St. Skin

I always remember Scarlett as the one-night-stand who got away from me. I fell in love; she took off. It feels like a lifetime ago now, though. I traded in my guitar for a needle, working at St. Skin, bringing other people's stories to life through tattoos. Though I still think about her, I know I'll never see her again. But I never knew that after she left our one night, she left pregnant.  

Lacey wasn't the one that got away - she was the one I let go. The one I made a promise to see and to love again. And each year on the same day I bring a ring to our spot and wait. And each year Lacey never shows. I tell myself this year is the last year. I need to move on, move forward, and let her go for good.

With a camera in my face, a single picture is taken, and my life is forever changed. Worst part is that I didn't even see who took my picture. At least not until I walk into St. Skin and see her standing there with a camera. The woman hired to take pictures at St. Skin while the business continues to grow. So my sanctuary from my secrets and my past are now under threat, leaving me on edge. And everywhere I go, she's there, waiting to take my picture.

My name's on the neon sign above the tattoo shop, but her name's forever tattooed on my heart. I grew up with the nickname "Saint" and opened St. Skin with the dream of marrying Kate and living a good life. But that dream died years ago. Now I'm heading back to Hundred Falls Valley to stake my claim to the shop...and to Kate's heart. The last thing I expect is for her to have a kid.

Think about it - in one swing of fate's hammer, I lost everything. The love I knew. The love I was going to know. Everything. I signed the divorce papers only because she signed them first. She wanted out. My heart was shattered. It was supposed to give us a chance to start over. There was only one problem. I wasn't done loving her.