“Most of the books are shelved. My windows are done.” She looked around at the nearly finished shop. “Help me set up the tables for the opening?”
He smiled. “Anything for you, Buttons.”
“You really need to stop.”
“Never.”
It was the night before the opening. Everything was set up. Tayla, Daisy, Emmie, Ox, Ethan, and Spider were gathered in the lounge, sharing the bottle of bourbon Ox had opened from his grandpa’s stash.
Spider nodded at the first taste. “This is nice, man.” He held up his glass. “To Emmie and Ox. To INK. Mountains of success, you two. Seriously. You guys have worked your asses off.”
Everyone raised their glass. “To INK.”
Emmie raised her glass again and looked at Ox. “To new friends and old ones.”
Ox nodded. “To friends.”
They all drank and wandered around, Tayla fussing with the decorations for the next day’s grand opening while Ethan showed Daisy the refinished woodwork. Ox, Emmie, and Spider gathered around his chair.
“This is nice, man.” Spider ran a hand along the old leather. “Did you get this from Brewster’s?”
Ox nodded. “Mr. Brewster and my pop were buddies and I know his son. He had it stored in their barn, but they didn’t know what to do with it. No new barber shops opening in town, you know?”
“Give it time,” Spider said. “Guys like us don’t use the fancy barber, but look at Ethan.”
Emmie snickered. “Ethan spends more on his hair than I do.”
Ox tugged her braid. “Your hair is perfect. You don’t need to do anything fancy to it.”
She tried to ignore the rush of pleasure and Spider’s curious expression.
What you up to, Mimi? his eyebrow said.
None of your business, her eyes answered.
“So!” Emmie patted Ox’s chair. “Who’s your first appointment?”
“You.” Ox put his bourbon down on the counter. “Sit.”
“What?”
Spider nodded. “Good call.”
“I just finished getting ink less than a week ago.” She held up her hand. “I’m done for a while.”
“Come on,” Ox said. “Something small.”
Spider said, “You don’t want the first tattoo in a new place to be a stranger. Good luck for it to be a friend.”
She crossed her arms and glared at Spider. “You told me you were the only one allowed to tattoo me from now on.”
“I’ll make an exception for your partner. I trust Ox.” Spider locked eyes with the bigger man. “Conditionally.”
Ox smiled a little. “Understood.” He slapped the back of the chair. “Sit, Buttons. You got me hooked on sci-fi. I’m giving you ink. My treat.”
“Ox—”
“The first tattoo in my own place,” he said quietly. “I don’t want to share this with everyone. Just friends.”
“Okay,” she said, trying to ignore the flutter in her belly. “But I have no idea what to get.”
Ox reached for her wrist. “Something small. Something you can see.” He ran his thumb over her wrist. “Here?”
Emmie had been thinking about a wrist tattoo. “That sounds good.”
Spider stood back while Emmie sat in Ox’s chair. He pulled out a pen and held her wrist in his hand. “I work in black and grey.”
“That’s fine.”
“Okay, let me…” He bent over her wrist and drew on Emmie’s skin, the angle hiding his pen from her eyes.
After a few minutes, he lifted his pen and showed Emmie what he’d drawn. It was a single book lying open. Above the book, in an outline mirroring the curve of the pages, was a set of wings. It was as if a bird had lifted from the page and taken flight into the distance.
“Wow.” It was bigger than she’d expected, but it was perfect. Totally perfect.
“You like it?”
“I like it.”
Spider looked over her shoulder. “That’ll look nice on your wrist. Good size.”
Ox ignored Spider and locked eyes with her. “Is this it?”
Emmie nodded. “I want it.”
“Cool.” He smiled and grabbed a piece of paper, quickly copying the book and the bird, adding shading and dimension until the small drawing looked like it would leap off the page.
The stencil was printed and placed. She nodded and watched Ox’s face as he started his gun.
Emmie hissed when the needle touched her skin, but she remained perfectly still, her left arm resting on the warm leather of the chair as Ox worked in silence. The wrist wasn’t as painful as the spine. She could deal.
