One More Day (13 page)

She passed him back the cup.  "I can't."

"It's ok," he assured her.  "Just lay here a bit.  I'll be right back."

Mack nodded and rested her head against the well padded arm of her couch, not even thinking about why it was there, just so happy to have it.  Colby waited until her eyes closed, then stood, setting the water on the desk before rounding the corner.

"You're back," Ryan said, glancing up at him. 

"Mack's out in the office.  She had another round," Colby said, refusing to look at Hailey.

Ryan shoulders slumped, and he sighed, setting down the tattoo equipment.  "She didn't make it upstairs did she."

Colby just shook his head.

"Brianna, can you hang on a moment?" he asked the brunette.

Hailey huffed.  "You're fucking that cunt?" she asked.  "Damn Ryan, you dumped me for that?"

"Hailey, quit!" the girl hissed.  "I'm ok, Ryan."

"I just need to grab something for a friend.  I'll be right back.  Harass Colby while I'm gone."

Ryan stood and walked away, but Hailey was on his heels.  They'd just made it into the hall when she stopped him.

"You seriously dumped me for that?"

"No," Ryan said.  "I dumped you because you're a bitch."  He raised his hands in surrender.  "That - as you put it - is a dear friend of mine who is having a bad day.  Now go back in the other room and wait five minutes so I can get her what she needs, ok?  This isn't rocket science, Hailey."

"Asshole," she growled.

He just shook his head, dismissing her, and marched to the back of the building.  Hailey knew very well that's where the stairs to his apartment were.  She took a few more steps, following him, then paused.  A man was carrying in something large through the back door.  He smiled at Ryan, then followed him upstairs.  The bitch wasn't just hanging out in the shop, she was moving in.

Truly pissed, Hailey turned, intending to storm back to the front, but her eyes passed through the open door of the office.  She saw the target of her anger laying casually across a couch.  Alone.

Chapter 13

"You know he was fucking me just three weeks ago?"  Hailey stormed into the office.

"What?" Mack muttered, pulling her eyes open.

"Was it you?" she asked a little too loudly.  "I can't believe he'd dump me for some ugly fuck like you."

Mack sighed and pulled herself up, sinking into the back of the couch.  The noxious odor still wafted from the stupid dingbat screaming at her.

"He hired me last week," she said, pressing the side of her finger against her septum, again.  It worked before. 

"And how the hell did you manage to steal him from me?  What the fuck do you have that I don't?"

Mack chuckled.  "A personality?"  She felt her stomach flip once and took a long, deep breath.  "I'm not sleeping with my boss."

"You're fucking moving in!" Hailey yelled.

"Leave her alone," Colby snapped, storming up the hall.  "Get the fuck out of the office, Hailey."

"I can't take it," Mack said softly, her eyes looking up as Colby walked in.  "I - " she sucked in another long breath.  "It's her."

Colby just grabbed Hailey's shoulder and pulled her back into the hall.  "Out!" he warned her again.

But the smell lingered, and Mack couldn't stop it.  She surged forward, grabbing a trash can.  She tried to turn her back, but the smell.  It was too much.  She started heaving, barely able to hear what was going on over the blood pounding in her head.  She didn't have the strength for this, and her body was protesting. 

"Fuck," Colby said.  "Your perfume.  Get out, Hailey!"  He steered her back to the lobby.

"What the fuck?" she yelled.  "She's fucking pregnant or something?"

Colby didn't answer.  He was already moving to Mack's side, whispering support to her.  She heaved over and over again, but the water hadn't been enough.  Her body wanted to rid itself of the chemo, and there was nothing left in her to expel.

"Did Ryan knock her up?!" Hailey screamed.

"Shit," Ryan said, jogging down the hall.  "Again?"

"It's Hailey," Colby said.  "It's got to be her perfume."

"Get out," Ryan told her, moving into the office.  "Fuck.  You ok, Mack?"

Mack just shook her head, never lifting it from the trash.

"You knocked her up?" Hailey snarled again.

Finally, Ryan turned to her, his eyes unforgiving.  "She has cancer.  It's the chemo.  Now go in the other room, so your perfume doesn't make her any worse."

"What?"  Hailey's face was stunned.

Ryan glared at her, his jaw set.  "I will be back to finish the tattoo in a second.  Go wait in the other room, or is that too fucking hard?" 

"K."  That's all she said.  Her heels clicked solidly as she did what she'd been told, for the first time, ever.

"She's overdue on her meds," Ryan said, dropping the bottles on his desk.  "C'mon sweetie.  We got ya."

