Page 16 of Love at First Ink

“I didn’t give him an answer. But he gave me his business card, and I told him I would text him an answer.”

“And have you?”

Marisol bit her lip. “No.”

“Ah,” she said. “Well, have you not answered because you don’t want to go and don’t want to upset him, or have you not answered because you want to go but are afraid of what your mother will say?”

“That one,” she said. “The last one.”

It didn’t matter that Marisol was thirty years old. It didn’t matter that she had lived apart from her mother for nearly ten years. And it didn’t matter that she told herself time and time again that her mother wasn’t the end-all, be-all. She had not yet figured out how to break the toxic cycle they had developed over her life.

“What about him makes you nervous your mom won’t like him?” Alice asked.

“What wouldn’t she like? He’s a tattoo artist full of tattoos. He wouldn’t exactly fit in at the country club.”

“So, he’s full of tattoos and a tattoo artist. Is that all youcan tell me as to why she wouldn’t like him?” Alice tilted her head to the side.

Marisol shrugged. “I guess I don’t know much about him.”

“Precisely,” Alice said as if she just came to some earth-shattering conclusion. “Appearances can be deceiving, Marisol. We’ve talked about this. You aren’t your mother. You are allowed to get to know people because, if you pass up someone simply because of the way they look, you could be passing up on a chance at true happiness. This isn’t your mother’s life. This is your life, Marisol. You are working on taking that back.

“So, I want you to listen to your gut. If it is telling you to give him a chance, then I think you should take him up on his offer. However, if you truly do not want to date right now, there’s no shame in telling him you aren’t interested. Whatever you choose, make sure it is a decision you aren’t going to regret a week from now,” Alice said. “The best part is that you don’t have to tell your mother anything. You’re thirty, Marisol. You are allowed to make your own choices.”

“I needed to hear that,” Marisol said softly. It was like she needed permission to do something for herself. Just like the tattoo. This was different though. She hadn’t dated anyone since Archie. Their divorce had been pending for over two years now, and in that time, she had not met anyone else. Not even her mother, who once had a list of guys she wanted Marisol to meet, approached her about dating. It was strange, actually. She had thought that since she was divorcing, her mother would be dying for the chance to choose her second husband, but she had been unusually quiet in that aspect.

“It’s okay to take risks and try something different. Plus, a free meal is a free meal.”

“Alice!” Marisol laughed at her cheeky response. Alice only winked.

Their conversation ended soon after that with a promise to see her in person next week. After teaching Alice how to hang up, Marisol was left with nothing but her phone and a choice.

She couldn’t overthink this. She needed to be bold and brave. To be confident like the woman in her tattoo. Repeating that mantra over and over, she grabbed her phone and typed in his number. Before she lost her courage and backed out, she typed her response and hit send.

If the offer still stands, I would like to go with you to the concert next week.

She read and reread the message a hundred times before she realized she didn’t tell him who it was. Right before she could type that out, she received a text.

I’ll pick you up next Saturday at five. Send me your address.

CHAPTER 9

Cisco

Marisol’s apartment was located in the middle of downtown, towering well above the other buildings in the area. A tall linebacker of a teenage doorman greeted him at the entrance and opened the door for him. “Are you visiting, sir?” he asked, voice cracking on the last syllable.

“Picking someone up.”

“Got it. Well, feel free to wait in the lobby. We can ring them if you can tell me their name, and I’ll let them know you are here,” he offered.

“Marisol Roberts.” Cisco already texted her, but in case she hadn’t seen her messages.

He walked over to the small lobby with a few white chairs and a black couch. A table was set up behind the couch with small glass cups and a pitcher of icy water. A bowl of fruit, mostly apples and pears, sat next to it. Cisco hadn’t eaten, opting to get something at the concert or after. In truth, he couldn’t eat because of the anticipation of seeing Marisol tonight.

He didn’t know what it was about this complicated stranger that intrigued him, but he wanted to peel back every complex layer until he found the core of what made herher.He was surprised he heard back from her, and even more surprised Marisol agreed to join him for the concert.

Tiny had taken the news of not going to the concert tonight pretty well. She teased him relentlessly about his date, considering it had been a while since he had taken anyone out. Tiny also demanded he make it up to her by buying her and her friends pizza for their monster horror marathon they were having tonight. Who knew three tiny teens needed five pizzas?

An elevator chimed behind him, and Cisco turned in time to see Marisol walk out. He thought she looked beautiful before, but the woman approaching him made his heart stop.

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