It was different with AJ. When she’d cooked him dinner the other night, he’d actually thanked her. And when she’d canceled their plans yesterday because she had to work on a design for a client, he hadn’t tried coercing her into blowing off work for him. He’d just accepted that she was busy and wished her luck on finishing the sketch, which was something Troy never would have done in a million years.

She didn’t know why she’d found a balance with AJ that she hadn’t found with anyone else, but she sure as hell wasn’t complaining.

“Anyway,” her dad said, “I need to take off now. Gotta pop over to Mikey’s shop and help him out. One of his artists called in sick.” He tweaked a strand of her hair. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Nine o’clock sharp.”

“I’ll be there.”

The second her father was gone, Brett let out a whoop and broke out in a happy dance. If anyone had peeked behind her curtain, they would have laughed their asses off, but she didn’t care how silly she looked. She was going to run her own tattoo parlor. She’d done it, damn it.

She hurried to the counter and grabbed her phone, needing to share her excitement with someone. “The shop’s mine!” she blurted out the moment AJ answered the phone.

“Well, damn!” His deep voice slid into her ear and brought a rush of warmth to her heart. “That’s great news, baby. See, I told you there was nothing to worry about.”

Brett rested her hip against the counter. “I’m so relieved,” she confessed. “But I’m kind of nervous, too. My dad and I are hiring artists tomorrow. I have no clue how to interview people!”

“It’s easy,” he assured her. “I do it all the time when I’m hiring bar staff. I can give you some tips if you want. Questions you should ask, that sorta thing.”

A wave of gratitude swelled in her stomach. “You’d really do that?”

“Absolutely. But first, I have to take you out to celebrate.” Hesitation rippled over the line. “I know we were planning to go for dinner later, but can you meet up earlier? I’m having drinks with my partners and their girlfriends at the club tonight, just a private friend hangout. If you want to come by, we can celebrate with the guys for a bit, and then have dinner and celebrate some more.”

He wanted her to hang out with his friends? Whoa. He really was serious about this dating thing.

The invitation was slightly unnerving, though. AJ’s friends were used to seeing him with “wholesome” girls, and Brett wasn’t sure what they’d think of her. What if they hated her?

At the same time, she was curious to meet them. Not just because AJ talked about Reed and Gage all the time, but also because she was dying for more glimpses into his life. For weeks he’d been compartmentalizing—their fling in one corner, the rest of his life in the other. And she’d been cool with that. No point in getting attached when things were just temporary.

Now that they were dating for real, all bets were off.

“Sure, that sounds like fun,” she answered. “I’m actually done at six today. I only have two clients, and Rob’s new apprentice is handling the walk-ins so I don’t have to stick around. What time should I come?”

“Seven thirtyish okay? We can do drinks for an hour or so, then catch a late dinner?”

“Awesome. I’ll see you later then.”

“Brett?” he said before she could hang up. “I’m proud of you.”

Brett was touched beyond words as she set down her phone. Two people had told her they were proud of her today. It’d been a long time since she’d heard those words once, let alone twice.

The rest of her day flew by. Whether from giddiness or excitement, she didn’t know, but it felt like seven thirty rolled around in minutes rather than hours.

She’d stopped by her place to shower and change, and as she approached the club through the staff door in the back, a strange prickle of nervousness poked at her. She’d worn a strapless black dress, her trademark leather boots, and a shock of red lipstick, but suddenly she felt overdressed. Or maybe underdressed. Hell, she had no idea what AJ’s friends would be wearing. She didn’t know what to expect from them, either. She remembered Reed from high school, but they’d never exchanged a single word back then, and who knew what this Gage guy was like. And AJ’s ex-girlfriend. Crap. She’d be there, too.

Brett swallowed to bring moisture to her dry mouth and ran a shaky hand through her hair. Okay. Enough. She was not the kind of woman who worried about what other people thought of her.

AJ had wanted her to come, and that was all she ought to care about.

She texted AJ to let him know she was outside, and a minute later, the heavy metal door swung open and Brett was being tugged into a pair of warm, muscular arms.

He hugged her tight, then kissed her until she was utterly breathless. “Hi,” he said huskily.

She smiled. “Hi.”

“So how does it feel to be the new manager of Conlon Ink, North End location?”

“Incredible. How does it feel to be the boy toy of the new manager of Conlon Ink, North End location?”

“Frickin’ awesome.” His green eyes twinkled. “By the way, you look gorgeous.”