Page 48 of Tattoo My Heart
“How is this any of your business, James?”
In an attempt to look cool, calm and collected, I cross my legs and start bouncing the foot that’s on the floor. When my knee hits the top of the table, I wince in pain. Nobody’s ever said, but I’m convinced there’s a funny bone in the knee, not just the elbow, and I always seem to bang it against something.
“It is my business,” James informs me, the tone of his voice indignant. “You’re about to cheat on my friend. That’s all sorts of wrong and fucked up, Evie.”
My face is on fire at hearing his words. I hate how much they get to me.
“Me and Cal are not together, James,” I remind him. “How would I be cheating on him?”
“It is cheating,” he protests, “if you plan on seeing him just to get off while you know that you’ll be bringing someone else to this famous party you guys are supposed to go to.”
“For your information,” I grind through clenched teeth, “I do not plan on seeing Cal just toget off.”
“Oh.” He raises an eyebrow at me. I want to kick him in the nuts, but he has the baby in his arms. “So, you plan on hanging out with him to get to know him better?”
I stare at James, my mouth opening and closing, unable to form words. What do I even mean?
“Well?” he doesn’t cut me any slack.
More out of spite than anything else, I make a point out of grabbing my cell phone and unlocking it once again, but this time, it is to message Cal.
“Cal,” I say out loud, making sure that James is paying attention. I don’t like the smirk on her his face but continue what I started. “Thank you for spending the night last night.” I am enunciating every word I type. “I had to leave for work early.” James lifts an eyebrow in question, calling me out on my obvious lie since I am at his and Carrie’s house instead of at my shop. “Please help yourself with a cup of coffee on your way out.” And now, the hard part. “I won’t be able to see you again. I am seeing someone, and I hope for it to get serious.” James clears his throat in amusement. If he starts laughing again, so help me God. “I wish you all the best,” I continue my message to Cal. “Maybe we’ll run into each other when we visit the parents. Thanks again,” I say out loud with a flourish.
The room is suddenly quiet. The baby is fast asleep, drooling adorably on James’ shoulder. And since I don’t have anything else to say, I hate the silence. When he doesn’t attempt to comment on the message I just sent to Cal, I can’t resist teasing him.
“Happy now that you know I won’t becheatingon your friend?” I make mocking quotation marks with my fingers when I say the wordcheating.
James is now grinning from ear to ear.
“I can’t wait to hear what Cal has to say about this.”
SIXTEEN
“You gotyourself into quite the mess, dude,” James informs me calmly from where he is sitting in my office at the tattoo shop.
I run my fingers through my messy hair, feeling tired all of a sudden. It’s been two days since I got Evie’s messages. During this time, I’ve been tossing and turning at night and fretting during the day hours, trying to come up with a plan on how to proceed next.
“You have to tell her it’s you who messaged her on the app deal,” James continues lecturing me. “She will be so angry, but the sooner she finds out about that, the better it will be for you.”
“I doubt it.” I stretch my legs in front of me before propping them onto the side of my desk. “She’ll be just as mad no matter what.”
James takes a minute to mull things over.
“Are you just playing games with her? Because that will make my own life hell at home,” he makes sure to add. “Then Carrie will forbid me to talk to you or whatever crazy shit women do in a situation like this.”
I snort in surprise. When did this become about him now?
“No one will be getting forbidden to do anything,” I assure him. My voice sounds a lot calmer than I thought.
“Just let her bring the hockey player dude to the party, then go from there.” James is talking like I never said a word. “Not like they’re going to get married or anything just because they go together to her mom’s party.”
My eye twitches a bit at that piece of information.
“What hockey player?”
James looks surprised by my question.
“Nancy’s nephew,” he explains. “You know Nancy, right? Her employee?” He keeps on asking questions when I don’t reply right away.
