Page 37 of Just Like That
My smile widened. It was nice to see him venturing beyond his typical interests and wanting to try something new.
“I have always wanted to do that! I think it would be fun,” I answered.
JP’s eyes flicked to meet Teddy’s in the rearview mirror. “Sullivan Farms has U-pick hours. I can ask Sylvie if we see her today, and we’ll set something up.”
Teddy grinned. “Thanks, Dad.”
My eyes flicked to JP. His jaw flexed, and he shifted in the same uncomfortable way he always did when Teddy called him Dad—like it physically pained him.
When we made it to town, JP took a side road and parked behind the row of downtown buildings in a parking lot marked for employees only.
I raised an eyebrow as he parked. “Special treatment?”
“Royal owns the tattoo shop, but I own the building.” JP shifted the car to park and got out.
Teddy scrambled to unbuckle and I followed suit. As we rounded the car, a woman came out of the back entrance to the tattoo parlor. She had bleached blond hair that was nearly white. Her tank top revealed arms that were covered in intricate floral designs, and her chunky black combat boots thudded on the concrete. When she smiled at JP, diamond studs in her cheeks that matched the ones lining her earlobes glinted in the late-morning sun.
“Hey, JP!” she called with a wave before pulling a pack of cigarettes from her purse.
JP nodded. “Luna.”
Luna’s eyes moved from JP to me and then down to Teddy. Her smile lifted at the corner. “Family outing?”
JP stuffed his hand into the pocket of his slacks. “Something like that.”
“Smoking is bad for you,” Teddy announced.
Luna lit her cigarette and raised her chin to blow her smoke away from us. “Don’t I know it.” She looked at the burning ember at the end of the cigarette. “Been trying to quit for a while now, but this week is kicking my ass.”
I shrugged. “Mercury, Pluto, Saturn,andNeptune are all in retrograde. Plus, Uranus is on deck. It’s a stacked deck right now.”
JP blinked at me, but Luna’s face lit up as she said, “Will you marry me?”
I laughed. “I’m in no place to marry you right now, but I’m always open to a friend.” I stepped forward and extended my hand. “I’m Hazel.”
With her cigarette dangling between her lips, she shook my hand. “Luna.”
I gestured toward her cigarette. “You can always try St. John’s wort tea, but it tastes atrocious. A tincture of lavender oil, lime, black pepper, and angelica has also been known to help with nicotine cravings.” I racked my brain for what else might help her. “Oh! Lepidolite in your pocket, if you have it on hand.”
Luna pulled her phone from the back pocket of her plaid miniskirt. “What was it again?”
I smiled. “If you want, I can mix a small batch up for you and bring it to the tattoo shop sometime. I think I have everything already ... though I’m getting a little low on lavender oil. There aren’t any spiritual shops in town, are there?”
“Unfortunately not. You have to drive to Kalamazoo for any good metaphysical supplies.” She gestured with her phone. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.” I smiled, feeling like I’d met my first kindred spirit in Outtatowner. “It’s nice to share with someone who gets it.”
Luna grinned back. “I’m a bit of a spiritual channeler myself, so you’re in good company.” Her attention landed on JP, and she winked at him before stubbing out her cigarette. “You are in so much trouble.”
“Okay, let’s go.” JP gently herded Teddy’s shoulders away from the store toward the alley that would lead us to the Main Street sidewalk.
His phone rang and he pulled it from his pocket. Instead of answering it, he silenced the ringer and dropped it back into the pocket of his pants. It immediately rang again, and he ignored it.
As we walked through the alley with Teddy between us, his phone rang again, but this time he silenced it before returning it to his pocket.
“Trouble in paradise?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Just work.”