Beatrice has just graduated college and returned home to help at her family business: a tattoo shop. She isn't expecting to fall in love for the first time, especially when Michael is so not her type, but one date changes everything. Tattoos everywh...
"I thought you said it was a one-time thing," I said as I saw a text from Luke pop up on Ale's phone that was sitting on the counter.
"What do you mean?" he asked innocently, continuing to sketch on the transfer paper.
"I'm not stupid Ale," I said, not letting him drop the topic this time, "It's been three weeks of you spitting this cazzate and I'm telling you I don't buy it."
He rolled his eyes and looked over at me, raising one of his thick eyebrows at me in exasperation.
"Fine," he said, putting his pen down, "We've been seeing each other."
"Doesn't he live in LA though?"
"Not for long," he smiled, "he's moving here."
I let my jaw drop in shock, "Wait, you guys are moving in together?"
"Oh my God, Bea," he scoffed, "no, he got a job in the area."
"Oh," I said, drawing out the expression as I remembered how Michael had mentioned a while back that he had applied for jobs, "So, no one knows that you guys are seeing each other?"
He shook his head, chewing on his bottom lip in thought, "And it needs to stay that way, okay?"
I frowned at him before agreeing, "Be careful. I don't want you to get hurt when shit hits the fan."
"What do you mean?" he asked, his expression offended.
"I mean, keeping secrets can get messy. How do you date someone if you can't even be out in public with them?"
He shrugged, too stubborn to admit that I was right.
"Seriously, Ale. You shouldn't have to keep your relationship a secret from your family and friends."
"Just worry about your own relationship, okay?" he said defensively, grabbing his things and leaving me alone at the counter.
I didn't mean to upset him, I just didn't want him to get hurt. And I didn't want to be stuck in the middle having to keep this a secret from Michael and the rest of my family.
I sighed and busied myself with making reminder calls for next week's appointments. I was impatiently waiting for tonight when I would see Mikey for the first time in over a week. With Matteo starting as a new apprentice, I've been doing a lot more of the front desk shifts, which means I've been getting off a lot later than usual. I was going to be meeting him for live music night at his coffee shop at 7.
When it was finally time to leave, I gave myself a once over in the mirror clients used to check their designs out. I brushed my hair back so it was behind my shoulders. I sighed at my visible scar below my exposed collarbone and replaced my hair so that it was covering that side of my chest.
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(Outfit)
I called out to Matteo that I was heading out so he could come and take over the front.
