Page 28 of Blue

Stay positive.

“Damn, that would’ve been smart.”

Aw, fuck.This wasn’t going to go well.

Blue’s head fell, and her hand caught it. She was so close to having her own first client.

“The thing is, I was supposed to be off next Tuesday, but I just got called to cover a shift. This guy had a baby, and I need to go in for him.”

“Oh.” Blue perked. Maybe things weren’t that bad.

Stay positive.

“Do you have any other availability?”

Of course she did. As an apprentice, she didn’t exactly have people banging down her door to get tattooed by her.

Chin in hand, Blue listened to Dylan flip through what she assumed to be a planner and rattle off dates. Unfortunately, each one he picked was a day she wouldn’t be in the studio. Her heart sank as the dates kept getting pushed further and further out.

How much longer would she even be in the shop?

The possibility of leaving it still hung overhead. Mooky might not be so keen on keeping her around if he had to see her often. Hell, his bitch of a wife might make Blue being fired a condition of the divorce.

Could she do that?

Who the fuck knew? Blue thought anything was possible with that woman.

As Dylan gave her another date, Stella escorted her client out. Blue shook her head as the idea of her having her own personal client felt like it slipped through her fingers.

“What’s wrong?” Stella whispered as she returned to Blue’s side.

“Someone wants me to tattoo them, but our availability isn’t lining up,” Blue said, covering the mouthpiece of the receiver.

Stella cocked her head to the side and planted her hands on her hips. “You are open.”

Blue nodded. “But he’s not.”

The other tattooer frowned. Blue could practically see the wheels turning in Stella’s mind.

“What about the first Friday of August?” Dylan asked.

August? That was forever from now.

“Okay, hear me out,” he started before she could answer.

Blue closed her eyes, bracing herself for him to request a different tattoo artist.

“I know it’s not cool and stuff, maybe not the most sterile environment, but I’m willing to risk it. How about you do it in my kitchen? Tattoo stuff is portable, right?”

Blue’s eyes snapped open.

“What?” Alarms rang in her head.

“I’ll get all the sterilization stuff you need. The cleaners and whatnot.”

“That’s not—” Oh, this could not get worse.

Stella pushed the mute button. “What did he just ask you?”

---