We decorated the walls with drawing from different tattoos, but the most special piece of art is behind the counter. I hung up a framed collage of the drawings I had in my hands when I got into Jim’s truck years ago. It used to be in his shop in New York, and I had no idea where the collage went after he retired. I received the package a few days ago by courier. The ornate frame has an engraved tag that reads, “The expert at anything was once a beginner.” Jim told me that over and over when I started. It’s the best present I’ve ever received. Seeing my dream come true is an amazing feeling and being unable to share it with the one person I want to, makes it turn to shit.
* * *
“It looks like you’re ready for tonight.”
I’m startled by Bruce’s voice. What the heck is he doing here? I apologized after the front window fiasco, but I didn’t really seek forgiveness or try to smooth things over between us. There was no point. We’re done, and I’m not going to be friends with the guy.
Holden is another matter. Nobody has seen him, and I only have suspicions, no proof of his involvement in the vandalism. I was hoping the police could bring him in and interrogate him or something, but it doesn’t sound like they’ve been able to find him. So I asked my mother to write another Facebook post about me having dumped Bruce and being with someone who doesn’t want children either. Using my mother’s social media to appease an ex and his vindictive streak is bizarre, but Facebook has seen stranger things happen.
“Hi, Bruce. How did you get in?”
“Door is unlocked.” He shrugs.
It looks as if the perfect all-American boy was run over by a truck. His clothes are dirty and crumpled, his face tired and rough, and his eyes empty of all life. Is Dex the only one not turning into the shadow of himself when I leave? Not that I like seeing Bruce this way, but if his state and Holden’s psycho behavior are an indication of how my exes miss me, shouldn’t Dex be a little more dismayed that I walked out? Couldn’t he be at least a little sad?
“Are you okay?” I ask, trying to be polite.
“To be honest, I don’t know. I miss you and…”
Sighing, I walk to the kitchen and I thank whoever is watching over me when he doesn’t follow me. I come back and hand him a bottle of water, more to shut him up than because I’m concerned with his hydration. “I’m seeing someone else.”
Not sure that’s true anymore, but I won’t tell Bruce otherwise. No need to get his hopes up.
His shoulders fall, and his face is as long as Los Angeles traffic. “I thought… I mean… Virginia said she was happy we were seeing each other, so I thought you were maybe interested in getting back together with me?”
“I’m not. Didn’t you see my mother’s Facebook post?” I can’t believe what I’m saying. Am I encouraging him to become a creeper by admitting my mother shares my life on the Internet?
“I’m not friends with your mother on Facebook.”
That’s a relief! He won’t be starting a Facebook group hate-club with all my exes following her.
“I need to get the shop ready, so I’m sorry, but—”
I’m not done with my sentence before he jumps on me, his lips pursed to kiss me. I don’t give him the chance to put his mouth on mine though, and I push him away—making him fall at the feet of the man I love. Of course. Dex would enter the shop at the most inopportune moment and look the hottest he’s ever looked. He’s wearing a slim grey suit with black trim on the side of each leg, a bluish floral shirt, and a black tie. It’s a fuck-me-now suit, and that’s exactly how my dick reacts.
“What’s he doing here?” Dex asks sternly, not even looking at the man sitting on his Italian shoes.
“Missing me. You?” Trying to make Dex jealous and embarrass Bruce for the shit he just pulled is an asshole move, but I need Dex to know I won’t be waiting around for him, even if my heart doesn’t agree.
His jaw tics and his whole body tenses. “So we have a disagreement, and you run back to your ex?”
“He ran back to me, and I pushed him away,” I say, pointing at Bruce who’s still on the floor, confused and mortified. “And why do you care?”
Dex’s icy eyes bore into me before he leaves, his phone already in his hand.
“So you’re with him?” Bruce says, finally getting up, and I nod. “That’s surprising. I would have never pictured you two together.”
“That’s funny, I could see it from the day I met him. I knew it would be difficult to convince him, but I saw my future with him right away.”
Bruce looks the way you would expect a man to look after you crush his last hope. I just admitted I was lusting over Dex well before I was with him. That should hurt.
“Look, I’m sorry, I have to get ready for tonight. Guests will be here in two hours, and I need to run home, take a shower, and get back here.” I walk to the door and open it for him.
“Of course, I’ll let you be.”
* * *
Two hours later, champagne is flowing, and the parlor is full of celebrities, clients, and friends. To my surprise, Aaron came. He’s on his way to go see his soon-to-be ex-wife in Vegas and stopped in LA for the night. But between being interrupted by guests congratulating me, chitchatting with Dan Darling—singer of the Darling Devils—and Damon Johnson—outfielder for the Tampa Bay Sharks—and surviving Dex’s arrival to the party, I haven’t had time to catch up with my brother. Aaron’s in a corner with my future ex, and my eyes keep wandering toward them. They’re in a heated discussion, frowning, rolling their eyes, and shaking their heads at each other, but their hands are staying in their pockets. I’m not sure if it’s to keep from punching each other or just because they don’t want to cause a scene. I feel as if I’m in a silent movie with armless actors. I make my way toward them, but Ian and Ryan stop me.
“Don’t go there,” Ian says.
“I—”
“No, let Aaron handle his ass. We tried, and it worked until he walked in on you hugging your ex.”
I widen my eyes. “I wasn’t hugging my ex. He tried to kiss me, and I pushed him away.”
Ryan jerks his head in Dex's direction. “Not what he saw.”
“Well, he’s a dumbass for a lot of reasons. That’s just one more.”
“You’re right, he is. But he’s in love with you, and he doesn’t know how to handle his feelings very well. Let him get his ass chewed by your older brother and then come to you. The more you run after him, the more he’ll think he was right.”
I guess Ian knows his bestie better than I do. I wasn’t staying away because I thought he would come for me; I was staying away because I thought we wouldn’t make it. I was as surprised as Bruce was when Dex appeared from nowhere. I keep wondering why he came. If he came for the obvious reason—to talk to me—I’m not certain what he wants to talk about.
“As for helping me with my plan,” Ryan says, “I’m sorry. If I had known he’d been in the hospital the week before, I wouldn’t have asked him for help. That’s the problem with keeping secrets. If it makes you feel better, I hired someone, but now he’s just controlling the poor wedding planner.”