Tattoos & Unicorns

by Kayla Carson

  “And... he loves you too?”

  “He says he does.”

  “And... you believe him?”

  “Yes.” I said, with annoyance. “I know what you're thinking, but he isn't like that. He wouldn't just lie about something like this. He couldn't.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “There are things you don't know about him. Things that he's shared with me, and it doesn't matter what you think really. It only matters what we think.”

  “OK.” She said, shrugging her shoulders.

  “OK?” I asked, as I turned onto the road our boutique was on.

  “This is me trying, Ronnie. And I trust your judgment.”

  I didn't know what to say. I was honestly speechless. Saying that you were willing to change, and actually doing it were two different things. So seeing this side of my best friend was like stepping into the twilight zone. It was definitely going to take some getting used to, but I know that I definitely could.

  “Oh! There it is!” Morgan said excitedly, pointing out her window to the right. “I can't wait for you to come inside!”

  As I pulled into the parking lot I couldn't help but admire the building. It was brick, but it had been painted white so that little flecks of red shone through beneath it. Our sign was already hung on the building front and center. It was written in rose gold cursive writing, and below it was a beautiful large oak wood door. The aesthetic was nothing like I imagined Morgan choosing, and after putting the truck into park I told her so.

  “I chose something that we would both like.” She said, with a smile.

  “I was expecting something modern, and over the top.” I admitted.

  “I wanted it to feel like we'd brought a bit of Raleigh with us. I think we'll stand out more this way. It's unexpected for the city.”

  “Which one of us is the marketing graduate again?” I asked.

  She laughed. “Come on, let's go inside!”

  When we walked through the entrance and into the boutique, my breath was literally taken away. The walls were lined in ship-lap, and the ceilings were vaulted. Everything was white, and the ceiling fans were matte black in contrast. The cashier's counter was installed, and the fitting rooms were awaiting their doors.

  “I can't believe how beautiful it looks.” I said, as my voice echoed off the walls.

  “I can't believe they've gotten so much done on such short notice. When daddy asked them to move the time line up, I'll admit I was worried.”

  “We still have nearly two months before the opening.” I said, running my hand over the smooth quartz of the counter top.

  “More like two weeks.” Morgan corrected, with caution.

  I turned to face her with question. “Explain.”

  “Since we're here already, daddy thought it would be best to get things up and running as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more we're paying on rent for the building, and it's eating into our potential profit.”

  “I understand how a business works Morgan.” I said with annoyance. “What I don't understand is how we'll be ready to open in two weeks. Your designs haven't even been finished yet! What do you plan on selling here?”

  “That's why I had them out sourced.” A man's voice boomed from behind me, causing me to turn towards it.

  “Mister Astor?” I asked with confusion.

  “It's a pleasure to see you again, Veronica.” He said, as he took a few purposeful steps towards us. “Morgan.” He said, with a slight nod in greeting.

  “I wasn't expecting you today, daddy.” She said, with a small smile. “Is everything alright?”

  “I just stopped by to check on the progress. How was the apartment? To your liking?”

  “It's perfect, daddy.” She gushed. “Thank you.”

  “Of course.” He said, before focusing all of his attention on me. “I'd like for you, and Derek to join Morgan and I for dinner tonight.”

  “Oh! Um... Derek, and I aren't together anymore.”

  “Really? I just spoke with him yesterday, and he assured me that you'd worked things out.”

  “Ronnie's got a new boyfriend, daddy.” Morgan chimed in; in an attempt to save me.

  “Like mother like daughter.” He scoffed, before reaching into his pocket and handing Morgan a business card. “Call this number, they'll be supplying the rest of the furnishings for the building. I've already taken care of the payment.”

  “Thank you.” She said, tucking it safely into her purse.

  With a final nod, he turned on his heel and made his way out of the building. Jeremy Astor was a hard, unemotional, man. He tossed money at all of his problems, including his daughter. I had only been in his presence a handful of times, but it was enough to know that he wasn't someone to mess with. Without his help, we wouldn't be standing here now in this building, but his help came at a cost. Looking at my best friend right now, I realized that she was it.

