“Last time I checked, that ismywork station. I can charge what I feel is necessary as long as I pay my booth fee.”
“Well,” she snorts. “You’re never going to make any money if you keep doing shit like that.”
Today is not the day for her to give me crap. It’s been a long, rough, heartbreaking day.
I throw the broom I’m holding down to the floor. “What the fuck is your problem, Bianca? Why do you hate me so much?”
She stands still, mouth gaping open, in shock. I’ve never stood up to her, and I don’t think she expected it. But, I’m done. I can’t take it anymore. If this is what working with her is going to be like all the time, one of us is going to have to go. And it sure as hell isn’t going to be me.
Finally, she finds her voice. “N-nothing,” she stutters.
“Then why Bianca? Why do you constantly bitch me out for no reason? Why do you have to put me down? Try to make me feel like I’m two inches tall?”
“Because you’re better than me, Charleigh.”
Sophia is by the front door, wringing her hands together, unsure what to do. Corey comes out of his office, leaning against the wall. I’m going to safely assume that he’s not going to do anything to stop this. It’s been brewing for far too long.
“How in the hell do you figure that?”
She walks up to one of my drawings hanging on the wall. “Do you not see this? Do you not see how fucking talented you are? It’s intimidating. I’ve been working in this shop for a while, and I knew there would be a day when people would want you to design their tattoos over me.”
“That doesn’t even make sense. I’ve admired you since the moment you started tattooing here,” I yell. “You are the only one besides Corey that inspired me to continue my apprenticeship. That made me want to do better.”
Bianca is quiet for a moment, dumbstruck. “You look up to me?” She asks like it’s hard to believe. She is ridiculously talented, but her bad attitude isn’t winning her any favors.
“Why do you think I followed you around at the beginning? It’s because I wanted to learn from one of the best female tattoo artists in our area.” I walk up to her, slowly. Worried she’s going to react like a caged animal and attack as soon as I’m near enough. “Look, I know how hard it is for women in this industry at times, but it’s never going to get better if we constantly tear each other down.”
Her body hiccups, tears streaming down her face. “I’m so sorry. I let my own insecurities get in the way of everything.”
I pull her to me, wrapping her in my arms. I don’t know why made her feel the way she does, but it had to have been awful. She may have been horrible to me, but I can’t do that to her. It’s not the way I’m built.
“It’s okay,” I whisper.
“It’s not,” she replies. “I just hope you can forgive me.”
I already have. Through all the times she was horrible to me, I tried not to let it affect me. I brushed her words off because that’s what they are…words. They can only hurt me if I give them that power. Besides, I don’t know what demons she’s fighting in her own life.
This moment shines a little bit of light on my day. It may have started out like shit, but finally working things out with Bianca makes me feel a little better and lifts a small weight off my shoulder. Now I just need to figure out what I’m going to do about Jake.
Nineteen
Jake
It’s been two days.Two freaking days since I’ve talked to Charleigh. I have no idea what she’s thinking or doing. It’s definitely not because I haven’t tried getting a hold of her either. My phone has never been on the verge of dying as much as it has since she stormed out of my truck.
Texts, calls, voicemails…they all go unanswered. I’ve done everything short of showing up on her doorstep. The idea crossed my mind. As in, I was looking to see what flower shops were open at nine at night. But, Tonya and Reaf talked me out of it. They said it would backfire.
Honestly, I’m pretty sure Tonya thought it was hilarious how much of an ass I’m willing to make of myself for a girl. But Charleigh isn’t just a girl. She’s so much more. Funny, smart, talented, and always positive. Even when other people are jerks to her. I just hope she’ll give me a chance to apologize.
Tonya suggested I wait a few days before I show up anywhere she may be, which is why I’m slowly driving by Life in Ink. I can’t see her through all the people in the chairs.
She wasn’t kidding when she said they’ve been crazy busy. A lot of the success comes from the fact that her uncle promoted her from apprentice to artist. I’m pretty sure she hasn’t put two and two together, but she’s the reason they run out of appointments. Word of mouth travels fast when the employees are amazing, and that she is.
The next street will lead me to the highway or another street to go around the block again. I pause, debating which way to go. When the light turns green, I take a right, leading me back to Asheville. I don’t really want to show up at her work to talk to her. That’s her territory, and quite frankly, I’m slightly terrified of her uncle.
* * *
“Thank you, Mrs. Foster,”I say as she hands me a bottle of water from the fridge. “I hope I’m not intruding by staying here.”