Page 87 of Finally Mine
“You’re not serious,” Gloria said.
“Would it be weird for you? I’ve got the space…”
“We could do a variation on the design,” Curtis suggested, reloading the tip in the ink cap. “If Gloria’s okay with that.”
She glanced back down at her arm and then up again at him. The connection he felt between them was solid, real.
“As long as he’s not doing something stupid and putting my name on his body,” she decided.
Little did she know how much of her was already indelibly etched into his skin.
48
“Ican’t believe we got matching tattoos on our first date,” Gloria marveled, looking out the truck window. He’d gotten two of her birds tattooed on his chest, soaring above an existing piece that said Serenity, Courage, Wisdom.
“Think of how much fun it will be to tell our grandkids that story,” Aldo suggested, reaching across the console and squeezing her hand.
She snorted and fought back a yawn. After their tattoos, Aldo had taken her out to dinner at a burger joint one town over to celebrate. She’d devoured the burger, fries, and chocolate shake like a woman starved while he plowed his way through a burger bowl—all the burger fun without those pesky extra carbs.
“You’re sure you’re okay with it?” Aldo asked, turning the truck toward Benevolence.
“Yeah, I mean, if I picked a design that’s so amazing a tattoo veteran—pun intended—wanted it, that means I’ve got great taste, right?”
“Exactly. And now that we’ve got a memorable first date in the books, I need to confess something.”
“Oh, God. What? You’re seeing someone else? You don’t think we should see each other anymore? You’re going to dump me now because you’ve re-thought this entire thing and you don’t like women with tattoos? Dammit, Aldo! You promised me tacos next week,” she pretended to wail.
“All of that makes my confession a lot less weird.”
“Let’s get this over with,” Gloria decided. “I want to make sure the liquor store is still open if I need a jug of wine to soothe my wounded soul.”
“The tattoo below the birds?” he began.
“Yeah?”
“That one was my first. It was inspired by you, too.”
“What?” She would have been less surprised if he’d announced he was really into wearing women’s underwear on the weekends.
He sighed, checking the mirror before changing lanes. “Let me start at the beginning. You want to know the exact moment that I decided you were going to be my girl?” he asked, playful now.
“Uh, yeah. I would really like to know that.” Gloria freed her hand and poked him in the ribs. Touching him, being physically affectionate was easy with Aldo. It felt natural.
“I was walking down the hall to the locker room to change for practice. The auditorium doors were open down by the stage, and there was this beautiful girl on stage under a pink spotlight.”
Gloria covered her face with her hands. “Oh, God. I don’t think I can handle this.”
“Shut up, I’m telling a story,” Aldo said, steamrolling her in a most charming fashion. It was funny. Glenn had probably said those very words to her at some point over the course of their relationship, and Gloria’s reaction to them would have been totally different. She would have clammed up, tensing at the warning that she’d gone too far. She’d pushed him too far.
Those same words from Aldo meant something entirely different. Becausehewas different.
“Anyway, there’s this girl in a little denim skirt and a red-and-white striped t-shirt—”
“You remember what I was wearing?” This, right here, was officially the most romantic moment of Gloria Parker’s life to date.
“Quit interrupting. I’m reminiscing here.”
She giggled, an echo of the carefree sophomore she’d been. “Sorry. Please continue.”
