Page 54 of With You

“Nope, now let’s go get you some vegetables, Popeye.” She linked her fingers with mine as we walked down the aisle.

* * *

“All I’m saying is that you’re lucky you do such good work or I’d have to beat your ass for inking me while I was obviously drunk. Or worse, report you to the city council and pull your permit.”

“Go ahead, you’ll never find another artist on my level. It was time for you to shit or get off the pot. Sam wasn’t going to wait around forever for your stupid ass to finally make a move. You should be thanking me for moving the timeline up.”

I grunted as the tattoo gun pressed harder against my skin. Nash was filling in the roses on my chest, blood reds and inky blacks that were all Sam. Maybe I should’ve been drunk for this one, too, because fuck, did it hurt.

“I heard Jack’s moving back to town. Ow, hey!” Nash pulled the needle away from my skin and I leaned down, making sure that he didn’t stab me with it.

“Probably not the best idea mentioning Jack mid-tattoo. You’re lucky he didn’t ink a dick on you,” Gage said from the corner of the room where he was cleaning under his nails with his knife.

I’d learned to ignore the creepy behavior. Gage and I were BFFs now and one day I was going to convince him to get matching tats with me. Something cute like a tiny devil on our knuckles. Then when we fist bumped, it was like they were hugging. Badass.

“Good for her. Not sure why you think I’d care about that information, though.” Nash’s focus was intent on the table next to him that held an array of needles and inks.

“Me thinks the tattooist doth protest too much,” I joked, earning a glare from him. Nash was a big dude, if I pissed him off enough there was a chance he could take me. Knowing that, I still chose to poke the angry ex-con who I considered as good of a friend as Gage.

“She bought the Cut N’ Curl from Reba,” Gage added and I widened my eyes at the smirk on his face. Look at him, joining in on the fun. Nash shrugged his shoulders.

“Don’t pretend like you don’t care.”

“Whatever Jack does or doesn’t do isn’t my business. Not anymore.”

“You’re saying that your ex-girlfriend, your high school sweetheart, who blew town the second you were in cuffs, moving back to town and buying the business literally right next to yours doesn’t bother you?”

Nash’s glare turned deadly. “That’s what I fuckin’ said. Am I finishing this or am I going to make you the first person I’ve ever had to ban from my shop?”

I closed my mouth and pretended to lock it before throwing away the key. I had a surprise for my girl later and finishing the art on my chest that was devoted to her was part of it. The buzz of the tattoo gun started back up and the needle felt even more painful than before. I really needed to learn when to shut the fuck up.

* * *

“I thought we were going to Brooks’.”

My new truck bounced as I turned off the main road and onto a gravel drive that had seen better days. I mentally added ‘fix driveway’ to my list. Wouldn’t want a stray rock to damage the paint job on Sam’s precious Francine.

“We are, but there’s something I want to show you first.” My pulse quickened the closer we got. This could be a huge mistake. I knew everything there was to know about my girl and she was not a big fan of surprises.

I slowed the truck as we pulled up to the house. I’d come out earlier to turn on all the lights, wanting it to look warm and inviting for her. It was nothing like the monstrosity I’d grown up in; that had felt more like a cold museum. This was a real home, a place where we could make our own memories year after year.

The house was on the smaller side, but it had everything we could want or need. Including room to grow if that was something she wanted in the future. My stomach flipped over at the thought of a little version of Sam running around the yard. Wild blonde hair escaping her braid as I spun her around. It was a beautiful dream, but only if that was what Sam wanted, too.

Sam gave me a questioning look as I’d been silent since we arrived. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans, suddenly worried that this was the worst idea in all of history.

“Just…keep an open mind for me, please?” I blew out the breath I was holding when she nodded and followed me out of the truck.

Linking our fingers together, I pulled her toward the front door. Her eyes widened when I pulled a set of keys from my pocket and unlocked the door, ushering her to go in before me.

Sam was quiet as she crossed the threshold, taking in the open plan that comprised the main living spaces. She gave nothing away while she walked room to room, making me more nervous as the seconds ticked by.

“There’s three bedrooms,” I started, unable to be quiet any longer. “The spares are a good size, we can make one up as a guestroom for when your mom wants to visit, the other can be an office for us to share. Or not, if you want your own, we can do that, too. The kitchen’s been renovated recently. I know neither of us are great cooks but Gage said he’d give me some easy recipes to start practicing. I know, it was a shocker to me, too, but apparently the big weirdo can cook. If that sounds good to you that is, we can order out every night for all I care.”

I was rambling, growing more and more concerned that Sam had toured the entire house and was now looking out the back windows without saying a word. If it had been daytime, she would’ve seen the dense woods that surrounded us. Though the house was small, the property was large. One of the best selling points in my opinion. There wasn’t a single neighbor to deal with.

“Say something, please.”

Sam turned away from the window and faced me, tears flowing down her cheeks. In three quick strides I had her in my arms, wiping the wetness from her face that was breaking my heart.

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