  “Hey.” I said, reaching for her hand. “At least you weren't the one he called a whore.”

  She fell into a fit of laughter then, and I pulled her into my arms to give her a hug. Soon, her laughter turned into tears, and I held her a little tighter. I was the only one who knew the strain of their relationship. The only one who has seen first hand the damage that; that man can do. I rubbed her back, until her sobs began to dissipate and she eventually pulled away from me.

  “Thanks.” She said, sheepishly.

  “Any time.” I winked. “Now, let's call the furniture people and see what we can do.”

  By using Mister Astor's name, the company sent someone over almost instantly. We only waited for about twenty minutes, and a design team showed up with books, swatches, and color pallets. We both agreed that we loved the white and black contrast, so we chose black hardware for the dressing room doors, and black accents around the register counter.

  We opted for a circular cushioned bench to place in the center of the room, with a rose gold fabric covering. Matching chairs were chosen for the dressing area, and the mirrors were large, and ornate with rose gold trim. We kept the curtains light, and airy, and had custom throw cushions made for the center bench.

  It was Morgan's idea to have benches behind the register, so we chose wrought iron. The contrasts between the soft, hard, black, and white were absolutely stunning, and a few hours later we had every element of design taken care of including the clothing racks.

  The jewelry stands, and mannequin busts had been ordered, and all that was left to do was wait. Most of the items would be delivered by the end of the week, and I couldn't wait to see the end result. Knowing that the clothing would be here around the same time took a big weight from my shoulders.

  I had no idea that Mister Astor was going to push for so much so fast, but it seemed like everything was working out for the best. Suddenly all the worries that had been plaguing me didn't seem so serious. Things were finally falling into place, and I wasn't going to jinx it by kicking a gift horse in the mouth.

  Since we spent the entirety of our day at the boutique, the two of us stopped to grab dinner on the way home. We thought about going into a restaurant, but the convenience of a drive through won out in the end. Burgers, fries, and milkshakes, which we ate on the drive back home because we couldn't wait another second.

  I had never scarfed something down so fast, but I also hadn't eaten anything today. By the time we made it back to our place, my stomach was protesting the greasy burger but at least I wasn't hungry anymore. As I got closer to our parking space, I noticed a man standing beside a motorcycle in the space beside it.

  I squinted my eyes, smiling when I realized that it was Owen. After shutting the ignition off, I climbed out to greet him with a kiss.

  “Miss me?” He asked, as he ran his hands over my back.

  “Maybe.” I teased. “New bike?”

  “Old bike. Hard to believe but it was right where I left it. In the back of my dad's garage covered with a tarp. I thought for sure he'd have sold it.”
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br />   “I'll meet you upstairs.” Morgan said, giving us a little wave before heading towards the building.

  “How was your day?” He asked.

  “Surprisingly well.” I answered. “What about you? How's your dad?”

  “Exactly as I remember.” He sighed. “He says he has some news to share with me tomorrow about the business.”

  “Good news, or bad news?”

  “I have a feeling it's the latter. Do uh- do you think you'd want to come with me tomorrow?”

  “Of course I will.” I said, reaching up to touch his face. “Whatever you need.”

  “I think I need you, Unicorn.”

  “Do you want to come up?”

  “I was hoping you'd rather go for a ride?”

  My face lit up, and he leaned down to kiss my smile away.

  “Let me just text Morgan.”

  He helped me strap my helmet on, before climbing onto the bike. I got on behind him, and laced my fingers around his waist. I wasn't afraid of holding on this time. In fact I was looking forward to experiencing the same freedom I had the first time he took me on his bike. When the engine roared to life, I could feel the butterflies start to dance in my stomach. And when we pulled out onto the road I let my body melt against his.

