Page 72 of Speechless
“You drew this?”
I nodded. “You like it?”
“The detail is incredible, but Jesus, Mav. How can you even think about doing this? It’s crazy.”
“I want you to know when I say I’m working on our forever every damn day, I mean it. And the tattoo will remind me why I’m doing this… for us.” It was an intricate line drawing with her name in the middle in a fancy script, surrounded by One Day at a Time.
“You sure you want to do this?” she asked, licking her lips. “Because I know I don’t have to remind you that tattoos are forever—”
“I’m never gonna stop loving you, Codie. And I’m never gonna stop working on my sobriety. For you, for me, for us, for the family I want to have with you, for my brother, my band, my career, my fans, so yeah, I’m sure.”
She nodded. “Okay, let’s do this then.”
I followed her back out to the shop, nodding at a few people who were staring at me as I got comfortable in Codie’s reclining chair.
“Where do you want this?” she asked, standing beside me.
She was wearing a low-cut black t-shirt with half-sleeves and tight distressed jeans, and my mouth was watering just looking at her.
She leaned in, whispering in my ear. “Quit looking at me like I’m a dessert you want to devour.”
I chuckled. “Can’t help myself with you, girl.” I turned over my forearm, revealing a patch of skin I’d been saving for a meaningful piece, like this one.
“You sure about that? You’re bound to get a lot of questions if people see a girl’s name tattooed on your arm.”
“I’ll tell them the truth.” I waited for her eyes to meet mine before I said, “That she’s the love of my life. That’s all they need to know.”
“You don’t make this easy.”
I watched her prep for my tattoo, thinking how every day would seem like an eternity until I could finally come to her with the one promise that would seal our future. Today was the first step. My way of letting her know, after months of torturous silence, that I was still thinking about her every day and still busting my butt to give her the life she deserved.
“Freehand okay with you?” she asked, settling in on her stool. “Or would you prefer I stencil it on?”
“I trust you.” Trusting her with my heart, trusting that she wouldn’t stop loving me as I battled my demons, was the hardest thing I’d ever done, so trusting her to mark my skin paled in comparison.
She nodded as she rubbed my skin with alcohol and got to work after attaching my drawing to her mirror for reference. “I heard that new single you released. The live version. It’s amazing.”
“Thanks. I don’t have to tell you who or what inspired it.” It was called Forever Girl and talked about the life I wanted to build with her. How it started, where I saw it going, and why she meant everything to me.
“Hearing your songs on the radio is still a little surreal.” She smiled. “Who would’ve thought we’d be here, huh? All these years later, making all our dreams come true.”
“Not all of them,” I said, quietly. “But I’m working on it.”
She cleared her throat, her concentration fixed on her work. “How’s the new house? Have you been back at all?”
“Just a couple of days here and there. Since our shows are usually Thursday through Sunday, I have a few days at the start of the week, if I don’t have interviews, radio, and that kind of stuff lined up. But I try to reserve some of that time for writing. I’d like to get back in the studio when I get home, especially if I’m going back out on the road with Tori and Ty.”
“Doesn’t sound like you have much time for a life.”
“I’ll make time.” I needed her to believe she’d always be my top priority.
“You sure about that?”
“I am.” That was non-negotiable. It was a commitment I’d made to Codie and myself and I intended to honor it. “How’s your mama and sister?”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Suddenly Mama thinks I could do a lot worse than you.”
I smiled. “Is that right? I must have made an impression on her that night we talked in my truck.”
