What To Read After FSOG: The Gemstone Collection Part Two (161 page)

“Always.” Jess beamed at her. “Is Karen already here?”

Mina nodded. “She should be waiting inside with Eric. He’s the artist who did my tattoo.”

“Karen knows him? I thought she hated tattoos.”

“She doesn’t hate them. She’s just afraid of needles. Eric is here because the tattoo shop owner asked him to be a part of the photo shoot and Karen invited him to eat with us afterward.”

Jess nodded, clueless that Mina had posed half-naked with Eric and then kissed him right in front of Karen and her camera. That was for the best. Mina didn’t want Jess to get the wrong idea. It wasn’t like she’d made a habit of getting so intimate with guys she barely knew. If anything, the opposite was true. She wasn’t like their mother. In fact, their mother’s behavior was a sort of inversed standard she held herself to. Whenever she examined her own habits and determined that they were exactly the opposite of her mother’s, she was satisfied. She was on the right track as long as she wasn’t on the train wreck of a path her mother had hurdled down.

The lively din of chatter greeted Mina as she opened Ruby’s front door and held it that way for Jess, who rolled through in her electric wheelchair. Butterflies fluttered in the pit of Mina’s stomach as she stepped through the door and it closed, isolating her from the cool, wide-open world outside. Now she was in the relatively small restaurant, in inescapably close proximity to Eric. Any second now she’d see him and he’d see her. They’d lock eyes and then he’d see Jess at her side and he’d know: Mina was already committed to someone in a way she could never be committed to any man. She didn’t have any romantic ties to anyone, but her life was a tangle of responsibilities that didn’t leave room for an outsider, no matter how hot or gloriously tattooed he was. Or at least, that was what she told herself. It was easier than getting her hopes up and being rejected when he saw her as a whole person; a guardian and provider instead of just another carefree twenty-something girl.

“Mina! Jess! Over here.”

Mina turned in the direction of Karen’s voice and saw her sitting at a large table across from Eric. He turned toward them in what seemed like slow motion, and in the span of one impossibly brief moment, Mina noticed everything about him. He was wearing the same simple black jacket he’d worn on the day of their failed coffee date. Today he’d unzipped it, letting the restaurant’s heat flow underneath, where he wore the same grey cotton thermal shirt he’d worn – or rather, not worn – at Karen’s studio. He seemed to have just finished a sip from the glass that rested on the table in front of him, half-full of water, not soda or beer. His choice of beverage supported what Mina had suspected when she’d seen him shirtless – he had to be into fitness. A drop of water gleamed on his lower lip and she waited for his mouth to curve down into a frown. She almost wished it would so that she could write him off and chalk the kiss up to impulsivity.

But he didn’t frown. Instead he smiled as his blue eyes traveled over Jess and then met Mina’s gaze. “Hey guys,” Mina said quietly, feeling somehow defeated as she and Jess approached the table and Eric’s smile didn’t waver.

The low hum of Jess’s chair’s motor quieted as she reached the table and stopped at its edge. “Eric, this is my sister Jess. Jess, this is Eric, the artist I told you about on the way here.”

Eric’s smile widened a little as he extended a hand. “Nice to meet you, Jess. I hear you’re an artist too.”

Jess’s eyes sparkled as she took his hand and nodded. “I like to draw, mostly.”

“The tattoo you designed for your sister is amazing.”

Jess beamed as a hint of color crept into her cheeks. “Thanks.”

Mina unslung her purse from her shoulder and slid her jacket off, preparing to sit.

“Here, give me your purse,” Karen said. “I’ll put it over here with mine so you’ll have more room over there.”

Over there? Suspicion settled over Mina as she eyed the chair beside Karen. She’d deposited her purse directly onto the seat and was already taking Mina’s, putting it with her own. The fact that Karen suddenly thought that handbags required their own seats left only the chair beside Eric open. She settled into it, shooting Karen a suspicious glance.

Oblivious, or perhaps only pretending to be, Karen grinned back innocently.

A waitress appeared out of nowhere, chatted with Karen, looked twice at Eric and finally took their orders. By the time the food arrived they’d made a little small talk and listened to Karen rave about the day’s photos more than once. Mina wished she’d shut up. It would be just like her to ‘accidentally’ forget herself and give a detailed account of their on-camera kiss in front of the whole restaurant. “I’ll be back in a minute,” Mina said, pushing back her chair with a wistful glance at her barely-touched grilled shrimp and veggie kabobs. “Jess, do you want to come to the restroom with me?”

