Page 52 of Under the Ink

“Oh, I know. I know the Harrimans.”

Sometimes Sage forgot Johnny had lived in Winchester as a kid too—which was why the man had eventually bought a huge home in the mountains above town. “Yeah, of course. Anyway…she had been dating the same kid all through high school—until the beginning of our senior year. They had a spectacular public blow up in the cafeteria and she wound up pouring a drink over his head before storming out.”

“Sounds like a soap opera.”

“Itwaskinda. And it was weird. One of her best friends stuck around but she was kind of ostracized from her usual group. She was also on the cheer squad and they still did all their shit but you could tell they weren’t getting along. Mickey said something like, ‘Let the rich bitches eat each other’ or some shit. Anyway…she was in my English class and, like, two days before homecoming, she just turned around in her desk and askedmeif I had a date.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Looking back, I think she was just feeling desperate. But back then, after admiring her beauty for several years and thinking of her, like a lot of the rich girls, as unattainable, my dick did the talking. There was no rational thought when I said yes.”

“Can’t really blame you.”

“Oh, Mickey did. He kept asking me what the fuck I was thinking—and it turns out he was right. Don’t get me wrong—we went to homecoming as planned and then started dating. I lost my virginity to her even. By New Year’s, I was completely head over heels, man. The sun rose and set on Olivia, and I even thought I might marry that girl. Slowly, day by day, she regained her status in the pecking order. And me? I’d never been so popular. I had the rich cheerleader as a girlfriend.

“But it was an illusion.

“I don’t know exactly when, but she started talking with her ex again—and apparently even started dating him behind my back. We’d been planning to go to prom together but the week before, she broke up with me. Nothing spectacular or dramatic like she’d done with Clark, but it felt like she’d ripped my guts and heart out of my body.”

Johnny nodded again. “I think I see where this is going.”

“I’m sure you do. After that bullshit, I swore I’d never love again. Losing Olivia was like losing one of my balls. Hell,bothof my balls. I didn’t even know how to function—and I barely remember graduating. I survived, obviously, but…”

After a few seconds of silence, Johnny said, “It explains a lot.”

“Yeah. And I thought I was happy just permanently playing the field.”

“Until now.”

“Yep,” Sage said, running his fingers through his blond hair. “Till Naomi.”

“So what’s the problem, man? Why not get back on that horse and ride till your dick is sore?”

Sage started laughing, wondering why this was the first time he’d ever talked to Johnny about something so personal. He already felt better just baring his soul to this man—no matter what he ultimately chose to do. “First, there’s the question if she’d even want to.”

“No mutual attraction?”

“I dunno. She’s guarded sometimes. But the other night when we were in New York, we ditched the party and walked to a liquor store—and it just kind of hit me like a wrecking ball. But, more than that, I got the feeling thatshemight be into me, too. The way she looked at me that night…”

“Then why not try?”

“I don’t want my heart ripped out, man. I’d die if it happened again.”

“I promise you won’t die. You won’t. In fact, any scar tissue helps you deal with that shit next time.”

“I’m also afraid of hurtingher. I mean…what if—”

“Man, I get you. It’s easy to be paralyzed because of fear. It’s easy to talk yourself out of all kinds of shit with the intention of protecting everyone. But that’s not how life is meant to be lived. You probably thought fucking like a rock star was the way to really grab the bull that’s life by the horns and, hell, I did too at one time. But, thanks to Katie, I discovered that truly living life means you have faith. And if you have faith, it’ll find you.”

“Whatwill find me?Life?”

“Love. Just give in. Just let it happen. If it’s meant to be…it’ll last. And if it’s not, then cherish that memory, that feeling and let it help you become a better man.”

Nodding, Sage stood and thanked Johnny, shaking the man’s hand. When he stepped out of his dressing room, he wondered how he’d managed to let Johnny talk him into the one thing he’d wanted to avoid.

Strangely, he was more than okay with it. He just had to figure out how to convince Naomi.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

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