Their friends had gathered in the lounge, Tayla switching the music from rock to an oldies station. Spider pulled Daisy into a slow dance as the sound of Ritchie Valens singing “Donna” filled the shop and Ethan opened a growler of beer.
Ox lifted his needle and wiped away the blood and ink staining her skin. “This is it,” he said, catching her eye. “This is the beginning.”
“Excited or scared?”
“Since I’m not an idiot, a little of both.” He glanced up. “Thanks, Emmie.”
She smiled. “For what? I’m the one getting a free tattoo.”
He bent over her wrist again, working the needle over the delicate skin. “Thanks for dreaming big enough for both of us.”
Her heart pounded hard. “And thanks for having my back.”
Ox lifted his head and locked his eyes with hers. “Always.”
Chapter Fifteen
Emmie faced herself in the mirror.
First day.
Grand reopening.
“You can do this.” She heard Tayla walking down the short hall of the apartment. Emmie opened the door and hooked her best friend around the waist.
“Oh hi!” Tayla laughed. “Nervous a little?”
“Stop.” Emmie enveloped her in a hug. “I will never be able to thank you enough for doing this. You completely uprooted your life, quit your job, and have been working your ass off for a shop that’s not even yours.”
“I like to think the office is mine though. You’re total crap at filing and inventory.”
“I’m trying to be grateful. Cut the sarcasm.”
Tayla hugged her back. “I’m having a blast, Em. Seriously.”
“I know you miss good sushi.”
She shrugged. “The Japanese cuisine in town could definitely use some improving, but the Thai restaurant won me over.” She patted Emmie’s back. “Seriously, this has been good for me too.”
Emmie took a deep breath and released Tayla from her stranglehold. “Okay.”
Tayla put her hands on Emmie’s shoulders. “I love seeing you so happy. And despite your anxiety about coming back here, you are happy. You’re still the professional you were up in the city, but you’ve relaxed. And you needed to relax. You’re… God, it sounds so cheesy, but you’re really blooming here.”
Emmie stared at Tayla. “That does sound cheesy.”
“I know. I warned you.”
“We haven’t had coffee yet. I’ll excuse you on those grounds alone.”
“Fine.” Tayla walked to the kitchen. “Coffee here or downstairs?”
“Downstairs. Ox will be here soon, and he’ll want some too.”
Tayla bumped Emmie’s hip as she walked by. “You’re so thoughtful about your partner.”
“Stop.”
“Heya, partner, want some coffee? How about I grab lunch? Oh thank you, Ox! You’re such a good partner.”
“Shut it.” Emmie stepped into the knee-high boots Tayla had convinced her to buy. “We work together. That’s all it is. We’re just friends too. Isn’t that a good thing?”
Tayla leaned against the counter. “You will never convince me that Miles Oxford would not be hitting that daily—maybe hourly on weekends—if he had not made that stupid pledge about never sleeping with you. Don’t lie. You have to have noticed.”
Her cheeks burned. “Nope. You’re imagining things
.”
“Come on! There’s all these little sizzle-sparks between you guys.” Tayla’s fingers danced in the air. “The longing looks. The flirty glances. The late nights talking about books that you pick out for him? I mean… did you see the way he was staring at you last night?”
“He was giving me a tattoo,” Emmie hissed. “Of course he was staring at me. He was staring at my wrist.”
“Nope.” Tayla twirled into the cardigan that matched her polka-dot dress. “He was giving you the sexy-eyes all night. Know why he’s always Mr. Considerate about getting you a coffee or grabbing lunch?”
Emmie wound a thin scarf around her neck. “Because his shop is ready and he doesn’t have as much to do and he’s simply a nice person?”
“Because he watches you constantly,” Tayla said. “Because he luuuuu—”
Emmie slapped a hand over Tayla’s mouth. “Stop. Seriously, stop.”
Tayla pried her hand away. “You have feelings for him.”
“I am… very attracted to him. You know that. But that’s a stupid reason to complicate things when we’re just getting started with a business. He laid down the rules at the beginning for a good reason. We need to be able to work together, and dating would just complicate that, and honestly I am so not his type.”
