Catching Feelings

29

I hang up the phone and sit it on the coffee table after getting Bobbi's voicemail for the hundredth time.
"You heard from B? I haven't talked to her since earlier..." I ask Dan, attempting to mask my concern.
He  nods his head and plucks a few strings on his guitar "Yeah, Fredo said  something about the two of them going snowboarding. Hey I was thinking  if we changed this up..." he plays a few chords "to this..." he plays them  again slightly differently "Then you could throw a little run in...it  would fit."
I nod, barely listening "Yeah whatever...that's fine. When were they going?"
He  shrugs and turns his attention back to his guitar. He starts in on the  talk of the changes in the song again, but I instantly tune him out.  We've been trying our hardest to work through and move passed  everything...and it's a little better every day, but to say things are  back to normal would be a lie. Still it doesn't explain why she didn't  ask me to come with them...she knows I love to snowboard.
I suddenly stand "I'm gonna go check and see if they're back real fast."
He nods but continues to focus on the chords as I head out.
I  make my way down the hall, passed the two rooms that separate ours and  knock, waiting through a few moments of silence before knocking again. I  turn to head back to find her and Fredo rounding the corner.
I  smile, refusing to let on that she's hurt my feelings by not inviting me  "Hey guys...I was just stopping over to see if you were going to come  with me."
She leans in to accept my kiss "Come with you where?"
"Didn't you get my text? I'm going to get a new tattoo...come with me."
"No,  I haven't checked my phone...left it in the room so I wouldn't lose it.  But yeah, give me a few to get changed and everything and I'll go with  you."
I squint my eyes in annoyance "You just left your phone? You  know I hate it when I can't..." I realize this shouldn't bother me and  stop myself mid sentence "Yeah, that's fine...take your time. Come get me  when you're ready."
She nods and ducks into her room, leaving me in  the hall with an uncomfortable looking Fredo "It was last minute  Justin...we just kinda decided and you were tied up on the phone or  something so..."
I wave him off "Relax bro...its fine, who cares?"
He looks relieved "Well I just thought...anyway, what are you getting this time?"
I shrug "Haven't decided yet..."
"Alright...well I'm gonna get changed."
I nod and pretend that I'm going to punch him in the stomach as I pass "You jumped...what a pussy." I laugh.
He gives me a shove "I just didn't want you to break your hand."
"Yeah, whatever you say son." I call back without turning around as I head back into my room.
Dan looks up when I come through the door "Find her?"
I sit back down beside him "Yeah, they were just getting back."
Twenty minutes later she taps on the door.
"Hey baby..." I smile, kissing her on the forehead as I give her shirt a little tug "You look cute."
She smiles back "Ready?"
"Yep...lemme just grab my jacket and we're good."
She  asks Dan what he's working on and they talk about it for the few  minutes it takes me to gather my stuff and then we're out the door.
"Guess what?" She giggles with an adorable little jump of excitement.
I wrap my arm around her waist and laugh "What?"
"I'm gonna get one too!" she whispers like it's a secret as her eyes light up, waiting for my reaction.
"Are you serious?"
"Mhmm..." she nods, biting her lip through a smile. "What do you think?"
"I think you'll be a big baby and cry..." I tease "And I also think it's the best thing I've heard all day..."
"Can I get a swag?"
I  lead her into the elevator and lean against the wall, pulling her close  as the doors slide closed "You'll get all kinds of swag later..."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah, and you should get Justin's inked right here." I slide my finger tip across her forehead.
"Oh yeah, that'd be hot." She laughs.
"So hot..." I agree "Just a suggestion."
"What are you getting?"
"I'm thinking about maybe my mom's birthday..."
She shakes her head lovingly "Such a mama's boy."
"Shut up..." I wink, kissing her hand as the elevator comes to a stop and we head out.

