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. “OK. 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.
“How about Tuesday?” he asked. “I’m not working late that
“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. “OK. 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.
“How about Tuesday?” he asked. “I’m not working late that
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