Jess shook her head, rendered speechless by a mouthful of fries.

Mina breathed a small sigh of relief and checked to make sure that Eric’s attention was on his sandwich before shooting Karen a meaningful glance.

Karen downed one last bite of her salad before excusing herself and accompanying Mina.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Mina asked when they were safely inside the restroom.

“Accompanying my best friend to the restroom for an impromptu interrogation, apparently.” She narrowed her eyes at Mina. “Do you even have to go?”

“No, but I need to talk to you without Jess and Eric around.”

“About what?”

“I need you to stop talking about the photo shoot.”

Karen looked flabbergasted. “Why? It’s the reason we’re here celebrating.”

“Because Jess doesn’t know the particulars about the photos and I don’t want her to know if and until I decide to tell her about them myself.”

Karen finally sobered up. “Oh, Mina. It’s not that big of a deal. I mean, there were a couple photos where your silk slipped a little, but I deleted them before we left the studio, I swear.”

Mina shook her head. “The poses were just really intimate. I don’t want Jess to get the wrong idea and think that I’m…you know…”

Karen shrugged. “What? An awesome model?”

“No. Promiscuous. I don’t want her to think I’m promiscuous.”

Karen rolled her eyes. “Trust me, Mina. You’re the last person in danger of being accused of promiscuity.”

Mina ignored Karen’s last remark. “Please just try not to mention the photos anymore tonight. There are lots of other things we can talk about.”

“Okay.” Karen smiled and turned for the door, presumably thinking of her waiting salad.

“Wait.” Mina laid a hand on her arm. “One more thing.”

Karen paused mid-stride. “What is it?”

“Are you trying to set me up with Eric?”

The blush that flared in Karen’s fair cheeks gave her away.

Mina sighed. “Please,
please
stop trying.”

“No, no Mina. I won’t stop.”

Mina tightened her grip on Karen’s arm, lest she sprint out of the restroom like a red-headed gazelle hell-bent on matchmaking. “Why not?”

“Just hear me out,” Karen said. “After you guys kissed in the studio, I thought that maybe, well… Mina, how long has it been since you’ve had a boyfriend?”

Mina clenched her teeth, biting down on nothing. “That’s irrelevant.”

“No it’s not. You’re only twenty-four and you’ve already given up on trying to find someone. Eric seems like a really nice guy, and he’s sort of just fallen into your lap. If I need to facilitate things to fan the spark that’s already there, then so be it.”

“I haven’t given up on finding someone. I’m just not interested in a relationship right now.” Her cheeks warmed as she lied smoothly.

“That’s ridiculous. Nobody deserves to be alone, least of all you.”

“I don’t have time for a boyfriend.”

“Yes you do. You’re here now, aren’t you? There’s no reason why you and Eric couldn’t be here together alone next Sunday.” She donned a mischievous grin. “I’d be glad to hang out with Jess if you feel guilty about leaving her behind to go on a date.”

Mina shook her head. “It’s not just that.”

Karen donned an incredulous look, her red brows climbing her forehead. “Then what is it?”

Mina leaned back against the side of an empty stall with a sigh, her resolve not to talk about the issue wavering. “Karen, I’m
boring
.” The rest of her confession tumbled out in a rush. “You’re right – Eric does seem like a really nice guy, plus he’s super-hot. Women probably come on to him all the time. Someone like me wouldn’t be capable of holding his interest for long.”

Karen looked at Mina like she’d sprouted a set of antlers. “Boring? Seriously? Mina, you’re one of the most beautiful and interesting people I know.”

Mina rolled her eyes. “You have to say that. You’re my best friend.”

But it was too late. Her green eyes glinting dangerously, Karen had already settled a hand on either of Mina’s arms. “This is for your own good.”

A spike of alarm pierced Mina’s annoyance. “What?”

Karen began steering her toward the door. Mina tried to resist, but the soles of her shoes slid effortlessly over the smooth floor tiles, unable to gain traction. The door was perilously close. “Karen! Listen, you don’t understand. Eric already asked me on a date and I—”

Karen pushed the door wide open, ending their private conversation.

