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giving my heart to the woman, I’d lost sight of reality entirely, was consumed with my own sort of madness. And that madness was more than just a result of being burned by a lover. People cheated all the time. Hell, I knew there was nothing about that scenario that made me all that different from the millions who were also cheated on. The madness that ensued because of Jamie’s unfaithfulness was about more than just her betrayal.
    It was about me betraying myself.
    When I missed the appointment with the publisher the morning I’d found Jason between her legs, it was then that I realized just how much I’d lost myself in the illusion of what I thought we were. I’d always prided myself on having a healthy sense of identity, but when Jamie left, it made me question everything I’d ever believed about myself. I felt blind, stupid, and crushed, knowing she’d leveled my trust and possibly tainted me for any woman who came after her. Not only that, but the only other love I had, my dream to be a published author, was destroyed because of that distraction. Looking back, I realized it was only temporarily destroyed, but at the time, it felt pretty damn permanent.
    Still to this day, I couldn’t help but mentally kick myself for not getting up and going to that meeting anyway, even though the publisher made it clear I wasn’t welcome. Instead of sitting on that damn living room floor and giving into that breakdown when Jamie walked out the door, I should’ve pulled myself up and charged over there, demanding to speak with them and show them how badly I wanted the deal. How I wouldn’t let them down and how they had to publish my novel, they just had to.
    I’d known I could’ve pursued other publishing deals, but my spirit was broken. Not only was my first impression completely tarnished with this publisher, but I was faced with having to start the submission process all over again—which wasn’t exactly a short process—and basically start from scratch, after I’d been so, so close. Hell, the contract was on the table, the ink fresh and ready to sign. All we needed to do was hammer out a few details.
    Sam had understood all this the day I came to the shop asking for the tattoos.
    I sighed again, ready to answer her.
    “Fine. Her name’s Kate.”
    At that, she dropped what she was doing and pulled up a stool, giving me her full attention. “Ah, a classic name. I like her already. Spill.”
    I eyed her cautiously. “Don’t judge.”
    “When do I ever?”
    “She was a student of mine.”
    “Surprise, surprise.” She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly.
    “Hey, I said no judging!”
    “Excuse me , Romeo, but I never did approve of you turning all Man Whore on your students when Jamie left. It was so...extreme for you. Not to mention wrong .”
    I tipped my head back against the chair, exhaling loudly.
    “Hey,” I felt her fingers tug at my forearm, which was now gripping the armrest, “I still blame that jackass Ian for sending you down that path. That wasn’t you.”
    “What?” My head snapped up, my eyes finding hers again. “How is that Ian’s fault?”
    “He was a bad influence.”
    “He was only doing what you were doing, telling me to move on and forget Jamie.”
    She huffed, her sarcasm running deep. “Um, yeah, okay, I said forget Jamie, not sleep with half of the student population, dude.” She crossed her arms smugly and cocked a brow. “It was Ian’s bright idea to take a sledge hammer to your moral code. I simply wanted you to get over the bitch. You know, prove to yourself that any woman would be thrilled to get their hands on a fine piece of ass like you. You could’ve gone about that waaayyyy differently.”
    I laughed. The woman had a point. Ian, my best friend from college, watched me devote myself to Jamie and was the first one to give me the “I told you so” spiel the second she cheated on me. Then he made it his life’s mission to take me out and get me plastered until I took