  If you had asked me six months ago if I thought I'd be getting tattoos, and riding on the back of a motorcycle I probably would have called you crazy. It's funny how quickly life can change. With just a blink of an eye my entire world changed. I used to be afraid of it. But now I was embracing it. Whatever life had to throw at me, I could handle it now. I was ready.

  Once we pulled out onto the highway, Owen opened the throttle. I glanced around him watching the speedometer as we passed fifty, sixty, and then seventy miles per hour. I closed my eyes, and just like before the whole world fell away. It was just the two of us on the open road, ready to start another adventure together.

  EIGHTEEN

  THE FOLLOWING MORNING, I woke to an empty bed. I ran my hand over the sheets and smiled, thinking about our drive last night. Owen, and I stayed out for most of the evening getting back to the apartment just after midnight. I stretched out across the bed, rolling onto my back. I could hear the faint sound of laughter coming from the kitchen, and I arched my brow curiously.

  I made quick work of brushing my teeth, and finger combing my hair before heading out to investigate. When I rounded the corner I saw Morgan, and Owen making breakfast. He was laughing as she attempted to flip what appeared to be a pancake, but I couldn't be sure. If I was being honest It looked more like a blob of goop.

  “What's all this?” I asked, as I adjusted my robe over my chest.

  “It was supposed to be breakfast in bed.” Owen said, as he came to meet me.

  He pulled me into his arms then, and gave me a soft sweet kiss. Morgan pretended to gag, and I laughed making our teeth clink together.

  “Ouch.” He laughed, as he pulled away from me.

  “I wanted to do something nice for you, but apparently I can't cook.” Morgan sighed, as she set the spatula down onto the counter.

  “Didn't you know that already?” I teased, as I came to stand beside her.

  I glanced down at the pile of discarded 'pancakes' on the plate in front of her, and had to bite the inside of my cheek to hold back my laughter.

  “Go ahead.” She said, sadly. “I know you want to laugh.”

  “No.” I said, with a hint of humor. “It's the thought that counts, right?”

  Owen began to rummage through the fridge then. He grabbed the carton of eggs out, and then a few pieces of cheese. He opened one cupboard after another finding what he needed, and placed all of his ingredients on the counter. Morgan, and I just watched as he searched for the rest of his supplies, and when he seemed to have everything he needed he instructed us to take showers. I didn't even bother trying to argue. Besides I was always hungry in the morning, and I wasn't one to turn down food.

  I was meeting Owen's dad today, and I was beyond nervous. I wanted to make a good impression so I chose a black, belted, high waist-ed pencil skirt that hit just above the knee. I paired it with a white, off the shoulder, fitted scoop neck tee that I tucked in. I opted for a pair of black heels, and tied my hair up into a messy yet sophisticated up-do.

  When I came click clacking my heels around the corner half an hour later, Owen's eyes immediately started to scan my body. He raised his brows suggestively as I approached him, and I couldn't help but blush.

  “Damn, Unicorn. If this is business casual, I think I could get used to dating a business woman.”

  “Is it too much?” I asked, sheepishly.

  “Not at all.” He winked. “My dad will appreciate the gesture I'm sure.”

  Morgan came out of her room then, wearing something eerily similar. Only her skirt was a mini with a slit up the side, and her heels were at least an inch taller.

  “Great minds think alike.” She said, as she took a seat at the table.

  Owen quickly pulled a chair out, and motioned for me to join her. I thanked him as I took my seat, and a few seconds later he was bringing plates over for each of us before going back to grab his own. Scrambled eggs with cheese, onions, and mushrooms filled our plates and it smelled amazing. He'd even added toast, and coffee as a bonus.

  “This looks delicious.” I said, before taking a sip from my mug.

  “It tastes even better.” Morgan said, around a mouthful of food.

  Owen chuckled, focusing his attention on me.

  “I really appreciate you coming with me today.”

  “I'm happy to.”

  “Looks like you'll have to do the driving.” He winked.

  “I can just follow you?”

  “You don't want me coming back tonight?” He teased.

  “Oh! I guess I hadn't thought about it.” I laughed.

