When she spoke, her voice was muffled. “Come inside.”

  This was a bad idea, but Angie didn’t want Luna to stop her massage, which had moved to her neck and shoulders. She was kneading tight circles into the tension-filled muscles at the base of Angie’s neck.

  “God, you’re tight,” Luna whispered in Angie’s ear. Angie wasn’t sure what Luna was referring to.

  Luna watched Angie fumble to unlock the door. The screen door squeaked, the deadbolt stuck, and Angie’s ears flared pink. She was adorable. Luna molded her front to Angie’s back, and the pleasure of being so close made her unable to resist touching her lips to the top of Angie’s ear.

  “Let me.” Luna placed her hand over Angie’s and helped her turn the key. Luna actually wanted to push Angie against the door and tear off her clothes. The thought of Angie trembling in the muted porch light, moaning Luna’s name, threatened to destroy Luna’s resolve. Angie might like it in the moment, but as soon as the afterglow faded, she’d be spitting mad. Luna wanted to be invited back to Angie’s home, so she held herself in check.

  Angie drew in a shuddering breath. It was good to know that she was affected, too. Now if she could just get Angie to admit it.

  After Luna opened the door and waited for Angie to enter, Angie pushed her body back into Luna’s and Luna wrapped her arms around Angie’s stomach. They stood breathing each other in for several moments until finally Angie broke away.

  “We should go inside.”