Courtney’s expression was haunted. She swallowed a couple of times before speaking. “I was trying to help. You don’t understand. You never will.” She wrenched herself out from Ash’s grip. “Now get out of my house.”
“Courtney—”
“I said get out! I’ve had enough of you sticking your nose in my business. Go on, fuck off!”
Ash’s blood boiled, but she knew it was pointless to carry on the argument. Courtney was in self-righteous mode, and experience told Ash she needed time to get past that. Admittedly, this time it worried Ash more than before; she’d never seen her sister so wound up.
Should I go? Or should I stay for Sophie?
Ash met Courtney’s gaze and held it. “What are you going to do?”
Courtney’s eyebrows rose. “For fuck’s sake, I’m not going to harm my own kid. Jesus, what do you think I am?”
She looked genuinely horrified, and Ash’s fears abated. “Fine. Then I’ll go. She’s upstairs asleep, by the way. Thanks for asking.”
To her credit, Courtney blushed. “Okay.”
“Figure this out, Courtney. Before it’s too late.”
Courtney stared at her for a moment, then turned away.
Chapter 18
Carmen was a bag of nerves as she turned into the street where Ash’s studio was located. She’d decided to walk from the office in the vain hope the evening air would calm her. Her plan had failed. The nearer she got to the studio and to seeing Ash again, the more her anxiety rose.
She was half an hour early, and she hoped Ash wouldn’t mind. In order to take her mind off the evening ahead, Carmen had ploughed through her work like a woman possessed and unfortunately finished by six thirty. It was now just before seven, and the studio was only a minute or so away.
When she reached the door, she breathed deeply a couple of times, then pushed it open.
A girl, possibly no more than fifteen years old, with long, blonde hair, sat at the front desk. “Hello,” she said. “Can I help you?”
“Hi, um, my name’s Carmen. I’m here to meet Ash.” Carmen looked towards the back of the room.
Ash had her back to her as she worked on someone lying on their front in the levelled-out chair. The buzz of the tattoo gun filled the air.
The girl ran a fingertip down the length of the appointment book. “Sorry, I don’t see you in here.”
“Oh! No, sorry. Not an appointment. I’m a…friend.”
The girl frowned. “Okay, just a sec.”
Before Carmen could tell her not to interrupt Ash while she was working, the teenager quickly made her way to the back.
As the girl stepped into Ash’s line of sight and spoke to her, Ash lifted the gun away from the client’s skin, whipped round, and smiled warmly at Carmen. Then she turned back to her client and said something. She received a nod and laid the gun down on the work table. Moments later she strode across the studio towards Carmen, and any nonchalance Carmen may have hoped to muster deserted her.
Ash looked so good. Her jeans hung low on her hips, and the blue, sleeveless T-shirt wasn’t quite long enough to cover the short strip of flat, tanned abdomen that peeked out from above the waistband of the jeans. The T-shirt fitted like a second skin to Ash’s body, emphasising her toned biceps and full breasts.
Carmen blinked as her gaze locked on Ash’s chest. Okay, she has breasts. So do you. Stop staring!
“Hey! You’re nice and early.” Ash’s hair was swept back again, a look that Carmen was coming to realise was her favourite.
“I…I’m sorry. I got finished early and—”
Ash held up a hand. “Hey, it’s no problem. Not at all. I’ve got about another twenty minutes with my client, and then I’m done. You okay to sit here and wait?”
“Absolutely.” Carmen willed her heart to slow and her eyes not to stare quite so hard at the vision before her.
“Cool. Let me introduce you to Sophie.” Ash beckoned the girl over. “Sophie, this is my friend Carmen. Carmen, this is my niece, Sophie.”
“Hello.” Carmen was thankful for the diversion, if only to pull her gaze away from Ash’s body. What the hell is wrong with you?
“Hi.” Sophie seemed a little shy, but she smiled.
“Sophie’s on school holidays, so I’ve hired her to help me out for a couple of weeks.”
“Good move.” Carmen grinned.
“I think so.” Ash gave her niece a one-armed hug before stepping back. “Okay, I’ll be with you soon.”
“Can I get you a drink?” Sophie asked once Ash had walked away.
“That would be great. But just some water, please.” And I’ll take a large fan if you have one.
Sophie gave her another shy smile and walked over to the water cooler.
Carmen followed her and sat on one of the leather sofas. When Sophie returned with the water, Carmen thanked her and took a sip.
“So are you, like, my auntie’s girlfriend?”
Carmen choked on the mouthful of water and, to her horror, spat half of it back out and over the front of her dress. Hells bloody bells!
“Hang on, I’ll get a napkin!” Sophie shot off and returned a few moments later with a bunch of paper napkins in her hand.
“Thank you.” Carmen dabbed at the water on her dress. All the while her face burned. God, how embarrassing!
“Did it go down the wrong way?”
Carmen looked up. The willowy girl looked genuinely concerned. “Yes, it must have. Thanks for the napkins.”
“No problem.” Sophie sat next to Carmen. She crossed her long, jeans-clad legs and pushed her hair out of her face before resting her hands in her lap. “So, are you?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Are you Auntie Ash’s girlfriend?”
More composed to handle the question at the second time of asking, Carmen managed a smile. “No, I’m not. We’re just friends.”
“Oh.” Sophie sighed. “I wish she’d get another girlfriend.” She glanced over her shoulder as if to check her aunt couldn’t hear
