Kelsey is gone when I wake up. Since she’s not in the closet or her bathroom, I get dressed and leave her room. She isn’t there either.

Mary is standing in the kitchen pouring a cup of coffee.

“Morning,” She chirps with a big smile.

“Where’s Kelsey?”

“Went out, said she’d be back in a few.”

“How long ago?”

Mary shrugs. “Five minutes.”

Shelby’s door opens, and she steps out then gives me a look of disgust. “You again.”

She just might be the most unpleasant person on the planet.

“Me again.” I beam at her just to be irritating. I’m feeling good today, and that bitch isn’t going to bring me down.

Mary pours another cup and hands it to me.

“Where’s Kelsey?” she asks Mary.

“Went out for a minute,” she answers.

“So, why the hell are you still here?” Shelby directs her question to me.

“You never left me the rules. I thought I’d wait for them.”

This time she rolls her eyes and grabs a coffee mug.

Is Shelby just unpleasant or does she really hate me?

The door opens a minute later and Kelsey steps in carrying a bag from a local diner. “Morning.”

“Where did you go?”

“You’ve fed me enough, I thought it was time to feed you.”

“Dylan’s fed you,” I correct.

“He cooks too?” Mary asks with excitement. “He’s nearly too good to be true. There’s got to be something wrong with that guy. Why hasn’t he been snapped up already?” A sly smile forms on her pink lips. “Next time you visit, Alex. Feel free to bring him along.”

I just laugh.

Shelby glares at me and Kelsey. “You have a room.” She points to the open door behind us.

“Geez, Shelby, get the stick out of your ass,” Mary snaps.

“Rules,” is her only retort as Kelsey and I go back into the room and shut the door.

“We need to start hanging at my place. It’s certainly friendlier, even if there are guys everywhere.”

“The rules aren’t so bad.” Kelsey shrugs as she sets on the bed. “Of course, they didn’t seem so bad before I met you.”

“What are they exactly?”

“No guys hanging in the common area. We are to keep them in our room, only allowing them to leave and come through the front door. No lingering.”

“Like a well-trained pet.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure that’s how Shelby thinks of her guys.”

“Guys?”

“Her relationships usually last a month at the most.”

“Spider and carcasses?”

Kelsey snorts as she takes bagels out of the bag. “I see you’ve been talking to Mary.”

My phone rings and I grab it from my pocket. It’s only ten in the morning. Who the hell is calling me? I check the number. “It’s work.”

Kelsey spreads cream cheese on her bagel as I answer the phone.

“Alex, you are going to need to increase your hours,” is the first thing Peggy says. She’s our receptionist, bookkeeper, all the clerical, management and part owner of Skin Scribes.

“Why?”

“The answering machine was full this morning. Instead of just wanting an appointment with whoever is here, they are all asking for you.”

“Me?” That’s odd. I mean, I have some repeat customers. They liked my work and came back to me instead of one of the other artists, but I don’t have enough customers that I need to increase my hours.

“What the hell did you expect after auditioning for the Reeds?”

“I expected people to do what they always do. Go to the Reeds.”

“Well, you made an impression on a bunch of people with your appearance, and they want appointments with you.”

“So, schedule them.”

“Oh no. I’ve already got you filled for the next two weeks and more are waiting. It’s bad enough I have to juggle Caleb and Pete. Now, get your ass in here and go through your schedule. I can’t be on the phone all day for you.”

I blow out a sigh. “I’ll be in shortly.”

“Problem?” Kelsey asks as I hang up.

“Apparently there are a bunch of people that want me to do their ink.” Is Peggy just being dramatic? But, Peggy is matter of fact. She never exaggerates. “Want to go in with me and see what’s going on? I need to help her with my schedule.”

Kelsey grins. “Sure. I’d love to see where you work.”

I polish off the bagel and drink my coffee as Kelsey hops in the shower. Peggy has got to be exaggerating. One clip on a popular show is not going to bring in that many new customers. And the full segment certainly shouldn’t since I came off as a fucking dick. At least at the beginning.

Maybe it’s not that bad. Peggy was already complaining about Caleb and Pete and their constant customers. My new customers are probably nothing compared to theirs, but just enough to tip the scales that Peggy’s had enough.