Part 63 (2/2)
I enter the cottage, walk up the creaky steps, and into the room that Pierce is in. It's a small bedroom, fully furnished, though no doubt it's all for show. A four-poster bed lies against the wall; it looks old, a little too grand for this small cottage. A folded card sits on top, and it reads: Do not sit.
”What do you want?” I ask. Pierce is standing at the window, leaning out of it, smoking cigar clasped between his thumb and index finger. ”Why did you come up here?”
He turns around, a smirk prying his lips apart. ”Why do you think?”
”Gross,” I say, grimacing. ”G.o.d knows when this place was last properly cleaned. G.o.d knows who last... you know, did it in this bed. I'm sure somebody has.”
”I'm sure, too.”
”What did you really ask me up here for?” My eyes go to his cigar. ”What does it taste like, anyway?”
”It's difficult to describe. I don't think you'd like it.”
”Can I try?”
”Sure, but don't inhale.”
He holds the cigar out, and I take a puff, let it out of my mouth, and make a face. ”It's so bitter.”
”Truth be told,” he says, and he stubs it out on the windowsill. ”I don't know why people even smoke these things.”
”Pierce!” I hiss, going to the window. The wooden sill has been burned, and black ash is smudged in a faint circle. Some of the old off-white paint is now chipping.
”I think we should tell them.”
I spin around, blinking. ”No, we shouldn't.”
”Why not?” he asks. ”Don't you think it would be fun, Pen?”
”They'll be gone from Melbourne in a couple of days for their honeymoon, and then they'll be gone from this country in two weeks.”
”So you just want to let them leave without knowing? And we continue our little forbidden tryst in secret?”
I sigh. ”Yes.”
He leans against the wall at an angle, and puts his hands into his pockets. ”Sounds like a plan, Pen.”
We don't speak for a moment. He's staring off into the middle distance.
”What are you thinking about?”
”I was serious, you know.”
”About what?”
”Getting a Prince Albert.”
”Oh for G.o.d's sake,” I say, heaving a dramatic sigh. ”No you weren't. You were just trying to annoy me.”
”I was,” he admits. ”But I've thought about it a little more. Could be fun, you know?”
”I can't believe we're talking about this again.”
”Think you'd like it?”
I widen my eyes in disbelief. ”I honestly haven't thought about it before.”
”Well, think about it.”
I give him a shrug and a head-shake. ”I don't think that I care.”
”Think Tina will branch out into piercings? Hire someone good?”
”Ew, no,” I say. ”And besides, I don't think I'd be comfortable with you getting it done at our shop.”
”Our shop?”
”Tina's letting me take on more clients now,” I say, grinning. ”In fact, I'm starting to bring in business!”
For a moment, Pierce almost beams at me. ”That's great, Pen. I knew you'd make it.”
”I haven't made it yet. But I'm getting there.”
”How long will you apprentice for her?”
”The full year, if I can.”
”And then?”
”Then I'll talk to her about starting my own shop. Or I'll work for her for a little longer, you know? Get more experience.”
”I was thinking about getting a new tattoo,” he says.
”Oh, yeah?” I ask, grinning. I go to him, take his hand. ”So was I, actually.”
”Where?”
”I want a half-sleeve. I've been sketching up some designs.”
”In your top-secret sketchbook you never let me look at?”
”I've got it with me now,” I tell him. ”It's in the car. Want to see them?”
”h.e.l.l f.u.c.king yes, I do.”
”Then come on. We'll get them and go sit in the garden. It's a nice day today. We'll let all the adults mingle.”
We leave the room together, hand-in-hand.