At least one of them had some sense. While Mike and Anthony wanted to use the situation to their advantage, my other brother-in-law had his head on straight. He knew the way to make his woman feel better about the entire Kat situation was to shower her with attention and remind her how much she meant to him. The other guys…they were greedy fuckers, but they did love their wives too.
By the time we made it to shore, a storm had indeed rolled in, and tethering the boat to the dock wasn’t so easy. But I had a feeling the hard work for the men around me was just beginning. They talked a big game, but the women in their lives were the bosses, leading them around by their dicks.
Epilogue
“Where’s Kat?” Max asked within one minute of stepping into Inked on Saturday.
“She’s off today,” I told her, secretly jumping for joy on the inside because Max was chomping at the bit to see her.
“Damn it. How do I miss her every time? She’d better have her ass at the party.”
When Max had stopped in earlier in the week, she’d texted me that she was on her way. Kat didn’t have any clients, so I told her to take off early and do some errands to pick up some supplies for the shop. Really, I just wanted to piss Max off, and it worked like a charm.
“She’ll be here.”
“Fine,” she grumbled and placed her hands on her hips. “If she doesn’t show…”
“Shut up. She’ll be here.”
“Mmm-hmm. Well, anyway, the tent is going up now, and the caterers will be here any minute. We only have two hours until the party starts.”
Max should’ve hooked up with Mike. They would’ve been a powerhouse couple of anxiety and bossiness. I giggled at the thought because I didn’t know who would’ve come out unscathed in that marriage.
The entire Gallo clan came walking in the shop like a small army, ready to put Max’s plans into action. They lined up like a troop as Max started to rattle off job duties to make this party happen.
Within hours, the inside of Inked was transformed into a spectacular party space, and the tent was filled with tables and chairs along with a DJ.
“You went all out this year,” I told Max, impressed with her skills on such short notice.
“It has to be bigger and badder than last year, girl.” Max smiled, looking around at everything we’d accomplished in a short time under her watchful eye.
“I guess so. You did it.”
Anthony strolled up next to Max and put his arm around her shoulder. “Everything looks amazing, baby.”
She snuggled into his side and wrapped her arm around his back. “Thanks. I’d do anything for you.”
“Even anal?” I quirked an eyebrow, which earned me a very sour and unhappy glance from Max.
“Anal? Really? That would be amazing,” Anthony said. “You sure know how to spoil a guy.”
“Fuck you, Izzy, and you too, Anthony.” She pulled away from him and glared at him. “You know how I feel about that.”
He grabbed her hips and pulled her close. “You love when I put my finger in there.” He waggled his eyebrows, and her face reddened. “My dick isn’t much different.
“I can’t,” I said and walked away.
Max laid into him something fierce. I couldn’t stop laughing. Poor Max. She always liked to seem like she was in control, and Anthony always had a way to throw her off-balance. I think it was why they worked so well.
Suzy tugged me off to the side. “Are you sure she’s coming?”
“I’m sure.”
She pulled at her top lip and gave me a halfhearted smile. “Okay. I trust you.”
I rolled my eyes and walked over to Joe. “Handle your woman,” I told him before I went to find where James had wandered off to.
He was sitting in the shop, occupying my chair as Thomas sat across from him, and they were talking about business. What else would they talk about?
