Jack indulged her, though he secretly thought it wouldn’t do any good.
With a flourish, Jessica dropped the token into the slot and turned the knob. The machine rattled to life, the balls within jostling as they shifted around, until one dropped down the shoot with aplunk.
Jessica withdrew it and held it up. “Blue cap,” she said. “That seems lucky, right?”
Jack quirked his eyebrow dubiously. “Whatever you say, sunshine. Now open it up, please.”
Simply because she knew he was on edge, she took her time popping the cap off the ball and removing the folded slip of paper inside. She held out the empty ball to Jack, her attention never leaving the paper as she revealed what they’d be getting.
When she gasped, Jack reached for her, taking the paper from her hands.
The moment his eyes settled on the design, his jaw slackened in surprise.
“Well?” Aiden asked, his eyes darting back and forth between Jessica and Jack. “What’d you get?”
Jack flipped the paper toward them, showing the small sunshine bobbing on the horizon of a body of water, rays branching off the small orb.
His eyes met Jessica’s, and she gave him a watery smile.
Sunshine.
Because why the fuck wouldn’t the universe do this for them, too?
“Love that one,” Drew said. “A little girlie for you, though,” he added, smacking Jack on the chest.
“No,” Jack said, still holding Jessica’s gaze. “It’s perfect.”
“Great!” Drew said, clapping his hands together. “Then let’s get you guys inked!”
Jack grabbed Jessica’s hand and followed Drew, Kenzie, and Aiden to the back, into a larger room with a small loveseat along one side.
“Who wants to go first?” Aiden asked.
“I will!” Jessica said excitedly, and Jack was surprised by how calm she was being about this. Most people, when presented with participating in something theyknewwould hurt, would balk, but not his girl. Jessica’s fearlessness was one of the things Jack loved most about her.
“Where do you want it?” Drew asked as he set about printing the stencil to give him a guide on Jessica’s skin.
Without hesitation, Jessica extended her left arm and pointed to the spot right above the crease of her elbow, where her biceps tapered down. “Right here.”
“Alright, little lady,” Drew said, patting the chair. “Climb on up.”
Jessica settled on the cushy black leather, and Drew wheeled a stool and a tray over, getting himself situated before layingJessica’s arm across his lap. As he fired up the gun, Jessica said, “Jack?”
“Yeah, sunshine?”
“Hold my hand?”
Jack moved around to the other side of the chair and gathered her right hand in his. “Always,” he said, giving her a smile.
Across the room, someone gagged, and Jack looked up in time to see Kenzie smacking Aiden upside the head. “Be nice,” she scolded him.
“They’re just so cute it’s disgusting,” Aiden said.
“You say that like you two aren’t the same way,” Jessica said with an eye roll, and Jack barked out a laugh.
“She’s got a point, Fuller,” Kenzie said with a grin, and Aiden pouted.
“We’re not that bad,” Aiden said.