  “Liar.” Morgan said, before lifting her mug to take a drink. “I'm pretty sure getting your hot new boyfriend naked is all you think about.”

  I nearly choked on my coffee, and Owen chuckled as he shook his head. She wasn't wrong. Of course I thought about him more than I should. The man is nearly perfect. Would she rather I wasn't interested at all?

  By carefully avoiding her statement I managed to finish my coffee, and my breakfast. The fact that I was able to keep both down, was a miracle in itself. Owen didn't tell me much about his father's condition, and all that I really knew was that he was dying. I got the impression early on, that it wasn't something he liked to talk about, so I didn't push him.

  It took him time to tell me about Abigail, and I knew that when he was ready he'd tell me more about his father as well. I just wish I had a little more to go on so that I could properly prepare myself for what I'd be walking into.

  I handed Owen the keys to the truck, and together the two of us made our way down to the elevator. His arm was wrapped around me with his hand resting on my waist, and when we walked through the lobby I felt him pull me a little closer. I knew that my living in the same building as Derek was going to be hard, but I hadn't thought about how Owen felt about it.

  When we reached the truck, I climbed into the passenger seat and fastened my seat-belt.

  “You sure you want to let me drive, Unicorn?”

  “I'm tired of driving.” I admitted. “Besides, my heels will probably get stuck in the floor mats.”

  He reached for my hand, and gave it a soft squeeze then.

  “Don't be nervous, alright? My dad's pretty harmless. Unless you're me.”

  “Do you have any idea what he wants to talk to you about?”

  “Not the slightest.”

  He focused all of his attention on the road, and I could practically see the wheels turning in his head. His mind was racing a million miles a minute, and instead of worrying about himself he was trying to keep me calm.

  We drove for about thirty minutes, before we reached his father's house. I don't think it's ever been described as a house though. An estate maybe,
but never a house. From the looks of it; it had at least two stories, and it was the size of a football field. Owen mentioned that his dad had money, but I was thinking of something a little more modest than this.

  He parked the truck in the driveway next to a small black car with dealer plates.

  “Is that a rental car?” I asked, hiking my thumb in the direction of the car beside us.

  “Could be? Maybe dad's lawyer's car is in the shop.” He shrugged, before tucking the keys into his pocket. After a quick adjustment of my skirt, and bag on my shoulder I climbed out of the truck. I took a deep calming breath, and Owen came to stand beside me just as I'd exhaled. He took my hand in his once again.

  “Come on, Unicorn. He's going to love you.”

  “How can you be so sure?” I asked.

  “Because I do.” He winked.

  I shook my head trying to hide my smile, and then he gave me a little tug. This was it. I walked beside him, my hand beginning to sweat, and my heart beginning to race. When we reached the door he knocked three times, and a woman in a cleaning uniform came to answer it. She greeted us with a warm smile before ushering us inside.

  My eyes grew wide as I took in the space around us. White marble floors, and fifteen foot ceilings. Art pieces lined the walls, and there was even a sculpture at the bottom of the staircase. A staircase that sat in the center of the room, and went up before branching off in two separate directions. It was like something out of an old movie. I wondered if a butler would show up next to ask for our jackets.

  “Don't let it intimidate you.” Owen whispered in my ear.

  “Easy for you to say.” I whispered back.

  “Just be yourself, Ronnie.” He assured me.

  I nodded, and with his hand on the small of my back he led me around the large staircase to a room just behind it. The door was ajar, only a few inches but I could hear voices on the other side of it. Owen knocked twice, before slowly pressing it open to announce himself. I smiled, ready to greet his dad, but instead found myself staring directly into the eyes of my cheating ex fiance.

  Owen looked from his dad, to Derek, and then to me. I had no explanations for what we were seeing right now. All I could do is convey that to him with a look of confusion. This made absolutely no sense to me, and I was just about to open my mouth to say so, when a frail man sitting behind a large oak desk caught my attention by clearing his throat.