“Have you started yet?”
“No, she just put the image on my back with the transfer. Nothing permanent.”
“Okay, then please, please reschedule. I need you to come to the house now.”
“I haven’t even eaten yet tonight, Marj.”
“You can eat here. Felicia always makes enough to feed an army. You know that.”
I let out a heavy sigh. There was no arguing with Marj when she got like this. I would either have to go to the house or pay for it later.
“How the hell do you expect me to get there? Hitchhike?”
“Take a cab. You know George is always out in his cab. I’ll pay for it.”
I was getting pretty tired of Marj offering me money. I could pay my own cab fare, for God’s sake. But she clearly needed me there. Fine. I hung up and turned to Haley. “I’m so sorry, but could we reschedule? That was my best friend, and she has an emergency.”
“Sure, no problem. I’ve already got everything ready to go, so all we need to do is book you for a couple hours some other time.”
“Do you need me to make a payment now?”
“No. I’ll just collect it when we’re done.”
“Great. I totally appreciate this. I’m really excited about getting this tattoo.”
“Well, you have it in black and white right now, although it’ll wash away when you take a shower in the morning.” Haley laughed.
“I’m looking forward to having it for real with all the vivid colors. Thanks so much, Haley. I’ll give you a call and be back in sometime next week.”
“Awesome sauce.”
Awesome sauce? The manicurist had said that. What the fuck? I found George over at Murphy’s Bar, and he was only too glad to drive me out to the Steels’ ranch. Ironically, he was also the one who’d driven me to Grand Junction the previous Friday.
“I thought you were moving to the city, sweetheart,” he said.
I cleared my throat. “Change of plans.”
A little over half an hour later, I was back at the house where everything had started.
“Thank God!” Marj ran up to me as soon as I came in the door. “Wait here while I go take care of George.”
I shook my head at her. “Oh, no. I already paid him. Now tell me. Why exactly am I here, Marj?”
“You’ll see. I’ve had to keep the ditz talking for the last half hour while you got here. She has the IQ of a spaghetti squash.”
“Why didn’t you just get rid of her?”
“Because I have a plan. For you. And Talon.”
Oh, Lord…
Marj led me to the family room where Talon—my Talon—sat with a blond and blue-eyed curvy vixen.
His face was tense, his lips thin. He looked uncomfortable as hell. Of course, uncomfortable on him was still sexy. His burgundy button-down was open at the neck, a few black chest hairs peeking out. His hair was a mess—a dark, sexy, tousled mess.
“Talon, look who dropped by for a visit.” Marj yanked me by the arm into the family room. “Julie, please meet my best friend in the whole world, Jade Roberts.”
The blondie flounced up and took my hand. “Wicked awesome to meet you.”