Page 22 of Love Finds Home

Chapter 8

Ranger

Three days.

I’ve managed to stay away from her for three whole days. That’s gotta be a record for someone staying away from a girl like her, right? So here I am, in the shop early because I just need to see her. I need to make sure she’s okay. That she’s, you know, breathing because I haven’t seen her. It’s what her brother would want, right?

But that feeling in my gut, the one that tells me to be nice to her, shrivels up and disappears when I get to the top of the stairs and I hear her voice through the phone.

“I love you, J. Miss you.”

I hear a man’s deep voice respond, and I want to rage. Three days after I fucked her against a wall and she’s telling another man that she loves him? What the fuck? Who does that?

Elle. Obviously.

I have to get out of here. Now. Before I do something stupid like break down the fucking door and demand she tell me who the hell she’s talking to. Turning, I stomp back down the stairs and into the shop. I know I need to calm down, but I don’t know how.

I look up at the sound of a cough. Barbie’s standing there, her arms crossed, staring at me. But she doesn’t have the ‘you alright, boss?’ look on her face. No, this is the ‘what the fuck did you do to my girl?’ face.

“I don’t know what just happened, and I don’t really care. I’m calling to cancel your appointment and you need to get out of here,” she tells me with absolutely no room for argument in her voice.

“I don’t know who you think you’re talking to—”

“I’m talking to my boss and one of my best friends. And I’m letting you keep your mouth shut, but I won’t let you put your love of ink on the line because some pussy has you all up in your head,” she cuts me off.

“I’m fine,” I try.

“Bullshit.”

“I said I’m fine. Drop it.”

“If you’re fine, I have some oceanfront property in Oklahoma to sell you.”

“Really? Not Arizona?” I smirk, feeling my heart returning to normal. This is us, the banter, the giving each other shit. “Never been to Oklahoma. Are the beaches good?”

“What the hell is going on between you two?” Barbie asks, sitting in my chair, crossing her hands over her stomach. The look she’s giving me now is one of concern and worry.

“Nothing.”

“Nothing’s going on or you don’t wanna talk about it?”

I clean my area as gently as I can, partially in the hopes Barbie doesn’t kick me out of my own shop today. I also avoid lookingher in the eyes. Woman can read me better than just about anyone other than Joker.

“Well, at least you don’t look like you want to kill someone now.”

She slides off the chair and leaves my booth, returning to the front of the shop. Alone with my thoughts, I use the calming technique I learned from the mandated shrink the Army made me see after the accident when I kept having panic attacks. Deep breathing, empty mind, finger tapping to pull my focus. I try all of it, and I’m still only marginally back to myself when my client shows up.

And I’ll have you know that her dagger looked fucking fantastic when I finished. No unnecessary blood to be found.

After a sleepless night, I'm back in the shop wondering who Elle's'I love you, J'mystery man is. Driving myself crazy with it, actually. When I hear a motor outside that is definitely bigger than a car and not as sexy as a bike, I walk to the back door of the shop and look out the window to see an oversized work van. The driver’s side door opens and a man, who I can grudgingly admit is good looking, slides out from behind the wheel. I open the door to the shop when I see Elle bounding down the back stairs of the studio and jump right into the arms of this six foot Adonis with dark hair and skin.

“Oh, my God! I’m so glad you’re here!” Elle exclaims, jumping up and down on her toes when he puts her down.

“I did tell you I’d be here,” he replies.

“I didn’t think you’d be here so quickly!”

“You really think I called to find out what you wanted without having half of it already packed up?”

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