Permanent Ink (Something to Celebrate #1) by Laura Simcox Read Free Book Online Page B

It’s only forty-two degrees outside.”
    Kaley rolled her eyes. “It will be at least sixty by lunch. Besides, it’s springtime.” She gave Blair a once-over. “Not that anyone could tell by your outfit. A turtleneck and a wool skirt? All black? Blair, you’re not in the city anymore.”
    “I have on a red belt,” Blair said. She glanced out at the three-story sandstone school building, where a dozen or so kids were jostling their way through a set of double doors. “You better get going.”
    “I guess.” Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Kaley slipped out of her seat belt and opened the passenger door. “I hate first period. Brandon sits right in back of me, and he’s such a douche.”
    “Ignore him,” Blair said. She smiled, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel.
    It was hard to ignore her own apprehension, though. Ivy had hired her less than twenty-four hours ago. That fact had barely sunk in and today was already the first day on her new job. Correction—first day on her new job with an assistant who had a smile that sent drunk butterflies zinging around her stomach. Every time she thought about how she’d managed to insult Ben yesterday…and his wolfish smile after the fact…those butterflies went into hyperdrive.
    It wouldn’t work. Blair was only staying in town so that she could get out of town.
    “Blair?” Kaley leaned back into the car.
    “Yes?”
    “Congratulations on the cruise-director job. You’ll be great. And your outfit looks…stylish.”
    “Quit calling me a cruise director,” Blair snapped. Kaley giggled in response, and Blair glanced at her cousin’s retro eighties T-shirt, ten or so bracelets, and hot-pink lip gloss. Kaley’s hair was ironed flat as a pancake, except for one wavy spot that she’d apparently missed. “You look nice too, very cute. Brandon will be kicking his own ass for being such an idiot.”
    With a broad smile, Kaley wrinkled her freckled nose, turned and jogged up the sidewalk to the school, her backpack slung over one shoulder.
    Blair pulled away from the curb and drove slowly toward downtown. Despite the temperature outside, the grass was starting to turn green, and a few brave daffodils clustered around mailboxes by the side of the road.
    Spring was in the air. And something else, too. Something besides the nervous energy that jangled through Blair’s fingers. It was hard to pinpoint, but it was an unexpectedly delicious feeling—like when vacation was on the horizon and plans had been made. It was something to look forward to, but she had no idea what “it” was, exactly. She told herself that not knowing didn’t bother her. Much.
    Slowly, she pulled into the parking lot behind city hall and stepped out of the convertible. She walked to the back door, which was held open by a brick. Next to it, a balding, middle-aged man holding a cigarette jerked his hand behind his back and nodded at her. Plumes of smoke drifted up behind his head, and he gave her an innocent look.
    “Morning,” he said. “You Lola’s girl?”
    Blair tried not to laugh. “Morning. Lola’s my aunt, yes.”
    “Uh-huh. Good. You’re not going to tell my wife I’m sneaking a smoke, right?”
    This time Blair did laugh. “I don’t know who your wife is. For that matter…”
    The man dropped the cigarette and ground it out. “Sorry. I’m Joe, the maintenance manager and odd-job guy for the town. My wife is the mayor’s assistant.”
    “Sherry?”
    “Yep. And she’d kick my butt all the way to Syracuse if she knew I was smoking.”
    Blair waved her hand. “My lips are sealed.”
    “Good. Enjoy your first day,” he said, holding the door open for her.
    “Thanks.” Blair slipped past him and marched down a long hallway to the elevator. The floor, although buffed to a shine, was covered in old linoleum and a faint tinge of mildew filled the air. When she stepped onto the elevator, it rattled, but made it from the basement level to the second floor without