Page 106 of Midnight Ink

I better save my man.

I walk up to them and see the beer in Ian’s hand. It’s definitely not his first. “What’s going on?” I slide into his lap. My beautiful man smiles up at me. “Oh, someone is drunk.” I boop his nose then give him a kiss. He tastes like beer.

“Yes, you’re both fucking adorable, now have you seen my sister?” The last time I saw Luci, she and Bri were arguing. I did not want to get in the middle of that fight. I love Luci to death, but that girl has a temper.

“She’s with Bri.” Damn, he needs to relax.

“Bri left.” He looks around the woods. “They got into a fight.”

“Hey, she’s fine. She’s probably around here somewhere.” I know Jamie feels things for her that he shouldn’t. For one she’s a lesbian with a girlfriend. And two she’s his adoptive sister. Yeah, okay, they didn’t grow up together and are in no way related, but still. I don’t really think he loves her the way he believes.

I love my best friend, but he’s a little fucked in the head. It’s not his fault. He grew up with so much abuse and trauma. I’m happy he’s as adjusted as he is. Still. Luci was the first person to ever be kind to him, and I think he’s crossing the signals.

His dark eyes land on me while mine drift up to the flower tattoo on his neck. Jamie sits well for me, but that tattoo. Fuck, man. That one got him. It’s why I only got the outline done. Necks suck. I told him I had to stop for the day, so he didn’t feel some type of way about it. He likes to push himself. “There are tons of shitbags here looking to take advantage of a drunk girl. I need to find her.” He threads a hand through his hair. “Can you please help me?”

I open my mouth then snap it shut when a swinging ponytail catches my attention. Fuck. Not what we need right now. “Incoming, dude.” Good luck with that shit.

“Wha—oh, fuck.” Exactly what someone should say when they see their girlfriend. Seriously, he needs to break it off. Ailee storms up to Jamie.

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Yeah, and I’m sure he’s trying to avoid you, girl.

“I’m trying to find Lu.” Oh shit, man, she’s going to kill you.

“Well, how about you worry about where your girlfriend is?” It’s dark outside but I can see her icy eyes try to turn him to stone. This dumbass. As soon as they met, I knew there’d be trouble.

“Look, I’m sorry, but Luc⁠—”

“Sometimes I think you like her.” A laugh bubbles out of Ian.

“Don’t laugh,” I whisper then bite his earlobe.

“It’s so obvious it’s painful.” Ian’s head lolls to me. Man, he’s out of it. I don’t drink myself, but I think it’s cute when he gets like this. He’s so rigid and pessimistic. Mr. Raincloud. My stormy man.

“You’re cute when you’re drunk.”

“You’re cute when you talk me into things.”

“I don’t talk you into things.” His brows rise. “I simply suggest with solid data to back me up, and my assessments are so smart you have no choice but to go along with them.”

“You’re an idiot.” He blinks at me.

“Maybe,” I say.

Ian swallows, looking at me.

“But I’m your idiot.”

“I love you.” He kisses my forehead.

We’ve been through a lot this year, getting the shop ready. A lot of fights, a lot of hard days, but he’s never given up on me. He may fight me, or get worried, or overthink, but he’s always believed in me.

Even when I didn’t believe in myself.

“Look at me, drunky.” I hold his gaze, getting him to focus on me with the dopiest smile on his face. “You’re the smartest person I know, with more talent in one finger than most of us have in our whole bodies. You know I don’t believe in the afterlife or any of that shit, but I do believe in luck, and meeting you that day in the diner was the luckiest day of my life.”

Ian swallows, giving me a wobbly smile.

A squeal startles us both and I look up to see Luci, black hair pulled up into a bun, in Jamie’s arms. I watch the doofy as fuck smile on his face. This is painful to watch. “There you are.”