"I fucking hate this," Mack whispered, one arm braced against the edge of the trash, her forehead resting on it.

"I know," he said, moving to her other side.

"Go finish the tattoo," Mack said.  "I'm just going to sit here for a bit."

"They can wait."

She shook her head.  "They stink.  Just..."  She took a deep breath, flailing her arm at the door, never looking up.  "For me?"

"Yeah," Ryan muttered, rubbing her back.  "I'll get them out of here.  Stay with her?" he asked Colby.

"Yeah, man," Colby agreed.  "And get her meds in."

When Ryan left, he closed the door.  Colby rubbed at her shoulder again, convincing Mack to lean back.  She did, wiping the tears from her eyes, no longer even trying to hide her weakness.

"Oh baby," Colby whispered, pulling her against his chest.  "No more forgetting your meds again, ok?"

"I'm trying.  I just can't keep track of the time.  It's like my mind can't focus."

"Probably all the shit they're putting in you.  Can we get you back on the couch?"

"Yeah," Mack nodded, "But I'll need help."

"Always," he said.  "Pukin' ain't easy.  I remember that part."

Together, she managed to make it off the floor.  Colby passed her the water, again, and while she took a small sip, he read the bottles Ryan had left.  He opened each one and pulled out a tablet, then moved back to her side, gesturing for her to drink again.

"You pissed at Ryan?" he asked.

Mack looked up, completely confused.  "No.  Why?"

"His ex chewing you out?"

She tried to smile, but it was tired and weak.  "Nah.  Don't know why she'd think he would leave her for me, but what ever.  She's a bitch."

"Always was," Colby agreed.

"Worst part is," Mack muttered, resting the side of her head against his shoulder, "she's exactly what I expect him to date.  Super pretty and willing to take advantage of him."

Colby nodded.  "Yeah.  He used to have shit taste in girls.  Granted, usually it was the ones that picked him up, so maybe he just didn't know how to say no?"

"Probably."

"Glad he's changed his ways."

Mack looked up at him.  "He said he didn't have a girlfriend."

Colby pressed his lips together, but couldn't hide the smirk.  "Yet," he said with a wink.  "You'll give in eventually."

"Me?"  She laughed.  It wasn't much of one, but it was still a laugh.  "Let me see if I have this right.  The chick with a flat top and cancer, who does nothing but puke everywhere, and needs you both to not just pick me up off the ground, but take care of all my shit?  Right."

He just rubbed at her flat top.  "You, the girl with a sense of humor, who isn't afraid of a joke, is willing to say thank you instead of hiding your embarrassment by lashing out.  Oh, yeah, and he likes your ass."

"What?"

Colby laughed.  "Remember when I said I was checking out your ass that first day?"

She nodded, vaguely recalling hitching her shirt up. 

"Yeah, it's because he'd been telling me that you had a nice ass just before you walked in."

"You're just trying to make me feel better," Mack said.

Colby shook his head.  "Nope.  Honest to god that's what he said.  I can prove it too."

Mack sighed, and lifted her hands in defeat.  "Ok, prove it."

With a sly wink, Colby pulled open the bottom drawer of the desk, removing a small sketch book.  He passed it over, then sat at Ryan's chair, propping his feet up while Mack slowly opened the cover.

The first image was of a girl, sitting at a round table, one hand holding back her hair as it cascaded down, obscuring most of her body.  She held a pen against a piece of paper, and there was a paper cup positioned perfectly to hide what she worked on.  The next was the same, but her clothes and hair were different. 

Some were rough, looking like he'd drawn them quickly, but others were detailed and vivid.  A few pages in, the position changed.  It was her face, looking off to the side, the end of her pen resting against her lip.  Her face.  She flipped through page after page, seeing nothing but her face and body repeated over and over. 

"He drew me?"

Colby nodded.  "Every day.  He'd open the shop and sit down, drawing the 'girl from the coffee shop'.  It was like a ritual for him.  Look at the last one."

She flipped to the back, finding three blank pages, then her face again.  This time it was different.  The complete anguish was there in her eyes, but nowhere else.  She held her chin defiant, her face serene, but he'd carefully drawn the tears ready to spill.

"Why?" Mack asked.  "Why would someone like Ryan spend," she flipped to the cover, looking at the page count, "one hundred and ninety seven pages, on drawing me?"

"Because he was too scared to talk to you."  Colby took the book from her and slid it back in the drawer.  "He's actually pretty shy.  He covers it up with work, but yeah.  I can't count the number of times he mentioned you."

