Wallflower Ink

Chapter 28

· Jace ·

Inked is more crowded than usual today, and as I look around at all the new faces I mentally shake my head. Though a couple of them are here to get work done, the rest are just here out of curiosity.

News travels fast in a small town and this is rubber necking at its finest, I think as I prep my work station for my first customer. But even if they are here for the wrong reason I suppose any publicity is better than none at all. If even a third of them set up sessions with me it will make the unopened bill on my desk seem a little less imposing.

I'm still floating in the green, but once I send that out I'll be dangerously close to the red. It's a shame my bank account can't fill as quickly as it empties. I push that thought from my mind as Dalton sits down in the chair beside me.

"Thanks for rescheduling me, Jace. I appreciate it."

I give him a friendly smile and nod my head.

"Not a problem. I didn't really want you dragging the flu in here with you. Just glad I had a cancellation and could work you in."

As I prep his forearm, the other man chatters away. Soon I'm well into the job and all the bystanders watching us fade into the background, just as they always do. I tend to get tunnel vision when I'm wrapped up in my work, which is a good thing.

"Heard about last night," he finally gets around to saying. "I gotta admit, I didn't know you had that in ya."

"Neither did I," I admit with a frown as I lift the needle from Dalton's arm and wipe away the excess ink so I can see the stenciled lines on his skin. I dip the gun back down as the other man continues.

"You gave that little shit exactly what he deserved, if you wanna know my opinion. Little perv. It'll be a while before he comes back to Joe's, I'll bet."

I just nod and keep working. After Dalton has been silent for a moment, he finally laughs and starts again.

"So what's the deal with you and the cute little red head? Are you two like a thing or something now?"

"We're just friends," I admit, though it pains me to do so.

I have a feeling I know where this is going and I don't like it very much. As I shut off the gun then turn to the table to change needles for shading, he continues, oblivious to the tension seeping into my neck and shoulders.

"So, is she single? Wouldn't mind asking her out sometime if she is. Think you could get her number for me?"

I dip the new needle into one of the small ink pots then turn the gun back on and bend back over Dalton's arm.

"She's single, but she doesn't date," I say firmly then clench my jaw against the tiny flame that springs up inside me. She isn't mine, and I have no business getting angry at anyone for being interested in her. Any man with eyes who doesn't look at her like that would have to be out of his mind.

"So there's no chance then?" The disappointment in his tone actually makes me feel bad for my reaction.

"Probably not, man. Sorry." I glance up, catch Dalton's defeated gaze, then look back down. "But I can ask her, if you want me to."