“…blew it,” Mina finished under her breath. She leaned in close to whisper in Karen’s ear as they made their way toward the table. “I am never going to pose for you again.”

Karen ignored her, settling down in front of her salad with a cheery grin. “Did we miss anything exciting?”

Jess piped up with a smile. “Eric thinks I could be a professional tattoo designer if I wanted to.”

Karen shot Mina a questioning look and she shrugged, smiling as she settled into her chair, greeted by the tempting aroma of her still-warm entrée. “I bet you could, Jess.”

“I hope you don’t mind me telling her that,” Eric said.

“Not at all,” Mina replied, taking a sip of her iced tea. “She definitely has a talent for it.”

Eric smiled ruefully. “Yeah, well, it’s not exactly the career most people would choose for their kids. I’m sure your parents would rather she went to college.”

That was hardly the case, but Mina let his assumption pass without comment. She wasn’t about to crash the light-hearted dinner with a sudden revelation of her and Jess’s depressing childhoods. She would have liked to let him know that she was Jess’s guardian, since he apparently didn’t realize that, but Jess was already chattering enthusiastically.

“I am going to go to college,” she informed Eric, “art school.” Mina and Karen had already heard all about Jess’s college hopes a hundred times, but Eric was a fresh target. She gave him the briefest rundown of her carefully laid plans that Mina had ever heard, but she was still breathless by the time she finished.

“That sounds like a great plan,” Eric said. “I wanted to go to art school too when I was your age.”

“But you never did?” Jess asked.

He shook his head. “Nah. Life got in the way too fast for me, and before I knew it I was tattooing. I’m sure you’ll get there though.”

The afternoon stretched on, and they all lingered after lunch, with Jess and Karen doing most of the talking. Mina didn’t mind letting them dominate the conversation. Talking a mile a minute just didn’t come naturally to her. Eric seemed content to listen too. Mina watched him quietly, waiting for him to look toward the door or pull out his cell phone and glance at the time. He never did, just sat there looking as if he were genuinely enjoying himself. He was a nice guy. Maybe too nice for his own good. If Mina didn’t intervene, Jess and Karen would talk his ears off. “Come on, Jess. We’d better get going if I’m going to help you with that research paper.”

Jess frowned and cast a glance down at her plate. It was empty of fries, which left her with no excuse to stall. “All right.” Her tone held all the enthusiasm that could be expected of a teenager agreeing to leave someplace fun to do homework.

“Tell you what – we’ll order your dress today,” Mina added.

Jess’s face lit up like a Christmas tree at the mention of her homecoming gown. “Really?”

Mina nodded. Karen had given her a check from Hot Ink for her modeling, and the payment combined with what she’d managed to save was just enough to buy the gown.

“I have to go too,” Karen announced. “I want to get a little rest before I have to come back here to work tonight. Come on Jess, I’ll help you into Mina’s car.”

Before Mina could object they were gone, leaving her alone with Eric as she hurried to don her jacket. When she’d finally done up every last button and couldn’t think of any other ways to procrastinate without being rude, she turned to him. “This was fun.” At least, it had been for her, but maybe that was just a mark of her lackluster social life. He’d probably been bored to death listening Karen and Jess, though he’d managed not to show it.

He smiled as he laid a tip on the table. “Yeah. It was. Can I walk you to your car?”

It was maybe half a minute’s journey away, but Mina didn’t point that out. “Sure.”

He stopped just a few yards outside the door. “Can we get together again sometime soon?”

Mina tried to hide her surprise, but the look that passed through his eyes told her she’d been unsuccessful.

“After all, I owe you a coffee.”

She smiled. “Actually, I think it’s the other way around. You bought me a latte and I abandoned it.”

A sharp gust of wind sent Mina’s hair dancing and he closed the distance between them, invading her personal space in a way that made her want to run through the poses they’d struck together earlier that afternoon in the studio. “Okay. You got me. I just want an excuse to see you again.”

A shiver of mingled delight and alarm raced through Mina’s being. “Really?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Yeah. I’d kind of hoped you’d gleaned that from the kiss, though.”

Beneath the heavy makeup she hadn’t taken the time to wash off in the studio, Mina blushed. He was almost close enough to kiss her again, and her heart was racing as if he were about to.