Page 19 of Reclaiming Adelaide

“No.” I shook my head. “He didn’t tell me.”Not that I asked.

“He did it for you.”

I snorted and rolled my eyes. “He might be gettingthatremoved.” The thought pained me.

“Have a seat.” She pointed to the chair Jake had occupied when we were here. “Why don’t you tell me why you’re really here?”

I rolled my lips and wrung my hands together in my lap. “I wanted to match his tattoo, but with a twist.”

A smile slipped across her lips. “So you want a queen of hearts?” Janelle rolled her chair closer to me and grabbed my left hand. “In the same place?”

I nodded.

If I couldn’t have Jake, I’d have a tattoo to remind me of him—to remind me to never let my fear take away my happiness.

“I’ve got time. Want to do it now?”

“I’d love that, thank you. I have to leave town, and I wanted someone who understood the style.”

“Sure. Give me a few to print the image.”

“You have it ready?”

She smiled, and it wrinkled the corners of her eyes. “Jake thought you’d get one eventually, so he paid for it in advance, and I made the stencil.”

“He…” I stuttered. “He did?” I lowered my gaze to the ground, and she patted my hand.

“I’ll be right back.”

I nodded and rubbed my eyes, trying with all my might not to let the tears fall, but it didn’t work. They dripped down my face, landing on my pants with a splash.

“Here you go.” Janelle thrust a box of tissues in my direction.

“Thanks.”

I wiped my eyes and put my hand in hers, allowing her to manipulate it around and side-to-side.

“How does this look?”

The bluish outline with a large Q and a heart below with a small crown tipped on the right swell of the heart stained my finger. “I love it.”

“It’s going to hurt, you know?”

“That’s okay.”

“You ready?”

I nodded, wiped my eyes, and laid my head on the cushioned bed.

The buzzing noise, accompanied by a sharp pinch, had me flinching from her grasp.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I nodded, swallowing down the pain.

“Are you going somewhere?”

I glanced up at her and caught her gaze flitting back up from my bag.

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