Page 24 of Poison Pen
Coming to stand beside me, Violet weaved her arm through mine, pulling me close as she moved me around the dusty space, taking me back to the door we had recently entered through.
The same door I had peered through not too long ago, dreaming a dream I never really thought I’d achieve, no matter how badly I’d wanted it.
Now, Violet was handing it to me on a silver platter, and I wasn’t sure what to do with any of it.
“Walk me through it, Ricki. Tell me what you see when you look around.”
“Seriously, Vi? I don’t think—”
“Exactly,” she cut me off with a gentle hip check. “Don’t think. Just feel. Let your heart show you what this place could really look like.”
“You’ve been watching too many of those home renovation shows, babe.”
“Shut up and dream, you cranky witch.”
Reaching once again to the pendant—the one I refused to ever take off—I huffed out a small laugh, then did as she asked and closed my eyes, drawing on the vision I’d had while standing outside this space only a few short days ago.
I absolutely did not think of the hot bearded man I’d also met that day, and how disappointed I was that I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of his sexy ass since the day he’d cleaned the blood of my face and kissed me stupid.
Nope. Sure didn’t. Not at all.
Liar.
Shaking off my irritation at being ghosted, I focused instead on exactly how I wanted to see my very own tattoo shop look, now that the possibility was at my fingertips.
“Dark,” I said, opening my eyes and looking—really looking—at the shop. “I want the walls to be dark, like a charcoal or even a deep plumb color.”
“Yes,” Violet breathed beside me, her fingers gripping my arm in excitement. “What else?”
“Leather and chrome. I want everything to be sexy, even the furniture.” Turning around, I faced the large window that looked out onto the street. “A big sectional here, something really comfortable and chic, with a coffee table covered in art books.” Spinning back, I gestured to one side. “The desk there, something retro, or no—Gothic!”
“With wrought-iron filigree?”
“Of course,” I agreed. “And matching pendant lights hanging from chains.”
“I love it!”
So did I; my heart was racing at just the thought of it. Decorating a space that was fully mine, throwing in every aspect of my personality and not having to answer to anyone about any of it.
It was too good to be true.
“I just don’t feel comfortable with this idea, Violet.”
“Why?” she asked, rolling her eyes in exasperation. “We’ve gone over this. We’d be partners, Ricki. You’re the talent, I’m the money. Well,” she paused, tapping one finger on her lips dramatically. “I guess Edith would be the money, but she’s made her choice, and now it’s my decision.” Gripping me by the arms, Violet squeezed, her eyes wide as she stared at me.
She looked a bit crazy.
“I can’t think of anything better to invest my new found fortune in than my very best friend.”
“But,” I started, wishing I could feel as enthusiastic as she did. I wanted to, but I was hesitant; anytime things in my life looked like they were headed in the right direction, something always came along and swiftly reminded me that I wasn’t meant to actuallyhavegood things. “What if...what if the place is a failure?” I whispered, having trouble actually saying my biggest fear out loud. “What if I can’t make it work, Vi?”
“Hey.”
Blinking rapidly, I did my damnedest to erase any evidence of emotion from my eyes before I looked at my friend, but I could tell the second I did that she wasn’t buying it.
“Ricki,” she said, reaching for my hands and clasping them tightly in hers. “Who is the baddest chick I know?”
I rolled my eyes.