“I didn’t think you were awake much.”
“Every time I was, he was watching me.” Tiffany shuddered. “I don’t know what you see in that beast.”
“I like him. We share a fondness for fish.”
Tiffany laughed, then poked Haley. “And what’s the mermaid about?”
“You have a lot of questions this morning.”
“And you have a ton of secrets. I never thought you were nearly this interesting. Haley Slater with a tattoo.” Tiffany shook her head, smiling.
“You got me drunk and took advantage of me.”
“I didn’t even know it was possible to get you drunk.” Tiff sighed. “Although you did get a bit morose, sis.”
“Sorry.”
“And the mermaid?”
“It’s kind of a private joke. A reminder.”
“Uh huh.” They were entering the airport and Haley thought the interrogation might be over. “So, did you tell him?”
“Tell him what?”
“That you love him.”
“I can’t do that. It wouldn’t be fair.”
“Because he doesn’t want a commitment.”
“Because...well, because. It’s complicated.”
“It always is when it matters.” The cab stopped at the curb and Tiffany paid the fare over Haley’s protests. She didn’t get out of the cab, though. “So, tell him,” she said.
“Tell who what?” Haley asked, although she knew.
Tiffany lifted her brows.
“You’re going to miss your flight.”
“Then you’d better call him soon. There’s no telling what that cat will do if I show up again.” Tiffany smiled, her manner expectant.
“There’s no reason to call him,” Haley said, because it was true. Her period had started the day before. She didn’t have an excuse to call Damon and she didn’t want to make any kind of confession over the phone.
“Then I will miss my flight. Huh. Well, we can share the bed for another night.”
Haley glared at her sister, who smiled back. “You’re being pushy.”
“I’m reminding you of what you already know. Dad told me once that you can stand and watch the parade go by or you can join in and march with the others.” Tiffany’s gaze was steady. “Thanks to Garrett, you’ve been watching the parade for too long.”
Haley frowned as she watched the people on the sidewalk. “Aren’t you afraid? Don’t you worry sometimes that Stefan won’t come home?”
“Like Dad didn’t?” Tiff gave Haley a hard look. “Like Garrett didn’t?”
“He came back.”
“Just married to somebody else. That wasn’t the plan.” Tiff stared down at her hands and Haley knew she was composing her thoughts. “I do think about it. I mean, I see life’s surprises every time I work a shift. But here’s the thing: I want every single moment with Stefan that I can have, regardless of what the future holds.”
Haley understood that.
Tiff bumped her shoulder. “Maybe the guy who isn’t a guy doesn’t want a commitment, but let him decide with all the information. Join the parade, Haley. Dad would want you to.”
Haley dug in her purse for her phone and took a deep breath before she called Damon’s number.
“On speed dial even,” Tiffany murmured with an angelic expression.
“Shut up.” The call went immediately to voice mail, and Haley thought that was probably a good thing. She closed her eyes, enjoying the sound of Damon’s voice, even in a recording. “Hey, it’s Haley,” she said when it was time to leave a message. She hated how breathless she sounded. “Thanks for the drawing. And, um, I just wanted to tell you that um, I got a tattoo. Of a mermaid. Because maybe you’re right and you have to believe to find one.” She swallowed. “And I love you. If you change your mind about possibilities and promises, please give me a call.” She ended the call and looked at Tiffany, her mouth dry. “Happy?”
“My heart is all a-flutter. Really, Haley, you didn’t exactly exude warmth.”
“Well, I had no time to prepare!”
“Maybe you’ll get better with practice,” Tiffany said, her smile mischievous. “Love you, sis.” She gave Haley a hug and a kiss. “See you in a couple of weeks—unless he takes you up on that offer.”
And then she was gone, turning to wave before she strode into the terminal. Haley saw her breaking into a run, as if she’d just realized she was late.
It would serve Tiffany right to miss her flight.
Haley thought about the billboard as the cab drove back to Queens. She held her phone tightly but it didn’t ring.
Get lucky at F5F.
The rings were the big difference. Those two were together for the duration.
Her time with Damon, however, had been just a temporary thing.
He wasn’t going to call her back. He kept his word.
But he’d encouraged her to take a chance and start over again. Maybe that was the important thing.
Haley wasn’t convinced, but she told herself to get used to it.
Damon was part of her past.
Funny how having her career as the focus of her life, even with her dream job, didn’t feel that ideal any more.
Fifteen
After a little more than a month of therapy, Damon returned from Boston, newly confident that he could conquer his nightmares. He felt stronger and more resilient. The therapist was convinced that Damon was on the right path. He’d been sure of it himself, even before he got his phone back and heard Haley’s message.
I love you.
That was all the encouragement he needed.
Even so, Damon listened to it a dozen times.
His first stop was at F5F, where he caught up on all the news from Cassie and Kyle, and of course, Meesha. The tattoo shop in the lobby was open, too.
Talk about one-stop shopping.
Damon tapped on the door of the tattoo shop and the blond woman at the back turned around. She was dressed in black leather with a ton of eyeliner. She wore a torn T-shirt and pink tips on her hair. She looked about as friendly as Haley’s cat so he decided against making any comment about punk rock being dead. “Hi. I’m Damon Perez, one of the F5F partners.”
“Chynna,” she said, offering her hand. Her fingers were cool and her gaze assessing. “You’re the design guy, right?”
“Right.”
“So? What do you think of the result?” She indicated the shop.
“It looks great. Bigger and brighter than I’d expected.” His design had been in black and white, a black floor with the phases of the moon in white on it, and a lot of black glass tiles on the walls that sparkled like they were filled with stars. There were red hearts scattered in key locations. He’d designated one wall for photographs from her portfolio and really liked how they looked, framed in black like the art that they were. Chynna had added full length velvet curtains in deep red, in case a client wanted privacy, and a lot of fairy lights. The shop name, Flatiron Five Tattoo, filled the back wall in red neon and there was even a little neon heart at the end that pulsed.
The tattoo she gave away was a little heart, after all.