Page 10 of Why Not Us?

I straighten my shoulders and lift my chin. “Regardless. He’s about to be a contractor with Blue Vista.”

Derek leans on his elbows, giving me a very patronizing look. “Ava and Lis.”

He doesn’t say anything else, but then, he doesn’t have to. Ava is a contractor with Blue Vista as well. At least for now. She’s never been interested in wedding photography and started her own company taking pictures for other businesses’ websites and marketing material. She’ll probably make it through this wedding season with her boss Cindy, but will likely not be back for next year’s. Lis, however, works directly for us.

And both of them are now engaged to Derek and Spencer, respectively.

I don’t get a chance to respond because Taylor arrives at our table, sitting down with a pint of one of their beers. He and Derek talk about the contract, going over the paperwork, and I zone out. I find myself watching Nate.

A few more customers arrive and order drinks before finding seats. The people who had been here before us get another round. There’s laughter and chatter, but the whole time, Nate doesn’t smile much. He works with efficient movements and every once in a while, he catches me staring. The first couple times, I look away. But after a while, I stop. I’m not fooling anyone.

“That’s it,” Derek says, holding out his hand and shaking Taylor’s. “Welcome to the Blue Vista family.”

Taylor laughs and I smile at the sound, returning my attention to the table.

“Are you guys finished with all the boring stuff?” I ask.

“Yes,” Derek says, taking a sip of one of his beers. “Boring stuff complete. And look who’s here.” He smiles as he stands and Ava walks right into his arms. “Perfect timing, sweetheart. You want a beer?”

She kisses him lightly. “Sure.”

They head to the bar and order her a pint and Taylor calls to Nate. “Get yourself a drink, too, and come toast with us.”

Nate pours himself a pint and brings it to the table, where the only open seat is the one next to me. I swallow as he sits down, his knee brushing mine as he does. When we’re all settled, Derek looks at me, the resident toast-maker.

I clear my throat. “To new ventures. And the start of a beautiful friendship.”

I select one of my mini beers and we cheers. Usually, when the Blue Vista crew goes out, everyone makes a toast. But since Nate and Taylor don’t know that, we stop after one. I’m very aware of Nate’s body next to mine, the heat of his arm as it brushes against me. He has the sleeves of his button-up shirt rolled to his elbows, showing off the full sleeves of tattoos that flow to the backs of both hands. I’d noticed them on Friday, but had to pay more attention to the class than the details in his ink. They’re very steampunk in style, lots of gears and a couple skulls. There’s a clock on one arm and I wonder what the significance of the time is.

“Right, Adalie?” Derek says, drawing me back to the conversation.

I think quickly, trying to figure out if any of what has been said made it past my preoccupation. But there’s nothing.

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” My face heats as I admit that. I meet Nate’s eyes, because admiring his ink as an artist is not something I need to be embarrassed about. Wondering what those arms would feel like wrapped around me might be, but no one needs to know about that. “I was just thinking your art is beautiful.”

“My tattoos?” he asks.

“Yes. The shading and line work are impeccable. And the colour saturation is excellent.” I gesture to his arms without touching him, indicating the piece I was admiring.

“You like tattoos?” Taylor asks.

“I love them.”

“How many do you have?” Taylor casts his eyes over my skin that he can see, mostly my arms since I’m wearing a short-sleeved dress with a high, scooped neckline.

“Oh. I don’t have any,” I say.

“Why not?” Nate asks, and I turn back to him.

“A bunch of reasons.” I shrug, taking a sip of my sour. “Finding an artist I trust, deciding on a design, placement. It’s a big decision to have art permanently on your body. When I paint a picture, if I don’t like it anymore, I take the canvas off my easel and move on. Deciding on something like a tattoo involves more consideration.”

I don’t mention how my parents would pitch a fit if I got a tattoo, because that’s only a small part of the reason why I don’t have any.

Shortly, Nate returns to the bar to help more customers and our conversation winds down. Taylor takes the paperwork to his office, and we finish our drinks. Derek and Ava decide to go out for dinner.

“You want to come, Ad?” Derek asks.

“No. I’ll stay.”

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