Page 251 of Love Unwritten
When your girl mentions she wants a new tattoo, book her an appointment.
My mouth falls open as I rip at the sealed envelope and pull out an appointment card for the local tattoo studio in town confirming today’s date and scheduled timeslot.
I had casually mentioned wanting a new tattoo in passing one night, right before Rafael had fallen asleep, so I thought he forgot.
I should have known better. If Rafael has proven anything over the last eighteen months of us dating, it’s that he is always listening and taking notes for his rule book.
With a skip in my step, I rush to his home office and throw open the door.
“You booked me an appointment?” My voice squeaks with excitement.
He holds up a finger, his lips pulling at the corners as he says, “We can meet again in a week to discuss.”
My cheeks burn as someone on the other end of the video call says something before ending the meeting.
I wince. “Sorry.”
He rolls his chair out from underneath his desk, and I walk over to take a seat on his lap. I drape my arms around his neck and pull him in for a kiss.
He pulls away before I have a chance to deepen it. “I take it you like the surprise?”
I poke at his chest. “Who knew you were such a romantic?”
His nonchalant shrug is endearing. “I have my moments.”
“Will you come with me?”
His eyes light up. “Yes.”
I drop a quick kiss on his cheek before jumping off his lap. “I need to go figure out what I want.”
His brows pinch together. “You don’t know?”
“No!” I have a hundred different ideas saved on my phone.
He smacks my butt with a grin. “You only have a few hours, so better get to it.”
We drop Nico off at Josefina’s house before heading into town. Anika, my tattoo artist, has been seeing me since I received my very first one. It’s been some time since I’ve seen her because life has been hectic.
When I flipped through the concepts I had on my phone, none stood out to me, so I shot her a text and requested a special design.
While Anika preps her station, Rafael paces the small room, grumbling under his breath about me not letting him see the tattoo until she is done. I would hate to ruin the surprise before Anika finished, so despite his protests, I hold strong.
“You can always wait outside.”
He casts a stern look in my direction. “No.”
“Then quit pacing and come hold my hand.” I pat the empty stool beside my chair.
He mutters something under his breath before taking a seat while Anika prepares my right wrist for a new tattoo. She hunches over me, the tip of her needle piercing the blank skin on the inside of my wrist.
By now, I’m used to the temporary pain associated with getting a new tattoo, so I don’t flinch while Anika completes the custom-made design. Rafael keeps my mind occupied with a few stories, including one about the six cats who made our barn their home.
I’m so caught up in that one that I lose track of time until Anika announces that she is all done. Like Rafael, I didn’t take a peek at the tattoo until now, and I’m glad I waited.
My eyes water as I glance over at the new tattoo. Three hibiscus flowers, one of which is smaller than the other two, share a single stem that forms into a treble clef.
The design is stunning, and Anika’s fine-line work is phenomenal, but the meaning behind the tattoo is what matters most to me.