“No clue.Probably getting her cards read.She doesn’t have an appointment untilthree.”
“Maybe her reading will tell her to get her ass back to work,” Con said.“I’m grabbing last night’s deposit and I’m out of here.Got kids to prep for atthegym.”
It still amazed me that Con, the guy who didn’t used to care about anything but avenging his parents’ murder, had stuck with his pet project and made it into something that impacted hundreds of kids’ lives.It probably helped that his woman was at his side every step oftheway.
“Good seeingyou,Con.”
He clapped me on the shoulder.“You too.If you need anything, we’re here for you.You’ve done me more than one solid, and I owe you.Just saytheword.”
I tucked that offer away, not about to turn it down.“Thanks.”
“Don’t be a stranger.If you decide to bail on NOLA again, at least let us know so we can throw you a going-away party.The girls love that shit.Any reason for a party, right?”Then he disappeared down the backhallway.
After a few more minutes of me asking Rix questions that he couldn’t or wouldn’t answer about my dad’s case, I headed for the front door.Before I could reach it, a woman entered with a familiar cloud of black hair swirled around hershoulders.
ValentinaNoble.
Wait, scratch that.ValentinaHendrix.
“I thought you were working this afternoon, not getting a tattoo?”she said as soon as she walked in the door, completely blind to anyonebutRix.
One more reason I knew she picked the right guy—he was all she saw.It hadn’t taken me long to realize things had worked out the way they were meant to.I was glad my feelings for her didn’t go any further.Seeing her so happy, it was one thing I could be proud of—that I hadn’t tried to come between her and Rix when it was clear that they were strangely right for eachother.
“Who told you?”Rixasked.
“Who do youthink?”
“Eden,” both Rix and Bishop said at thesametime.
Rix shot Bishop a look.“You told your girl I wascoming?”
The bearded guy shrugged.“Might’vementionedit.”
“Duchess, you’re gonna turn around and walk your ass back to your gallery and pretend you never sawmehere.”
Valentina crossed her arms over her chest.“Oh, really?Because that’s not at all what I’mplanning.”
Bishop lifted the tattoo machine away from Rix’s skin and slid his stool back so the man could lever out of his chair and stalk towardhiswife.
“Yeah, really.Because you don’t want to ruin mysurprise.”
Valentina’s eyes went soft as she looked at him, and there wasn’t a hint of envy running through my veins.No, there was something else entirely, and it didn’t have anything to do with her.It was all wrapped up in wanting a certain redhead to look at me the way sheusedto.
It wasn’t until Rix stopped two feet away from me that Valentina noticed me standingthere.
“Oh my God, Rhett.I’m so sorry.Ididn’tsee—”
Rix wrapped his other arm around her shoulders.“Don’t bust the man’s ego, duchess.He already lost the most incredible woman to walk theearth.”
Her eyebrows shot up.“Stop it.That’s notverynice.”
“Never said I was nice.Youknewthat.”
Valentina rolled her eyes.“Sorry, Rhett.I wish I could’ve been at thefuneral,but—”
“It’s fine.”I stopped her before she could sayanymore.
She reached out a hand and laid it on mine, squeezing it tight.“Know that we’ve all been thinking about you.If there’s anything we can doatall...”