Page 116 of Taking the Pitch
“I told you we didn’t need to do anything special today,” she grumbles, taking my hand and letting me pull her up to her shaky legs and lead her into the bathroom.
I snort and wrap her in my arms before we get in the shower. “Every day I get to spend with you is special. Today just happens to be extra special because it’s your birthday.” I kiss her again and cup her cheek. “Nowplease,let me spoil you.”
“Fine,” she sighs. “But I get to make a big deal for your birthday then.”
“Whatever you say, Shortcake.”
We pull up to the tattoo shop with just minutes to spare, breakfast in hand. I reserved the whole shop for the morning, so it would just be Amelia and me. Jade and Kris were more than understanding when I told them about Amelia’s anxiety with new places.
Amelia looks at the building, then back at me. “Why are we at a tattoo place?”
“You’re finally getting your tattoo today.”
Her mouth gapes open and she looks at the building, then back at me again. “Really?”
I nod. “Really. I also rented out the whole place for the morning, so it’ll just be us.”
Her hand flies to her mouth and moisture gathers in her eyes. “I can’t believe you did that for me.”
Cupping her cheek, I look into her eyes. “Shortcake, I’d doanythingfor you if it meant seeing that beautiful smile on your face every day.”
“I love you,” she whispers, covering my hand on her cheek with hers.
“I love you too, Mills.” I lean forward to give her a kiss when a cold, wet nose touches my cheek, followed by a tongue. I wipe my cheek and look at Bruno, who is panting and staring at us. “We love you too, Bruno,” I tell him, earning me another lick.
Getting out of the Jeep, I take Amelia’s hand in mine and walk through the door, the little bell overhead tinkling. Jade looks up from the front desk and smiles. “Welcome in.” She nods her head to the door. “Do you mind flipping the lock? I don’t want anyone to walk in while we’re in the chair.”
“Sure,” I respond, locking the door before moving the rest of the way to the desk.
“Hi, I’m Jade,” she says, holding her hand out to Amelia. “You must be Amelia.”
Amelia takes her outstretched hand, giving it a shake. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” Jade says, tipping her head towards me. “I’ve heard a lot about you. This is your first tattoo, right?”
Amelia nods. “Yes.”
“No worries. We’ll take good care of you. You’re with me today. Kris will take Judd, but we’ll sit you in chairs next to each other.”
Amelia looks at me with a surprised expression. “You’re getting one too?”
“Of course, Shortcake. Couldn’t let you have all the fun,” I tell her, giving her a wink.
“Do you have an example or drawing to show me of what you want, Amelia?” Jade asks.
“Oh, yes. Hang on.” Amelia digs her phone out of her purse. Unlocking the phone, she taps on her screen and scrolls until she finds what she’s looking for. “I was hoping to get this,” she says, setting the phone down on the counter. “But instead of thestem the way it is. I want it to be this.” Amelia digs a small, folded paper out of a pocket in her purse. She unfolds the paper and sets it down next to the phone. The word ‘Breathe’ is written on the paper in cursive writing. “Exactly in this writing. Is that possible?”
Jade picks up the phone and paper, looking at both. “That won’t be a problem. Where do you want it?”
Amelia pulls the left sleeve of her sweater up. “Here,” she says, tracing a path from her wrist down her arm.
Jade nods and smiles. “Let me go draw up a sketch and see if it’s what you want. I’ll be right back.”
She hands Amelia’s phone back then retreats to the back to sketch. I peer down at the phone screen, it’s a picture of a dandelion that’s gone to seed and some of the seed pods are floating away.
“Why a dandelion?”
Taking the paper off the counter, Amelia traces the word with her finger. “It’s for my mom. She’s the one who taught me to breathe through my anxiety. She told me to ‘picture blowing the seeds off the wisher’, that’s what we called them.”
