Chapter 6: Sneaky

SLOAN

“Okay, so what is going on with that pretty little wrist?” Kade asks.

“A heart?” I wonder out loud.

“Nope, too simple… What’s something only Sloan would want that no one else would understand?”

“A clover.”

“Good, why?”

“My dad is Irish, my favorite song is ‘Crimson and Clover,’ and the shape is kind of like the petals on a lilac.”

“See, you’ve thought about this.”

“I have.”

He starts to sing the lyrics to the chorus.

“Are you serenading me now?”

He grins. “It’s a good song.”

“It’s ~romantic~. He doesn’t really know her but…”

“Yes…? Sloan?”

“Um.”

“It’s okay, I already know what you were going to say.” He smiles like he’s won.

“You don’t.”

“Gonna tell me?”

“Nope.”

“Then I guess I’ll just have to fill in the blanks.”

I laugh. “You’re rotten.”

“I’m growing on you.”

I giggle. “Like a fungus.”

My phone beeps. It’s another text from Archie.

Archie

Don’t be silly. Are you that mad?

Instinctively, I chuck the phone on the floor.

Kade jumps. “What?”

“Archie.”

“Don’t answer him. Don’t look at it until you feel better.”

“I’m not going to feel better for a while, and then he’s going to get mad at me.”

“So, what? You’re mad at him. Feelings are good.”

“He called me silly,” I admit sadly.

“Sloan, you’re not silly for caring about your work.”

“It’s just so annoying. I don’t want to go to my own party alone.”

“I’ll be at the party...” Kade lets his words hang in the air.

“I know.”

“So, you won’t be alone.”

“It’s not just that. I think I secretly thought that if Archie saw what I did, he would be proud of me,” I admit.

“He should be.”

“When I told him about the party, he said I was blowing up balloons and serving snacks and it was no big deal. He’s always shutting me down before I can explain anything.”

Kade reaches across the car and holds my hand, and it gives me butterflies. I can’t bring myself to pull away.

“Kade?”

“I’m just supporting my friend,” he says sweetly.

He’s right; this is no big deal. ~But then why does it feel so big? Why am I so nervous? Archie never holds my hand anymore.~

“Look, we’re here,” he says, smiling.

“Now I’m nervous.”

“Why?”

“How bad does it hurt?”

“It hurts, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.”

“Are you sure?”

“You’re stronger than you think, and I’ll even hold your hand.”

“No backing out now,” I say, hoping that if I say it out loud, I might just believe it.

“That’s right, let’s go.”

Kade walks into the tattoo shop, and everyone smiles and waves at him like they know him. He walks straight up to a big, tall guy, and they hug. “Brooks, I need a personal favor.”

“What’s up?”

“Sloan, here, is getting her first tattoo, and she needs it right now.”

Brooks smiles at me and looks me over. “Never been one to say no to a pretty lady. Come on. So, what are we doing?”

“I want a clover on my wrist.”

“How big?”

“I don’t know, like, the size of a quarter?”

“I think that’s perfect,” Kade assures me.

“Color?” Brooks asks.

Kade smiles. “Sloan?”

“Uh, I guess, I didn’t think about that. Green isn’t my favorite... Maybe just black?”

“And purple,” Kade adds. “Like LILAC.”

“Yeah, okay, I like it.”

“Light purple, not dark,” Kade clarifies, and it just reminds me how much he listens to what I have to say.

“Give me just a minute to make a stencil,” Brooks says as he stands up.

“Kade, I’m so nervous, I feel like I’m going to pass out.”

“It’s okay, look at me, at my eyes.”

I look into his eyes.

“Now, take a breath and hold it... Okay, let it out slowly.”

“Wow, that actually worked.”

“Old stage fright trick,” he says.

“You get stage fright?”

“Not so much anymore.”

“I hear you’ll be selling out stadiums soon.”

“Who said that?”

“The event planner was saying you’re about to blow up.”

He chuckles. “I don’t know about that.”

“You sounded good today.”

“Aw, Sloan, that’s the nicest thing you ever said to me.”

I laugh. “Shut up.”

He chuckles. “It was nice while it lasted.”

Brooks comes back and shows me two stencils. “Okay, here are two sizes. See what you think.”

“Kade?”

“It’s your tattoo, babe.”

“Babe? Is Kade Lawson off the market?” Brooks chuckles.

Kade blushes. “It just slipped out.”

Brooks laughs. “Yeah, okay. Which one?”

“Sloan is my friend...and I like the smaller one.” Kade smiles, but his cheeks still look pink.

“Me too,” I agree.

Brooks grins. “Okay, let’s do it.”

After he places the stencil, I actually think it looks really cute and I can’t stop smiling.

“Are you ready?” Brooks smiles.

“As I’m going to be.” I reach my free hand toward Kade, and he slips it into his.

“You just have to try not to move. If you need a break, tell me, but this should be quick,” Brooks assures me. He touches the needle to my skin, and it almost feels hot instead of painful.

I glance at Kade, and he’s smiling but he’s looking at me instead of watching the tattoo. Kade’s grip on my hand is comforting, and I actually feel really calm.

Brooks is almost done with the black outline when I realize what is actually happening. ~Archie is going to blow a gasket.~ I start to giggle when I think about it.

Kade chuckles. “What? Does it tickle?”

“No, I was just thinking about what Archie is going to say.”

“Is he going to really be that mad?” Kade asks, almost like he doesn’t believe it.

“His head might explode.”

He grins. “Can I watch?”

“You’re so bad.”

“You like my bad-boy side,” he says, obviously flirting.

“Kade!”

I check out the tattoo, and Brooks is about halfway done with the purple.

“Kade, keep distracting me.”

“Hmm, okay, tell me what you would do with one million dollars?”

“That’s tough, but I would probably pay off my parents’ house for them, then find a house for myself and save the rest.”

He laughs. “That’s way too sensible.”

“Maybe I would buy some really expensive shoes and then save the rest,” I admit.

“Shoes?”

“You know, designer heels or some really sexy boots.”

“Boots, go with the boots.”

“Why, what would you do?” I ask.

“Travel, I think.”

“Where to?”

“Funnily enough, probably Ireland. And maybe around the UK and then Germany and Italy.”

“Wow, that’s a long trip.”

“Yeah, like take a year off, live for once. Really live.” He smiles wistfully.

“I like that; it’s better than shoes.”

“I’d bring you with me.”

“Me, why?”

“We’re best friends, right?”

“You’re so sweet.”

“Tick.”

I laugh. “Dammit, Kade, I’m going to regret ever telling you that, huh?”

“Maybe… Or maybe I’ll just prove to you that it’s actually me.”

His words flood into my chest and suck the air out of me. ~How can he be so sure about this?~

“All set,” Brooks interjects. “What do you think?”

“Wow, I actually really love it. Thank you so much.”

“Here, let me wrap you up,” Brooks says as he starts to clean up my tattoo.

While he’s cleaning and covering my tattoo and giving me after-care instructions, Kade goes to pay for the work.

“Kade! Why did you do that?”

He smiles. “It’s only fair. I made you get it.”

“You’re too nice to me.”

“Hate to sound like a broken record, but, ~tick~.” He laughs, and I smack his shoulder.

“Feisty,” he says, raising an eyebrow.

“Thank you, Kade, seriously.”

“You’re welcome, but it’s just because now you’re never going to be able to look at that and not think of me. I’d pay any day for that.”

It’s true! I’m going to be eighty years old, and my grandkids will be like, ‘Why do you have that?’ and I’ll remember Kade.

“You’re sneaky.”

“Mm-hm. Come on.”

“Where are we going now?”

“We have beer to finish at your apartment.”