I shook my head. “I don’t want to wait to go out. I want to leave the house before Colt changes his mind.”
“Changes his mind? Or yours?” She grinned. “I heard he was quite persuasive about the tattoo when you guys were yelling at each other in Charlie’s parking lot.” She gestured to the bandage peeking out from my tank top. “He got his way, didn’t he?”
“How did you know about all of that?” I asked in surprise. I slid out of my denim shorts and then got into the jeans that were on the bed.
“Reap told Rachel, Rachel called me. So can I see your tattoo?”
I gave her my back and tacit permission to move the bandage. “Wow. You really did it.”
“Yeah, I did.”
She concealed the tattoo, ensuring the dressing stuck to my skin. “Why?”
I took a step away to slide the cut T-shirt over my head. “Why? What do you mean why?”
“I mean you seemed pretty adamant about not getting involved with my brother and now you’re not just involved, you’re like, his woman. His Old Lady.”
I smirked at her in amusement and then went to the bathroom to do my hair. “Weren’t you the one who told me Colt was worth it? Loyal, strong, brave. All that stuff?”
“Yeah.”
“Not to mention, he’s wicked good in bed.”
She covered her ears. “And that’s my cue. Meet me downstairs. Hurry up, I gotta drink away what you just said.”
An hour later, Joni and I were sitting in a booth at Shortie’s,a bar in Blue Angel territory. We’d gotten more than a few looks as we entered, much to Joni’s delight. There was no way I was under the radar now. Not with Colt’s T-shirt and his name on my body. Even though the tattoo wasn’t on display, the two burly bikers who’d followed us in and then taken a seat in the corner to watch over us alerted anyone who was paying attention that we were with the Blue Angels.
Colt had been gone by the time I’d gotten downstairs. Zip had stopped by and they had both hopped on their bikes to drive away. I didn’t like that he’d left the house without telling me goodbye.
I wasn’t sure I knew how to do any of what was being asked of me.
“You look so pathetic,” Joni commented, her gaze drifting from me to her pint of beer.
“Me? You look just as pathetic as I do,” I stated. “In fact, whydoyou look so pathetic?”
She sighed. “Trying to tell myself to move on and actually moving on are two different things. I’m bummed Zip didn’t even spare me a glance.”
“Then he’s an idiot. You’re amazing.”
“Thanks.” She shot me a wobbly smile. “I’m going out on a date with a doctor I work with.”
“No way. Really?”
“Really.”
“When?”
“Next week when I get my next night off. He’s cute and funny, but he’s not Zip.”
“Then why even bother if all you’re gonna do is fake it?” I asked.
“Because maybe if I fake it and let some other guy distract me, it’ll take.” She took another sip of her beer. “I still can’t believe you got Colt’s name on you.”
“Yeah, I can hardly believe that myself. It’s been a crazy past few weeks.”
“What made you decide to get the tattoo?” she asked. “When the girls came over, you made it seem like you’d never do something like that. And now you’ve gone and changed your tune.”
“I got your brother’s name on my body because I love him.”