Page 7 of Ghost of a Chance
“Maybe.”But she’d never know.K.L.was in charge today and then Kirsty had a flight home and the return to her real life.
She just shrugged as she finished her hair, then put on her trademark thick black eyeliner and bloodred lipstick.She stood to check out the temporary tattoos she’d applied earlier.The largest was the all-seeing eye held by two hands just below her neck.It stretched between her collarbones.The hands were detailed with runes for courage, energy and grace.The basic lines giving her strength as much as they enhanced her image.
Glancing at the butterfly on her wrist, she shook her head.It was bigger than she’d expected since she hadn’t known what size a 50 cent piece was.But she loved the dark purple wings and the delicate black-and-white dotted details.Running her finger over it she smiled.
This was something that was always the same.K.L.or Kirsty.Her one permanent tattoo came after a night of doing shots.Clearly she had a pattern with tequila and questionable decisions.
She looked nothing like she usually did.
There was a big part of her that felt like this was her true self.The hair, makeup and tattoos changed the way people reacted to her.And she felt seen.No longer the invisible “Kristy” but someone people wanted to know.
Gia came over to check out the new tattoo design for the sleeve she wanted to get permanent at some point.She was slowly filling in a sleeve design in the shape of a ribbon that had the titles of all of her books.In between the titles were elements from each of them.Such as the haunted dagger from the third book, and the mirror that had held the spirit of an English gentleman in the second one.
“I like the rose, it turned out really well,” Gia said.
“Pablo is a genius.I’m actually almost ready to commit to getting them for real,” she said.
“What?I thought blood creeped you out.”Gia’s laughter made Kirsty smile.
“It does.Maybe I’ll do some shots to get through it.”
“Ugh, was that what you did last night?”
“It was good.He just…was so bizarre this morning.But nothing looks as good in the light.”
“I see K.L.has arrived.”Gia wiggled her eyebrows.“Ready to head to the studio?”
Wearing the Doc Martens that her mom had scrimped and saved to buy for her senior year she tromped down the hall after Gia.Last interview and then she’d be home.
“How’s the book coming?”
“Great.Just like I hinted at to my editor.”
“Like you hint at talking to the dead?”
“You know me too well.”
Gia wrapped her arm around Kirsty.
“I love you.You’ve got this.Writing on the road never works for you.”
“What if I can’t finish this one?My readers have been waiting for Crispin’s story.”
“You did a great job of teasing us with him.You can definitely finish your book because you need the money.”
Kirsty laughed.“Right.Forgot I wasn’t born with generational wealth.”
“That’s what makes you so cool.”
“Yeah, that’s it.”
She was going to be confident and witty, despite the hangover that was stubbornly refusing to go away.Weird night or not, Kirsty was a professional, and she’d worked too hard to let something so minor get to her.Putting on her dark sunglasses she followed Gia to the Uber.For a hint of a second, the image of Jasper singing with her last night flashed into her mind.
There was no denying there had been something between them.
* * *
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