Page 19 of Derek
“I’m good, Indy. Really good, actually.” I raise a brow, and Ash shakes his head. “Just happy is all.” I smile warmly as I wrap my arms around his neck and give him a squeeze.
“Good, you deserve it. I wanna come over soon. Wade owes me a rematch on rock band.” I get off his back as he opens the door for me.
“Yeah, come over before the convention. Sunday and Wade are going to hang out with Mom and Neil while we are gone.” I raise my brow.
“Woooow, Sunday is going to the Christmas house without you? Brave girl.” Our mom, Celeste, is a very whimsical woman, which is saying something coming from me. I can’t blame her, though, and she’s where I get my positive attitude from. My father abused both my Mom and Ash. He was and probably still is a terrible man. Thankfully, he left us when I was very young, so there aren’t too many bad memories. Mom struggled a lot raising us. She had multiple jobs, never enough money or reliable help, and she had Ash and me. And when I started getting sick, well, it was a lot. But she always tried to look at the positive side of things.
Mom moved into the “Johnson Christmas Ranch” when I turned twenty. It is exactly how it sounds. A bed-and-breakfast that is completely Christmas-themed. I think the place is terrifying, but she adores it. She doesn’t get many visitors, but that’s okay because it’s more for her than a business. Thankfully, she has Neil. Neil is “technically” our stepfather. He just married her last year, and they met about three years ago. But he adores my mom and treats her like the queen she is. It makes me so happy that my mom and Ash, the two dearest people in my life, found their other halves. They truly deserve it.
“Mari will be there, and you know how close Mari and Sunday are. Plus, Wade is obsessed with her. He insists that becoming a doctor like her is his goal.” I smile softly at Ash’s words. Mari is Neil’s daughter. She is an amazing woman, a doctor who travels with Doctors Without Borders. She’s a true hero, making a real difference in this world.
I let out a shaky breath as I push my dark thoughts back while walking into the tattoo area of Hel’s Ink.
“Indy, you look so pretty!” Atlas says, looking up from his client. I blush lightly as I walk past him.
“Thanks At! Just for that, I’m wearing your shirt design today!”
“Wow,” Ash deadpans. “The betrayal.” I laugh as I round the corner and nearly smack right into Derek.
“Oh!” I cry out in surprise, and I step back. “Sorry.” I smile apologetically. Derek, who is standing at the counter while two guys about my age look through portfolios, widens his brown eyes when he sees me, and he drops the pen he had been holding.
“Shit,” He mutters, picking it up, his eyes never leaving me.
“Nice dress. Are you late for your ball?” One of the guys laughs while he walks over to the clothing rack I’m standing at. He snickers, and his buddy follows suit.
“I mean, I could be your prince charming.” He licks his lips suggestively, and I shutter before turning to look at the shirts. Ignoring them seems like the best option.
“You fucksticks looking to have your faces rearranged?” Derek apparently doesn’t find ignoring them to be the best option. He walks up behind me, and my god, he really is a giant. I mean, he must have a foot on me.
The first guy laughs uncomfortably. “Sorry, man, we were just messing around.”
“I’m not your man. Now get the fuck out before I put you in the ICU.” He growls under his breath, and I watch his tattooed hand reach out and pull me behind him. It’s so sweet but also completely unnecessary. I watch the guys leave, and Derek lets out an annoyed breath before turning to look at me.
“Are you alright?” He asks with a softness to his voice that I’m neither familiar nor comfortable with.
“Yeah?” I say slowly, looking at him curiously. Has something happened to him? “Are you?” I laugh, and he shakes his head.
“Those fuckers just pissed me off. You look so damn pretty, and they had to go and be shits like that.” I smile when I see the shock appear on his face.
“You think I’m pretty?” I tease up at him. He groans and rolls his eyes.
“I said you look pretty. It was an obvious statement. Like the sky is blue, or Ash apparently had Indian food for lunch.” He grumbles as his cheeks turn pink. I decide to let it go and turn to grab a shirt. “Where are you staying?” He asks abruptly, and I see his face scrunch as if he regrets letting it out.
“Currently, I’m at my friend Luca’s. He’s out of town, so he lent me his apartment. But it’s temporary. I’ll be looking for a place once I get back from the convention.” I look over at him, he’s wearing a long sleeve shirt with the original Hel’s Ink logo on it. “Why do you always have on long sleeves?”
He laughs out a surprised “What?” before looking at his shirt, and I notice him tugging on his sleeve. “I don’t know. What does it matter?”
I shrug as I head back toward the tattooing area. “It doesn’t, I just find it peculiar. You’re covered in really neat tattoos, but no one gets to see them.”
“My tattoos aren’t for others’ enjoyment.” I hear him mutter as I continue towards the piercing area to get changed.
* * *
“Ugh!”Stevie growls as she throws a pillow at the wall. “He just makes me want to strangle him! Why? Why would you do this to me, Janie?” She whines.
“We need security, and he knows us and the shop.” Stevie glares at the redhead before stomping her feet and flaring her nostrils.
“I ain’t going if that asshole is going,”
