Inked by Everly Drummond

that Chloe would be willing to watch Parker on such short notice? Of course she would, but he didn’t know that.
    The heat from the shower did little to loosen her muscles or calm her nerves. She’d told Brody no, that she was unable to find a babysitter, but she suspected that he’d be there at seven o’clock sharp regardless of what excuse she gave him.
    Stepping out of the shower, she cinched the towel around her body and crossed the bathroom floor, marring the tile with tiny, wet footprints. Holding the towel in place with one hand, she used the other to wipe away the steam that had accumulated on the mirror. The black rings under her eyes reminded her of the rings of a tree. Where a tree’s rings represented its age, the black rings under her eyes represented the number of sleepless nights she’d endured the past week. Between the lingering cough that woke Parker up most nights and several overdue assignments that should’ve been finished days ago, sleep was a luxury that she couldn’t afford.
    Avery stood on her tip toes and leaned into the mirror, appraising herself. The black marks under her eyes could easily be fixed with a little makeup, and even though her hair currently resembled a rat’s nest, a few curls and a touch of hairspray would have it looking presentable. The more she thought about it, the more appealing the idea of having dinner with Brody became. A glass of wine, a nice meal, good conversation, and... No , she stopped herself mid-thought. It was a onetime thing. Heading down that road with Brody would only complicate things even more, wouldn’t it? Determined not to dwell on it, she returned to the living room and retrieved her phone from the desk. Her fingers moved quickly across the screen as she typed a text to her sister.
    Are you busy tonight?
    A minute later her phone beeped in response.
    No, why?
    Avery briefly considered her options. She could tell Chloe that Brody had invited her to dinner, but that would only lead to a million questions, or she could tell her that she was feeling under the weather and ask her to watch Parker for the night. Choosing the lesser of two evils, Avery decided on the latter.
    I think I’m coming down with Parker’s cold. Can you watch him tonight and I’ll pick him up first thing in the morning?
    It took only a minute for Chloe to respond.
    Cold? Please, you were perfectly healthy this morning. If you want me to babysit Parker all you have to do is ask. Lame excuse not needed.
    Busted!
    Fine! I’m having dinner with Brody. Are you happy now?
    “Jesus, what is she, some sort of human lie detector?” Avery laughed, and tossed her phone on the desk. But before she could make it out of the living room it beeped one final time.
    I want all the juicy details. Oh, and tell Brody I said hi! 
    The clock on the nightstand glared brightly in the semi-darkness of the bedroom. It was already six-thirty. She’d waxed, scrubbed, shaved, and primped every inch of her body—not that anyone would be seeing it—and the only thing left to do was chose an outfit. Standing in front of her closet, Avery reached up and pulled the small black bag from the shelf. After her last encounter with Brody, she’d purchased a matching set of red satin bra and panties, something that was a far cry from the granny panties and practical bras that she normally wore. And as much as she tried to convince herself that pursuing something with Brody was a bad idea, there was no doubt that he was at the forefront of her mind when she’d purchased the scanty garments.
    Turning her attention back to the closet, she scanned the clothing that hung from the rack. Wear something nice. Brody’s words kept repeating over and over in her mind like a broken record. Without having occasion to dress up, she had turned into a classic frump girl. For the past five years she’d lived in jeans, sweatpants, sweaters, and t-shirts. As the panic began to set in, Avery frantically searched the closet,