"Okay, all right. I know when I'm outnumbered," she said.
Hans glanced at Steffi. "You were totally right. Good call, man."
Blue narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What was she right about?"
"She said you'd hate us fussing over you, but that you'd give in in the end," Hans said.
"What I actually said was that you'd suck it up, because Eddie would make you," Steffi corrected him. "If you're going to drop me in it with Blue, make sure you get it right."
Hans and Eddie laughed. Blue wasn't sure she liked the implication that Eddie could make her suck something up even if she didn't want to. It felt a little too close to the bone.
"No, no. Don't start thinking about it." Eddie's hand landed on her shoulder, encouraging her to head toward the business end of the building. "We just got to a happy place where you were going to play nice."
"You are so pushing your luck right now. Just so you know that," she said, concentrating on maneuvering through the doorway into the corridor.
"As always, I'm terrified."
She could tell he was laughing at her, even though he was behind her and she couldn't see his face. Hans and Steffi probably were, too. Apparently her feeble attempts to retain a little self-respect and independence were hilarious.
"One day -"
"I know. One day I'll be in your power, and then you'll show me," Eddie said, brushing past her to open the door to the workroom she'd been assigned. "We've had this conversation before, remember?"
She saw that her tattoo machines were set up on the workbench, along with a good selection of different colored inks and a bag of ink cups and other supplies. To save her a trip to the supply room, she presumed.
"I stripped your machines down and cleaned them, since they've been out of commission for a while. They should be good to go," Eddie said.
She stared at him. It would have taken him the better part of an afternoon to give the tools of her trade such a thorough going over.
"Eddie." She stopped, unable to find the words.
"I know, you're eternally grateful, you'll never say another harsh word to me, and the next time I mess up you'll remember this moment and bite your tongue because you know that deep down inside I'm an amazing person with a very evolved soul." To his credit, he managed to maintain a poker face, despite the absurdity of his words.
"It is so sweet that you still believe in fairy tales," she said, reaching out to pat him on the cheek in the most patronizing way possible.
He caught her hand before she could withdraw it, wrapping his fingers around hers and giving them a gentle squeeze.
"How about you repay me by letting us look after you, okay? I know you somehow manage to pack six feet of pride into that five foot body of yours, but it's not going to kill you to let us make life a little easier for you."
She wanted to pull her hand free - needed to, because heat was traveling straight up her arm and going to places it had no business being - but somehow she let her hand remain lax and soft within his.
"I can actually get around on my magic crutch, you know," she said. "And I'm supposed to be weight bearing. It helps the bone heal."
"I know. But I also know you're going to get tired and that this first week back will be hard. So don't be a dick and let your friends help you."
"Wow. Words to live by. I'm going to put that on a T-shirt," she said, finally allowing herself to pull her hand free. She curled her fingers around the lingering warmth from his touch, unable to stop herself from treasuring the small contact even though she knew how self-destructive it was.
"Remember what Steffi said about me making you suck stuff up."
The look she gave him made him hold up his hands and edge toward the door.
"I'll be back with coffee in ten. Double shot latte, yeah?"
"Eddie, stop it. It's too much -"
Before she could finish her objection, he was gone. She stared at the space where he'd been, aware of a slow, sweet ache growing in her chest. It was perverse and twisted as all hell, but she liked that he cared enough to be so solicitous and considerate. She liked that he'd gone out of his way to think about her and what she might need.
It made her feel special. It made her feel pampered and valued and loved. And Eddie did love her. She didn't doubt that for a second. He loved her like a sister. Like a dear, dear friend.
And that was what she needed from him. That was what she wanted, what she was so desperate to hang on to.
The walkie-talkie crackled to life in her hand, making her jump.
"Yo, Blue. Your first client is here. Give me a shout when you want me to bring him in."
Blue pushed the button on the side of the handset. "Thanks, Steffi. Give me five, then bring him through."
She turned to the workbench, resolutely pushing Eddie from her mind.
For now, anyway.
Chapter Eight
Eddie was heading for the staff room on Friday when Rafel caught him in the corridor.
"Can I have a word?" he asked.
Eddie lifted the brown paper bag in his hand, heavy with burgers and fries. "As long as it's fast."
Blue was waiting for him in the staff room, no doubt gnawing on the furniture while she waited for sustenance.
Rafel gestured with his chin toward an empty workroom, and Eddie reluctantly followed him inside.
"What's up?" he asked as Rafel turned to shut the door.
"I don't know how else to say this, so I'm just going to spit it out," Rafel said. "You need to back off on Blue, man."
"What?" Eddie blinked at his brother, blindsided by the unexpected comment.
"I know you're freaked out that she almost died, but you need to get out of her face, give her some air," Rafel said.
"Where the hell is this coming from?"
"From ten years of knowing Blue and a week of watching you smother her. Driving her to and from work, getting her coffees, bringing her lunch … You need to throttle it back, man."
Eddie bristled. "In case you hadn't noticed, she's recovering from a major fucking car accident, and this is her first week back at work."
"That doesn't mean she needs you waiting on her hand and foot. Give her some breathing room. This is Blue we're talking about, remember? Sometimes she just wants to be left alone."
Eddie glared at his brother. "I know what she's like." No one knew Blue better than him. No one.
"So why are you all over her like a freaking puppy then?"
Eddie flinched, insulted by his brother's analogy. "You're full of shit." He reached for the door handle.
"That's a Huxtaburger bag, isn't it?" Raf said shrewdly. "You drove all the way into Fitzroy to get her favorite burger for lunch, didn't you?"
"This could be my lunch for all you know, smart-ass," Eddie said, even though he could feel the tips of his ears turning red.
"Eddie, come on. I get that you're happy she's back. I get that you're worried about her -"
"We're all worried about her. Steffi, Yuri, Renarto. Everyone's worried about Blue." Eddie could hear how defensive he sounded and it only made him angrier. He didn't have to submit his feelings to Raf for approval. It was none of his brother's goddamned business how Eddie felt about Blue or what he did for her.
Raf held his hands out to the sides and took a step backward. "Fine. Have at it. Forget I said anything."
"You don't know everything, you know," Eddie snapped.
He and Blue had always been closer than Blue and Raf. They understood each other.
"Like I said, have at it. I just thought you'd want to know if your fly was undone."
Eddie stared at his brother. To have your fly undone in the Oliveira household meant you were losing your shit and everyone could tell - a phenomenon named after their Uncle Fernando, who had once spent a whole day wandering around with his tighty-whities on display.
"My fly is not undone," Eddie said tightly.
"I thought you might want to rein it in. But suit yourself."
Rafel exited to the corridor. Eddie swallowed a four-letter word, marveling at his brother's skill at pissing him off, then headed for the staff room.
"Blame Raf if your fries are cold," Eddie said as he entered.
"I don't care if they're cold. I just want them," Blue said, shifting eagerly to the edge of the armchair and making grabby hands at him to encourage him to hand over her food.
Renarto and Yuri had commandeered the couch, the two of them wolfing down sushi from the place across the road, and they looked up as Eddie sank into the other armchair.
"The crap you two eat," Renarto said, shaking his head.
Yuri paused with his chopsticks halfway to his mouth as Eddie handed Blue her burger and fries.
"Is that a Huxtaburger?" Yuri asked
"That's right," Eddie said coolly.
Yuri and Renarto exchanged significant looks and Eddie suddenly felt very exposed.
Just thought you'd want to know if your fly was undone.