Page 24 of Grace

“Coming!” I yell back, grabbing some mascara to put on in the car and hastening toward the front door.

A soft grin plays on Ashley’s lips as I step beside her.

“You look cute,” she says and locks the door behind us.

“I have one client, and then we can go out with the gang.”

My stomach twists and I clutch my hands together. “Great,” I say.

Ashley chuckles softly as she glides into her car and turns the ignition. “It can be if you let loose a little,” she teases.

I gape at her. “What? I can be fun!”

“Oh, I know you can. I’m sure of it.” She starts and drives off as I buckle my seatbelt. “Get out of your safe bubble and have fun tonight, Grace.”

I sigh. “I’m trying.”

I want to feel the same freedom Ashley feels, and perhaps it isn’t that no one notices me, it is that I keep myself hidden. I could be so much more… maybe… probably? Ashley’s already reminded me regularly to talk positively about myself. What if I had more reasons to do that? What if I could say I was proud of myself for going outside my comfort zone, that I liked myself for taking a risk, for moving forward in life and not letting my ex hold me back?

Then I’d have the confidence I see in other people. Then I’d be able to keep growing and pushing the way people like Ashley do. Hell, I liked Stacy, envied her confidence, her ability to stand up for herself, so much about her until I saw the dark side, so why do I have to stay exactly as I am?

“I know you’re trying,” she says, turning left. “So, tell me, what had you all worked up yesterday?”

My throat tightens and my cheeks heat. “Guess,” I dare.

“Your sexy boss-slash-ex-boyfriend’s dad?” she asks with a soft laugh. When my lips push into a hard line, her laughter builds. “Let me guess, you realized he’s hot for you too?”

“You can’t know that!”

She giggles. “No, you just seem like the oblivious type. I clearly need more information. Did he kiss you?”

“No.”

“Did he bang you on his desk without kissing you?” Ashley asks, then she shakes her head. “No, then you’d be flustered in a different way. You look like you’re desperate to get laid.”

“I’m not that kind of person!” I defend.

“Babe, we went over this. You don’t have to be a prude to be a good person. Whoever told you that lied to you.” She snorts. “Do what you want. Ignore what you ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ do unless it’ll get someone hurt.”

“It’s easy to say when you’re not the one involved,” I grumble.

“Yeah. It is. Which is why I’m the one saying it and you’re the one listening,” she says as if it’s obvious. “Anyway, if it’s just an older guy kink, we can definitely take care of that at the shop. My boss is sexy as sin, and I bet he’d love you to trace all of his tattoos with your fingers, your lips, or your tongue.”

“Ashley!” I yell, mortified.

She snickers as she parks at the back of a nice, modern building and shuts off the engine. “I’m just saying, if you want to know what gets you going, test it out.”

I’m at a loss for words, but she doesn’t wait and gets out of the car without looking back. I follow quickly and walk with her to the front where it’s all old-school neon and signage. The windows are surrounded by red neon, showing vintage posters of girls and guys covered in tattoos.

Ashley points at one. “That’s me, by the way. They have all the apprentices model their tattoos.”

She’s dressed like she belongs on some kind of pinup magazine, looking sexy and demure all at once. I let her take my hand and lead me in. The walls are covered in pieces of artwork, and the gray tile floor paired with the rest of the dark red and black furniture and paint make the place seem dangerous, yet homey in a way I didn’t expect.

“So this is Custom Ink,” Ashely says grandly.

“Ooh, we got virgin skin in the house!” a guy yells.

“Shut it, Marko. She’s my friend,” Ashley bites back.

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