***

Surprisingly  there are no other clients in the shop when we arrive or it could just  be that it's because Justin has an appointment and they don't want any  distractions.
I look around at the flash art on the walls but I'm already pretty sure what I want.
He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist "Hey baby...did you decide what you want yet?"
I  lean my head back to rest against his chest. "Yea I think I want to get  the flock of blackbirds under my breast across my ribs"
"You sure....the ribs hurt pretty bad..."
I turn around and smile up at him "Yep I'll be fine...you act like I'm a big baby or something."
He grins n rolls his eyes "No pretending baby girl...you are a big baby."
I shove his shoulder a little "Mm not...you're so mean!"
We  are interrupted by the shop owner Steve "Yo you guys ready? Vanessa and  I are ready whenever you are. Did you decide what you're getting?"
"Yea man..I wanna get my mom's birthday in roman numerals right here..." He points to the area just below his collarbone.
"That won't take long at all..How big do you want it?"
Justin shows him the size with his fingers and he nods "I'll have Vanessa draw it up for you real fast"
He calls her out and explains what exactly Justin wants.
"Bobbi you gettin inked today?"
I  nod and grin "Yea I want a flock of blackbirds on my ribs flying across  here..." I lift my shirt up and show him the area. "I want a whole bunch  of them here then have them gradually spread out...does that make sense?"
He laughs a little "Yea I know exactly what you want...let me go draw it up..this is gonna look sick!"
I wander around the room a little while I wait, checking out the gallery  of pictures on the wall displaying past clients and the impressive work  that they have done while Justin leans over the counter talking with  Vanessa about what he wants.
She's cute...small and pixie-ish with long  black waves with streaks of purple and hot pink scattered here and  there. Her makeup is subtle and expertly applied, a row of tiny silver  rings running along the side of her ear and several silver bangle bracelets  are the only accessories she wears to compliment her simple outfit of  well worn, low slung jeans and black tank top which displays her elegant  and tastefully done sleeves of tattoos. I wouldn't have pegged her as  his type, but judging by the way he's speaking to her, quietly and with a  little grin, I'm wrong. He half whispers something before flashing her a  dazzling smile, she giggles back and then drops her eyes before lifting  them to gaze up at him from beneath her lashes.
I turn away so there's no chance of anyone noticing and roll my eyes. He's shameless flirt by nature, and damn good at it too, and I try not to take it personally.
He  suddenly leans further across the counter and takes hold of her arm to  get a closer look at her tats. I try to pretend to be engrossed in the  pictures on the wall but listen closely as I watch them out of the  corner of my eye.
"This is sick..." he shakes his head and trails his  fingertips over a mermaid that is so expertly shaded it actually looks  iridescent and shimmery against her skin. Well that's a little much, I  think to myself...but resolve to ignore it, that's just his way.
But  when their conversation makes its way back to what he's having done  today he actually pulls his shirt off and takes her hand to drag her  fingers over the place he wants it to go, and I'm suddenly convinced  he's doing this on purpose, and the only reason I can come up with is  that he's still angry with me and this is some sort of strange  punishment. Real fucking mature...well two can play that game I decide. I  know that it's equally immature but at this point, I'm too annoyed and  jealous to care.
"Alright!" Steve announces as he appears from the  back room "Take a look at this Bobbi..." He slides the workup of my birds  across the glass and waits for my opinion.
I slide my eyes in  Justin's direction for a split second and then quietly, so he won't  overhear, inform Steve that I prefer to be called B, before turning my  attention to his draw up. After tweaking the position of a bird here and  there, we're ready.
Steve leads me back into the room where Justin  is already seated, engaged in conversation with Vanessa while she  prepares her supplies and snaps on some gloves. He gives me an excited  smile with a thumbs up, but his eyes quickly narrow in unmasked  irritation when Steve pats the chair I'll be in and asks "Okay B...ready  to do this thing?"
I smile as I slip down into the chair "Ready for the tattoo or did you have something a little more fun in mind?"
Steve bursts into laughter "Man Justin, you got your hands full with this one!"
Justin doesn't bother to pretend to laugh with him and catches my eye instead with a furious glare "Yea...looks like I do."
Steve  pretends not to notice the obvious tension and busies himself preparing  for a few minutes before reaching over to carefully roll up my shirt to  expose the area he'll be working on.
I refuse to look Justin's way even though I can see his head turned in our direction out of my peripheral vision.
But  when he suddenly speaks to Vanessa in that soft, slightly raspy tone I  know so well I can't help it and look his way. "What's this?" He tugs  gently on the little ring in her belly button."
She laughs "I'm actually kind of bored with it...I'm thinking about getting rid of it...I've had it for years."
He pulls it again "No...keep it. Its kinda hot."
It  takes everything I have to ignore him but I somehow manage to turn my  attention back to Steve when he smiles with his tattoo gun and his hand  and tells me we're good to go.