"And Hailey?"

Colby sighed.  "She got her belly button pierced a while back.  Gave him a sob story about how she always wanted to learn to pierce, so he tried to give her a job.  She had no interest in the work, she just spent all her time trying to pick him up.  He finally gave in.  I think it lasted about two weeks?"

"Gotcha."

"Not really," Colby said.  "You don't really get Ryan yet.  Pretty sure he fucked her a few times, but who wouldn't?  Not when she's throwing that shit in your face, you know?"

Mack giggled.  "Right."

"You not pissed at that?"

She shrugged.  "She's the kinda girl you expect to snag a guy like that."

"Yeah, maybe on the outside.  But he keeps a part of himself locked up.  Took me almost two years to become his friend, Mack.  I work with him five days a week, and took me fucking two years before he let me see the side of him you are already getting.  He's into you big time."

"I've known him a week, and most of that, I've been puking."

Colby just shrugged.  "Learn a lot about a person when they're at their weakest, girl.  Speaking of that, you feeling any better?"

"I think so."

"Well, we got your paintings.  When you're up to it, want to help me pick a few for the lobby?"

"You two are serious about that?"

Colby just nodded.

"When the bimbos are gone," Mack agreed, then changed the subject.  "You know he's offered free tattoos for cancer survivors?"

Colby grinned.  "Always has."

"How the hell is he making any money like that?"

"Pigment's cheap," Colby said.  "It's the labor that is expensive.  Granted, you helping with the designs on the weekends, it's brought in a lot more.  Sterling Ink is doing fine."

"Yeah.  But I haven't been keeping up my end of the deal," she said.  "He's still paying me, Colby, and I can barely work."

"He paid me to go to rehab.  You're part of the little family here.  You're also his roommate."

"Yeah, one floor up."  She chuckled.  "That's going to be awkward when he brings a new girl home."

He groaned, and shook his head at her.  "He won't.  Look, you saw the book.  He's got his eye set on one girl, and he's a stubborn fucker.  Now let me see if those girls are gone then finish helping Tony."

She nodded and sank lower on the sofa, thinking she'd close her eyes for just a moment, but after Colby walked out, Ryan walked in, opening the door softly and moving to her side.

"I'm awake," she said.

"Still tired?"

"Yes, but not sleepy."

"Then move over and let me sit."  He tapped at the side of her hip, encouraging her to shift over.

Mack turned on her side, leaving plenty of room for Ryan to share the couch.  With a smile, he sank next to her, then palmed the short hair at the back of her head.

"Sorry about that," he said.  "Both the damned perfume and the bitch."

"What are you sorry for?" she asked, smiling at him.  "Just tell me she was a good lay, because there has to be something to make up for that attitude."

He didn't rise to the teasing.  Instead, his face sank.  "Look," he started, but Mack didn't let him finish.

"Ryan, you're a saint, ok?  You really are, and I can't thank you enough for not making me feel like an ass about all of this.  I thought I'd be able to do this alone, but I was wrong, and there aren't enough words to tell you how appreciative I am."  She patted his leg and smiled at him weakly.  "It still sucks for me, too.  I hate this, and I hate being embarrassed all the time, and everything!  Just, don't make me feel worse?"

"Worse?" he asked.

Mack nodded.  "You're doing your good deed and taking care of the sick puppy you picked up on the side of the street.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't have a life.  I really can manage to puke without you.  It's been three days, and you haven't done a thing but take care of me.  You even closed the shop early.  That's more than I can deal with."

"Um."  It seemed like he just didn't know what to say.

"It has to be cramping your style to have your designer crashed in your bed.  We can get my shit up on the third floor, and I'll learn to play loud music, deal?"

"No," he said.  "It's not like that, Mack.  She wasn't a bitch until I dumped her.  Well, ok, a little.  But," he shook his head.  "I dunno.  Guess I figured you were pissed at me."

Mack chuckled.  "Why would I be pissed at you?"

"Rubbing my ex in your face?"

She just rolled her eyes.  "I'm not stupid, Ryan.  Guys like you?  Girls like me?"  She made a dismissive noise.  "Doesn't happen.  I just happen to have a really nice boss who's my friend.  I am not about to start getting all up in your shit.  Ok?"

"I hate it when you do that," he said softly, but his tone was adamant.  "Girls like you?  I'm not even going to let you tell me what that means, Mack.  Girls like you are the ones who don't work in a fucking tattoo parlor.  Your shit hangs in the museums.  You smile as you sip champagne with CEOs.  You don't talk to guys at coffee shops."