“You are blind,” Tayla said. “But sure. Okay. You’re going to let the simmering tension simmer for a little while longer. All the best romances have to bubble under the surface for a while. At least admit you also see how much he’s also attracted to you. Do not sell yourself short.”
“I’m not selling myself short, I just don’t think I’m his type. But I’m other people’s type and I’m fine with that. Adrian Saroyan asked me out, didn’t he?”
Tayla rolled her eyes. “He’s boring. Why did you say yes?”
“Because…” I had a huge crush on him in high school and I was flattered. Okay, that sounded kind of sad. “Adrian is a very nice guy. He’s smart, and he was very sweet. And he’s reading Jane Austen for me.”
“Ox has probably already read Jane Austen.”
“Required reading in high school doesn’t count.”
“So Ox is reading something else that he likes more than regency romance! But at least he’s not doing it to get in your pants.”
“Adrian’s not reading Jane Austen to get in my pants.”
Tayla blinked. “That is exactly why he’s doing it. I’m not saying it’s not a good move. I’m just saying it’s not…”
Emmie crossed her arms. “Oh, do tell, woman who is suddenly interested in comics and tabletop games and has to wander down to Jeremy’s shop on the regular.”
Tayla grinned. “Like I said, it’s not a bad move.”
Emmie grabbed the long-sleeved kimono that Tayla had bought for her. It matched the scarf and the deep purple in her My Weekend Is Booked T-shirt. She quickly braided her hair over her shoulder and slicked on some lip gloss.
“Okay,” she said. “Downstairs. Coffee. Customers.”
Tayla had her business face back on. “What time is Ox coming in?”
“Today he said he’ll be in early, but normally his shop won’t open until noon.”
“Cool.” Tayla stood behind her and rested her chin on Emmie’s shoulder. “This is going to be amazing.”
“I am scared shitless.”
“It’s going to be great. You know books. You know how to sell the right book to the right person. You’re like a book yenta. The ultimate matchmaker. And now you’re using your superpower for good.”
“You’re ridiculous and I love you.”
“I love you too.” Tayla smiled. “And you’re ready.”
The grand reopening of the bookshop started with… a fizzle. As Tayla pointed out, it was ten in the morning on a Friday. Their first real customer came in at ten thirty and stayed to chat. Cornelia was one of her grandmother’s old customers who’d responded to the mailing-list invitation. She picked up a new Elizabeth George mystery while also grabbing a few used historical romances “for a friend.”
She was sweet and darling even as her eyes went wide when she saw Ox sitting in his chair drinking a coffee and reading Popular Mechanics.
“Ma’am,” Ox said with a nod. “Thanks for stopping by.”
“Oh my,” Cornelia said quietly. “That’s different.”
Emmie smiled big. “It’s a new part of the shop. But Ox will have tattoo appointments in the afternoons, so the bookstore will still be quiet in the mornings.”
Cornelia patted Emmie’s arm. “Betsy did like a handsome sailor in her day.”
Tayla waited until Cornelia was well out the door before she burst into laughter. “Go, Betsy!”
Ox was chuckling in the corner. “I second that. Go, Betsy.”
Emmie couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up. “Yeah, she’s not lying. Grandma did like a man in uniform.”
“Your family is so much more fun than mine,” Tayla said. “Ox, how about you? Does your mom like a man in uniform?”
He shook his head. “Not going there. My dad split when I was a baby. As far as know, my mom is a nun and I don’t want to know different. It’s bad enough I know about my sister’s dating life.”
“What happened to Abby’s dad?”
“Tayla.” Emmie shook her head.
“It’s fine,” Ox said. “Car accident about five years ago. It was shit. Calvin was awesome, and Abby hardly remembers him.”
“I am so sorry.”
Ox shrugged and went back to reading his magazine.
His mom, Joan Oxford, had been an open book when she’d stopped by the shop the other day. Emmie had heard most of the family history before Ox returned with sandwiches. It had added a lot of depth to the still waters that were Miles Oxford. The depth of responsibility and love for his family made sense when Emmie realized he was the sole man in the house since his brother-in-law had died.
