I shaved, got dressed, and ate breakfast.
By the time I got to Get Ink’d, I’d shed most of my worries over school. This will be good. A distraction I needed. I just needed to not allow myself to get too distracted, especially after dinner with Reagan. Because while I’d felt more sure of myself, even managing to tease him a bit, I’d also been reminded of all the reasons my crush had been so hard. He was kind and generous, smart and astute, and good god, he was sexy.
Get a handle on yourself, Channing.
I pushed open the front door and a massively pregnant Trinity waddled over to embrace me. We laughed as I had to bend over her tummy, but it felt so good to see her again. She was the lone female wolf in the studio, but that made her all the more quick to show how dedicated she was to the team, and the last person to take anyone’s shit. Also, she made fucking gorgeous designs that were full of color.
“Thank God you said yes,” she said as she released me. “I can barely stand right now—how in the hell am I supposed to train someone new?”
Walking in as an employee again brought back a rush of nostalgia. This had been one of the first safe places in my life. I’d learned how to balance work and school here. How to trust people when they offered to help. And this shop had been the place that helped me grow into someone who allowed himself to dream. The smells of cleaner and the buzz of the tattooing machines made me feel immediately at home. I breathed in deep.
Javi was already in his chair and working on a new client, but he looked up at us. “Hey!” He called. “S-so good t-to have you b-back!”
Wanting to show off a bit, I signed to him: Good to be back.
Trinity punched my shoulder. “Are you fucking kidding me? You sign now, too? Yeah, we’re not going to be able to let you leave, handsome.”
Javi’s smile was so bright, it lifted my spirits.
“I’ve only taken a few classes,” I warned, “but hearing about your work at the center made me want to be able to reach all of the kids, so I couldn’t resist when I saw the poster on campus.”
His nose scrunched like maybe he was thinking about crying, and I laughed. “Don’t get all sentimental on me, Javi.”
But when he went back to work, there was no denying that I’d made his day, and warmth bloomed in my stomach. Which is why, when I turned and saw Reagan watching us, I couldn’t help the giant grin that spread across my face. “Reporting for duty, sir.”
...And was it just me, or did Reagan stiffen at my use of sir? I couldn’t quite tell, but I knew my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me when the red crept up his neck to his cheeks. A rush of power and confidence swept through me before I quickly chastised myself.
Nope. Bad idea. Very bad idea. He’s your boss, and he’s made it clear he’s not interested. If he wants something to happen, it’s his turn to make the move. Get a hold of yourself!
Reagan cleared his throat. “Well. Welcome back, Channing. I left you coffee at the front desk. We’ve changed a bit of how we run reception, so Trinity can start training you now—God only knows when she’s going to pop. We’ll figure out your schedule and pay at lunch, okay?”
“Um, yeah. Sounds good.”
His blue eyes were still locked on me, and a muscle in his jaw twitched before he said, “It’s going to be nice to have you around again, Channing.”
He made my name sound like a song, and I gulped before Reagan turned and went into his office.
Trinity chuckled and patted my shoulder, diverting my attention. “Oh, boy. This is going to be fun.”
“I know you’re only referring to my training,” I said quickly, trying to divert attention from my inevitably red ears, “because you love my boyish charm.”
Because I am here to work. That’s it.
She gave me a knowing wink. “Yep. That’s totally it.”
As she began to go over the new procedures, I couldn’t help how my eyes drifted back to the office where Reagan was. It was as if there was a rope tying us together, and it was tugging tighter and more insistent by the minute. Trinity elbowed me a few times, teased me often, and eventually reared her