Rock My Heart (Luminescent Juliet #4) by Jean Haus Read Free Book Online Page B

slowly say. “Why?”
    “I’m heading to Allie’s shop.”
    It takes me a few seconds to put two and two
together. Allie owns a tattoo parlor. A wild laugh escapes me, a laugh that
Jeff will hopefully read wrong. “I’m not getting a tattoo.”
    He stops spinning his keys. “You could just check
her place out.”
    I can’t help an eye roll.
    “Just look for something small and hidden?”
    “I’m not getting a tattoo,” I repeat, just thinking
about a needle piercing my skin gives me the willies.
    His lips twitch. “Scared?”
    “Yup.”
    Geez, my honesty around him is astounding. I’m an
open book without one obscure metaphor.
    “Well, don’t be. Allie won’t stab you for looking.”
    My eyelids drop as I glower at him. “Are you trying
to goad me in to going?”
    “Maybe a bit,” he admits with a grin.
    The grin is what does me in. “All right,” I say,
letting go for once. It’s a foreign sensation, but I like the freeing feeling
of it. “This doesn’t mean I’m agreeing”—I take a step back toward my car—“to
anything.”
    He opens the truck with a nod. “Point taken. See you
in twenty.”
    On the sidewalk, Jeff pretends to be in deep
conversation with Misha as I walk to my car.
    I call bull crap.
    I’m aware he paid total attention to Gabe and me. I
keep a slight smile on my lips as I move between cars. Slipping into my front
seat, I realize Gabe’s idea might actually help me con Jeff in to thinking I am
making progress. The notion has me smiling for real as I slip into the car.
    Though I’ve never been to Allie’s shop, I know it’s
on the far side of our small downtown. While I drive, I’m preoccupied with the
idea of Jeff buying into my progress by completing the bucket list. The entire
scenario is almost perfect.
    There’s just one catch.
    Can I handle the emotion of it? Or more accurately
can I distance myself from the emotion of it? That is the million-dollar
question on my mind as I park behind Gabe’s empty truck in front of Allie’s
shop.

Chapter 8
    ~Gabe~

 
 
 
    Though April looks out
of place, she appears calm and cool in her preppy,
white sweater and pressed pants as she enters the shop. I’m always expecting
her to pull out a tennis racket from somewhere with the clothes she wears. It’s
kind of shocking that she even dated Romeo. Though somewhat tame compared to
the rest of us, he is the extreme wild side for her. I’d expect her to date
some rich, prick named Edmond or some shit. The two of them sucking on silver
spoons and flipping back their hair.
    Allie, who is handing me the key to the upstairs
apartment, pauses to glance at the newcomer. “Hey, April,” she says in a
surprised tone.
    Yeah, I’m betting she never imagined she’d see
Romeo’s preppy ex in the shop.
    April smiles and returns the greeting. Forgetting
the key and me, Allie asks if she can help April with anything.
    I pluck the key from Allie’s open palm. “She’s here
with me.” Both women’s eyebrows shoot up. “But she might be interested in some
of your tiniest masterpieces.”
    “Is he messing with me?” Allie’s look to April is
questioning since April is scowling at me.
    April tones down her scowl. “I’m just looking, maybe
interested. And I’m not anything with Gabe.”
    That has me laughing. April scrunches her nose and
Allie appears confused. But within seconds, Allie does show her the smaller
designs on the wall above a glass case, then several photographed custom
designs in binders.
    I stand to the side, watching mostly April. She
seems intent on paying attention, which has me hoping that she’ll agree to my
help. Selfishly, my offer is not so much about helping her but myself. The idea
of it empowers me, makes feel in control, makes the distress of opening up
around her less invasive. As soon as the idea hit me the day after the party, I
couldn’t let it go. Witnessing the shaking of her hands and the soft timbre of
her voice while reading the list, I