Page 87 of Ink Me Three Times
“Mm,” he grunts again, tapping his pen against his sketchbook. “Yeah, big deal.”
I feel the weight of the silence creeping back in. It’s like I’m talkingathim, notwithhim. But I try to shake it off.
“So, Freddie’s got Penny today, right?” I ask, not really sure why I’m asking, but I need to fill the space.
"Yeah," Mitchell replies, his voice a little too clipped. “Ivy is…” He sucks in a sharp breath before continuing. “Not working for some reason. Freddie didn’t say much.”
“Right.” I try to make myself focus on my sketchbook again, but the lines blur in front of me. I’m not drawing anymore. I’m just... thinking.
It’s like we’re all in our own little worlds, and none of us knows how to bridge the gap. Freddie’s spinning his wheels, Mitchell’s consumed with the convention, and me? I’m just sitting here, waiting for something to snap us out of it.
I push myself up from my chair, needing a break from the stagnation of the shop. The tension is starting to crawl under my skin, and I’ve got this gnawing feeling like if I don’t get out of here, I’m going to lose it. It’s one of those days when the air feels too thick to breathe.
I grab my jacket and step out the back door, letting the cool, crisp air hit me. I’m not hungry, not really. But I need to clear my head, so I decide to grab a sandwich from the corner store. The walk will do me good.
Mitchell probably needs a moment away from me as well.
I make it halfway down the block when I spot her.
Ivy.
It’s not like I’m looking for her. Hell, I didn’t even know I was looking until I saw her. But there she is, standing outside thecafé with a woman I don’t recognize, both of them laughing at something she’s said.
And Ivy?
She looks... stunning. She looksamazing. The soft sunlight hits her in all the right places, making her hair shimmer like honey, her skin glowing with that sun kissed look she always seems to have.
She’s wearing one of those oversized sweaters that barely covers her hips and a pair of ripped jeans that… fuck. That’s all it takes. She doesn’t even need to be wearing anything fancy to make my heart stutter.
For a second, I forget everything, the silence between us, the unspoken tension. I’m just standing there, watching her, and I can’t help it. I feel this tightness in my chest, like it’s all been building up to this moment where I can’t stop myself from wanting to reach out. To close the distance. To fix things.
But then she turns, catching sight of me from the corner of her eye.
Her face lights up for the briefest second, but then that flash of recognition flickers and is replaced by something more uncertain. She tugs at the sleeve of her sweater like she’s not sure what to do next.
And before I can even open my mouth, she waves at me, a hesitant but warm smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Timothy," she calls out, her voice like a breath of fresh air.
I take a step toward her, my heart still trying to catch up.
“Hey,” I say, voice a little too raspy. She looks beautiful, and I can’t seem to stop the words that come out. “You, uh, look great.”
She smiles again, but there’s something guarded about it. “Thanks. You too. What’s going on? You alright?”
I try to shove aside the lump in my throat. I want to tell her everything, to ask why she’s been so distant, to apologize for notfiguring this out sooner. But it feels like there's an invisible line between us, one that keeps pulling tighter with every second I stand here.
“I’m good,” I say, clearing my throat. “Just... grabbing some lunch.”
She glances over at her friend, and I follow her gaze. That’s when I really see the woman standing beside her. Tall, with sharp features and a mischievous glint in her eyes. She’s holding a coffee cup, but there’s a knowing look in her gaze when she looks me over.
"This is Olivia," Ivy says, motioning toward her friend with a small smile. “Olivia, this is Timothy. He’s, uh…” She glances at me, like she's unsure of what to say next. "He’s one of the tattoo artists at Ink & Iron."
Olivia’s grin stretches wider. “Ah, theinfamousTimothy,” she says, a teasing lilt in her voice. “Nice to meet you.”
Okay, so she knows everything…
"I, uh..." I start, but Olivia’s already laughing, cutting me off with another smirk.
