Page 66 of Stella
I snort. “Grandma, really? What kind of guy do you think I am?”
“Well how would I know?” She shrugs. “I never hear anything about a potential wife, or even girlfriend, because you work so much.”
“Maybe I don’t want a wife just yet, I’m not even thirty.”
“I forget, you do things differently from how we used to do them.”
I pat her hand. “Not everyone has what you and Grandpa have,” I tell her. “It’s pretty rare for anyone to stay married these days.”
“That’s because we were more tolerant back then. We took the time to understand one another. We disagree, sure, but our core values are the same, and that’s what matters. The micro things don’t matter so much, but your beliefs and values have to line up.”
She’s been drilling that into me for as long as I can remember.
“It’s tough in the dating world,” I remind her. “Not everyone is looking for a long-term relationship. Times have changed.”
“I know that, but you know who you are. You’ve always been a good boy, Cale, and deep down, I know that when the time is right, she’ll come along.”
What if she has come along, but she’s forbidden fruit?
“Sometimes it’s not always so simple,” I say. “Women are complicated creatures, and I honestly think I’m still trying to get my head around how they work.”
Gran starts off with a chuckle, but it slowly turns into a fully fledged laugh. “That’s your ammo?”
I roll my eyes. “No.”
“I’ve got news for you, kid, and it’s all bad. If you think you’re ever going to work out how a woman truly thinks, then you may be single for a while yet, but some things you can definitely work out on your own,” she goes on. “Like how to treat a lady — just how I taught you. I know how young people behave these days and all the dating apps, teaching you how to hook up without having to have any substance or real connection. But you can only do that for so long. Lust will slowly fizzle out, but true love and passion, well, that will never die.”
It’s kind of weird hearing my grandma sayhookup,but that thought aside, this is exactly what she is like. “Wise words,” I say. “I know I learned from the best, and maybe you’re right, it’s worth waiting for the right woman. But with work and my schedule, it’s hard fitting someone else into my life right now.” I’ve definitely not been a saint, but I’m not exactly gonna win any awards for bachelor of the year, either.
She gives me a pointed look. “Or you could tell me the real reason why you’re here moping around.”
“I’m not moping around.”Is this woman a psychic? I forgot how well she can zone into my current state of mind, and my body language.
“Oh, really?”
I clear my throat. “Okay, there was a girl I liked, but it’s… it’s complicated.”
She squeezes my knee. “If she’s worth fighting for, there’s nothing complicated about it. Life is about taking risks, Cale. It may not all be plain sailing, but it certainly is worth the payoff when you find the right one. Sometimes you have to wander down the path of the unknown, you just never know what could be waiting for you.”
Once again, my grandma makes more sense than any therapist, and I think about her words as I go about my day.
I’ve never been a big risk taker, but maybe it’s time to expand my horizons.
15
STELLA
“I’m almost done,”Angel says. “Hang in there.”
“I’m fine,” I say. I’ve got one tattoo on my ankle of a rose in honor of my grandmother, but this was a big piece; the NOLA Rebels skull with embellished roses so it looked a little more feminine. I’m nervous, but also excited to see it. “I just can’t believe I have an Angel tattoo.”
Angel laughs. “Hey, it’s been my pleasure, and it looks fucking amazing.”
“Of course it does, everything you do is epic.”
She’sbeen amazing, talking me through it, holding my hand when it got rough there for a second. We could’ve broken it up into smaller appointments, but she’s leaving in a few days, so that wasn’t an option. And I wanted Angel to be the one to finish it.
I didn’t get permission from Cash, but I don’t see why he’d object. It isn’t as if anyone is gonna see it anytime soon, anyway. I mean, I want to show it off when it’s healed, but for now, it has to stay between me and Angel. Dad will freak, and well, I’m surprised Bronco kept his mouth shut this long. Then again, maybe ink slingers have that client confidentiality thing goingon. Bronco wouldn’t want to get into trouble with Amber, so that could have something to do with it. Luckily, he’s not here today, and Angel was cleared to use one of the rooms. Everyone has been fangirling over her since the second we got here. Like a true professional, she takes it all in her stride.
