Dawn loved her business, but she did enjoy working at the tattoo shop. She met many like-minded people, and she’d made great friends who were into the same things as she was. Razor Tattoo shop was where she’d met her best friend, Amber.
Today was Dawn’s last day before she went to America, and Amber cleaned her station and she helped. “You do realize you going to Vegas without me is just plain cruel. I thought we had it planned to go together.”
“Argh, not you, too? Destiny is sulking and playing the twin card, going on about how we’ve never been apart longer than a night or two without seeing each other. That what I get to do, she should get to do, too. I’m starting to feel guilty. Dilan doesn’t care as long as I bring him presents back.”
“Ooooh, I want presents, too.”
Rolling her eyes, she whipped over Amber’s chair. “I’ll get you something special. I’m only going for two weeks so I won’t be gone too long. I’d love to go longer, but it’s all I can afford.” Sighing, she glanced at Amber, who’d finished. “Gordon organized everything. I didn’t think I would get my passport in time. What I’m really surprised about is he stayed within budget.”
Amber bit her nails, and her eyes darted anywhere but her face. Dawn knew that look. It was the look that said Amber was dying to say something, but wasn’t sure if it would hurt her feeling or piss her off.
“Just say it.”
“I can’t believe I’m about to say this as it reminds me of what you would have said not long ago to me if I were you right now.” She dramatically flopped down in the chair. “Oh, no, you’ve turned me into the responsible one.”
“Ha, ha, very funny.” It was, too. Amber was a lot like her sister, and Dawn was forever being Destiny and Amber’s voice of reason. I would never admit it out loud, but I was enjoying being the reckless one for once. “Just spit it out.”
“Fine.” Amber crossed her arms over her chest. “What do you really know about Gordon?”
What did she know? Well, lots. Dawn knew he worked as a bartender. That he owned the duplex. He came from America. That he was a serial dater. He loved her cooking, was an amazing kisser. Great with her nephew and his parents were alive. Crap, now that she thought about it... that was about it. Gordon didn’t talk about his parents or his past. He’d given her snippets... his parents were alive, and they weren’t close, that he had friends in America. She remembered he once told her he was an only child and wished he’d had a brother or even a sister.
“Do you even know his last name?” Amber asked when she didn’t say anything.
That she did know, only because she’d been in his wallet, and then she’d seen it on bills. “Wilks. It’s Wilks.”
“So have you checked him out?
Yes, all the time. All she did was check him out. She constantly fought herself not to get lost in his deep blue eyes. Not to stare at his chest, his abs, follow his snail trail—
“Argh, not that kind. I’m talking about online. You know—the internet that you spend so much of your time on.”
She had to think. Surely, she’d looked Gordon up. She looked everyone up. Racking her brain, she thought back to when she found out his last name. “No.” Shit, what the hell was wrong with her? She was a webmaster.
“Let’s go and check Facebook.”
Would he be on Facebook? He barely used any technology. “Okay.”
She got up. “Come on. The guys can lock up. Let’s go back to my place, and we’ll look him up.” Dawn nodded, and she and Amber said bye to everyone in the shop and left.
The drive to Amber’s was short. She lived only a five-minute drive from the shop. Amber had walked to work, but they drove because Dawn had her car. Another five minutes, and they were in Amber’s apartment, and she was turning on her laptop. Amber typed in Gordon’s name to Facebook. A bunch of different people came up, but none she was sure was her Gordon. There was a personality, a… ha, ha. She grinned even thinking that it could be her Gordon. This one was a CEO of a big finance corporation, the son of a Dallas destiny family. The guy in the photo reeked of authority, money, power, control, and as a man with little time to spare. Dawn’s Gordon did look a lot like the man in the photo, but her Gordon was laid back and the total opposite of the man in the photo. Dawn shivered, she felt sorry for the Gordon Wilks in the photos she’d found. He looked uptight and boring.
“Dawn, I hate to be the voice of reason. You may have known Gordon for almost a year, but you don’t know him. What are you going to do? You can’t go with him. You barely know him.”
Sighing, she closed her eyes and leaned back on the sofa. “Looks like I’ll be spending tomorrow finding out everything I can about him before we leave.”
Amber hugged her. “Promise me you’ll call me when you arrive in Vegas, and at least message me every night to tell me you’re alive and haven’t been killed.”
“Ha, ha. He’s not a killer,” Dawn said and let out a loud sigh. “But I’ll message you.” Suddenly feeling tired, she got up. “I better go. I’ll skype you after Destiny when I arrive.”
Amber hugged her again. “Have fun.”
Dawn left Amber’s as her mind swirled with questions she knew she needed answers to before she could go with him.
****
He arrived home after having a busy day, making sure everything was ready for when they left. He’d been in the city picking up something special he’d ordered for Dawn. He’d found the perfect ring last week, and as soon as he saw it, he knew it was meant for Dawn.
Gordon fingered the box now in his pocket. He just had to find the right time to give it to her. Since quitting his job, he had time to relax before he went back to his real life. It was Dawn’s last afternoon at work before they left. He was nervous about her learning who he really was. Gordon had been debating for the last week when he should tell her the truth. He knew he couldn’t tell her before they left, or she wouldn’t go. He just didn’t know if he should tell her on the plane where she couldn’t run from him but could take a flight straight home, or if he should wait to tell her when they arrived at the hotel. Maybe he should just let her learn at his party.
He sat watching TV waiting for Dawn. He didn’t spend any time in the last week at his own duplex. Dawn was his home, and where she was, he wanted to be. At the sound of the garage door opening, he stood and went to welcome her home.