CHAPTER SIX

MACK

“Mack!”

I glance over at Terry standing over at her station. “What’s up?”

“You’ve been a million miles away lately.”

Grinning, I shrug. “Just a lot on my mind.” I don’t elaborate because despite our past I like to keep my private business just that, private.

Terry’s silver snake bite piercing gleams as she smiles. “New girl, huh?” she says with a speculative glint in her dark eyes. The barbell in her tongue pops out as she taps it on her upper lip. “Nice! Good luck.”

I nod and turn back to setting up my station. Trying to follow her conversation across the room it hit me how much I’ve been relying more and more on reading lips. It’s worrisome for a number of reasons.

My client is due in five minutes, so I shrug it off. We’re finishing up a large piece on his back and it’s going to be a long six-hour session.

I love my work, making it easy to get lost in the process. The hours fly by as the piece comes to life under my hands. Full of color, these are my favorite ones to do.

When I clean him off and place the bandage over his tat, energy buzzes through me. I’m tired underneath the buzz, but I’m riding the high of a job well done and a very satisfied customer. The large tip he adds to his bill is appreciated as well.

Living a fairly simple life, I’ve been thankful to have purchased a small house and have my truck paid for in cash. Most of my money gets put into CDs and invested in mutual funds knowing that someday I’m hopeful of having a wife and family and will want to ease back on my schedule. Life as a tattoo artist usually means long evenings and working weekends because that’s what works for the clients’ schedules. I don’t want to miss out on tucking my kids in at night or not spending weekends with the woman I love.

So far, that hasn’t happened for me yet. I don’t want to put so much pressure on my relationship with Sadie, but I can’t help hoping that this is it. Why else would I have been so infatuated with her? And I need to ask more about that matchmaking business she mentioned.

Hoping it’s not too late to call, I make quick work of cleaning my tools and station and go in the back to have a bit of privacy.

The call goes to her voicemail, and I leave a message thinking she must still be at work. Sadie talks about everything while getting her tats done and I know she works as a server in a local restaurant. What her hours are, that I don’t know.

Taking a walk-in client, I don’t get home until after ten. My phone pings with a message right when I walk through my door.

Her messages are like her conversations, full of energy, and it makes me smile.

SADIE: Absolutely! That sounds great. Should I bring anything? Looking forward to seeing you again. And you beat me to messaging. I was planning to call you tomorrow.

“Adorable,” I say out loud.

Charlie, my fifteen pound tuxedo cat, comes running at the sound of my voice and weaves around my legs. It’s only when I crouch down to pet him do I feel the vibrations of his throaty purrs.

“Charlie, did you have a good day?”

He rarely replies but does race into the kitchen expecting me to follow him. Sitting next to his empty food bowl, he glares up and waits for me to do the right thing by giving him a double portion to make up for my lateness with his dinner.

“Sorry,” I say, giving him a cup of food. His yellow eyes go from the bowl to my hand and the glare intensifies. Whoever said cats are dumb animals has never had a cat. They know exactly what they want and have ways of getting it.

“Fair enough.” I give him an extra half-scoop.

With far more dignity than a fat cat should possess, Charlie rises and begins to eat.

Leaving him to his food, I head to the bathroom, stripping and stepping into the shower. After a long day of work, the hot water does wonders for my tired muscles.

I crawl into bed naked as is my custom, and fall into a dreamless sleep.

The next two days are spent busy with work and further planning my date with Sadie. The first one was nice, this date I want to be perfect.

We begin texting each other and every time my phone vibrates anticipation tightens my gut. It’s mostly just random bits about our day and I’ve shared pictures of Charlie with her. I wouldn’t call myself a crazy cat guy, but I enjoy having him. Life gets lonely and having his company makes it less so.

Sadie doesn’t currently have any pets, though she had a cat named Cookie when she was a kid. Her cookie cat tattoo is in memory of him and the idea came to me when she began telling me about him. It remains one of my favorite tattoos that I’ve done and is included in my work portfolio.

By the time our date rolls around and I pull up at her apartment complex anticipation is riding me hard. I can’t recall the last time I was so worked up over something and definitely no dates come to mind.

They say women have biological clocks that start ticking as they get older, and I wonder if the same is true for men. Because once I hit thirty-five the thought of finding someone started becoming more pressing.

In the four years since then, I’ve dated and never seemed to click with anyone. I don’t consider myself a particularly picky person. I like what I like and see nothing wrong with that. I want a woman that I feel comfortable with and that makes me smile. Someone with a fun yet peaceful personality. I’m not interested in head games, nor am I going to work to impress anyone. I’m a simple guy and am not looking to have a woman try to overhaul or change me.

Sadie doesn’t seem to mind my profession or our age difference. It’s not huge since she’s in her late twenties, but I know she could have her pick of men. I’m elated that she’s giving me the chance to show her that we can work as a couple.

I text her to let her know I’m here and she texts back to come on up.

She lets me into her apartment with an apologetic wince. “Sorry, I’m running behind. I promise I’ll only be a few more minutes.” She gestures at her couch and darts into a room and closes the door.

To me she looked amazing in tight jeans and a fluffy mint green sweater that outlined her curves in ways that made my pants tight. I honestly don’t know what else she needs to do.

Taking a seat on the couch, I shift as something digs into my ass. If memory serves me this was Yvonne’s bed for several months while she was staying with Sadie. Ouch. I don’t envy her back. I don’t think I would last a single night on this nightmare.

I get to my feet and look around the apartment. It’s small and a basic box consisting of a living room and a tiny kitchen. It’s also overflowing with knickknacks, paintings, and colorful blankets and pillows in a wide array of fabrics and textures.

Even with the addition of blankets and pillows on the couch, I don’t think that would help it much in terms of comfort. No worries, I have a very nice couch at my place where we can snuggle up together and watch movies.

“What’s that smile for?”

Seeing movement out of the corner of my eye, I turn, and my smile grows. “Sadie.”

Her long blonde hair is swept back into a low ponytail, leaving only some shorter pieces around her face. I cannot pull my gaze away from her. She’s the light to my moth and all I can do is go to her.