“Anyway,” Emmie said. “Kind of cool that Cornelia was the first one to come by. She and my grandma were friends for a long time. She seemed happy, right?”
Tayla nodded from behind the counter. “Four books. Nothing wrong with that. And she signed up for the email list.”
“Cool.” Emmie wandered over to Ox. “You don’t have to stay if you don’t want. Clearly it’s not going to be a stampede.”
He looked up and gave her an easy smile. “No worries.”
The rest of the day passed a little more quickly. After lunch more customers trickled in along with Ox’s first clients. Soon the buzz of the tattoo needle was joined by the hiss and bubble of the coffee maker and the chatter of book people. One o’clock swiftly turned to six o’clock, and they were hustling people out the door for an hour so they could prepare the shop for the official grand-opening night.
“I got the beer,” Ethan called as he walked in the 7th Avenue door. “Hey, Ox.”
Tayla stopped in her tracks. “Are you wearing that?”
Ethan looked down at his jeans and plaid shirt. “Yeah.”
Tayla made a small strangled noise in her throat.
“What’s wrong with this?” he asked.
“Dude,” Ox said. “The girls are dressing up and shit.”
“What are you wearing?”
“I have a black button-down in my truck. Black jeans. Black button-down. That’s all you need.”
Ethan sighed. “Let me bring the beer in and I’ll go grab a clean shirt.” He looked at Tayla. “Just remember, this is Metlin, not San Francisco. People are going to show up in jeans and plaid.”
Tayla smiled. “And if they’re customers, that’s totally fine.”
Ethan grumbled, but he walked out to grab the beer just as Daisy thumped on the Main Street door with her foot. She was carrying a huge tray of cookies. Emmie jumped to open the door as Ox cleared a space on the table nearest his counter. Emmie had already set out trays of crackers and cheese along with some cut fruit and other finger food. The lounge was quickly being turned into a reception space,
and Emmie could only hope people would show up.
She fussed with napkins and paper plates until Tayla shoved her toward the stairs.
“Go get dressed.” Tayla was already in a fitted grey dress with a wide pink belt. Her hair was pinned up and her lips matched her belt. She was wearing pink polka-dot heels and looked amazing.
Emmie stared at her, feeling helplessly unfashionable. “Should I wear a dress? I have a couple of dresses.”
“Absolutely not,” Tayla said. “Not until I take care of your little black dress situation. I laid out your outfit on your bed. Hair up. Show off the beautiful art on your back. And please put at least a little makeup on?”
Emmie nodded. When it came to following fashion orders, she could do that. Then again, thinking about the completely backless shirt Tayla had laid out made Emmie feel like running and hiding.
She glanced at Ox, who was helping Ethan with the kegs from Metlin Brewing Company.
“Trust me. Everyone will want to touch.”
That thought made her shudder. Maybe the backless shirt was a bad idea. She didn’t want anyone touching her but Ox.
Not Adrian?
He was coming to the party and claimed he was almost done with Sense and Sensibility, which meant she was going to have to go out with him soon.
Wait, have to go out with him?
Emmie fled to her apartment before she could make herself any crazier. She’d wear the backless shirt and ask Ox to stay behind her for the entire evening. No one was going to touch her if he glared at them. Of course, glaring at customers was probably the opposite of what they needed to do. She was supposed to be selling books and trying to sign people up for the book clubs and promotional events Tayla and she had brainstormed. Ox was supposed to be booking appointments and showing off his previous clients who’d promised to come.
So many people. So. Many. People.
Emmie shut the door to her bedroom and wondered if she could hide from her own grand opening.
Chapter Sixteen
Ox saw her disappear upstairs, tried not to think about her coming back downstairs in a shirt that would show off her entire back. He was jealous of people seeing her ink, which was ridiculous. That thought led to him thinking about inking her wrist the other night, which led him to imagine his needle in other places. Other places where he was the only one allowed to see.
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