“It’s nice to meet you, Jaxine.I’m Lola.Lola Katz.”
“Cats?Interesting last name.”
Lola chuckled.“I’ve heard that many times.It’s spelled K-A-T-Z.”
“You should totally get a cat tattoo.”Katy’s face was animated.
“A cat?”Lola and Maddie said simultaneously, and Lola heard the ridiculousness in Maddie’s voice that she felt.
Katy blew out a sharp breath.“Not a freaking house cat, Lo.Like a jungle cat.You know, lion, panther, cougar, something sexy.Cats are sexy.That’s why they call older women who chase younger males, cougars.Cuz they be hot, older ladies.”
“Are you saying ugly older women don’t chase younger men?”Maddie frowned and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Obviously.”Katy snorted.“Because ugly women are married to ugly men and have ugly kids that they tell everyone are adorable because it makes them feel less crappy about the fact that they brought ugly people into the world.”
Lola bowed her head, shaking it slowly as she pinched the bridge of her nose.“Son of a biscuit, why do we ever bring you out in public?”
“I’m just saying what no one else will.”Katy shrugged one shoulder.“Now, back to your cat tattoo.”
“Would it be alright if I bring in my other two artists?”Jaxine interjected.“You could each take a seat, review some of our existing designs, and either choose from them or collaborate with the artist to modify a design to your liking.”
Lola’s eyes grew wide.
“There’s no obligation to get it today,” Jaxine quickly added.“Consultations are free of charge.You can take your design and mull it over.”
Freak out moment averted.Before anyone could respond, Jaxine was already at the back of the room, pushing a door open.
“She’s quite spry for an ancient lady with a cane,” Maddie observed.
That’s because you didn’t see her six other legs,Lola thought, keeping the smile on her face.Jaxine seemed so nice it was hard to see her as anything but an old lady.
As Jaxine returned, she was accompanied by two others.One of them, Lola instantly recognized as one of the guys from the four groups that had been intoNo Name Pizzeria.Black hair tied up in a man-bun and golden eyes, which sparkled with recognition, and made his full lips curl into a smile.“Waitress Lady.”He sounded happy to see her.“I’m Kian, do you remember?”
“You’re one of the book boyfriends.”Katy slipped her hands into her back pockets, a move that subtly lifted her chest.Lola had seen her friend employ this strategy on men before, but only those she believed had potential to keep her interested.Despite her casual demeanor, Katy was incredibly selective when it came to her dating life.“How could we possibly forget you?”
Kian’s grin got bigger as he looked at Katy.“And you’re the one Drystan wants as a m—”
Jaxine suddenly burst into a coughing fit, drawing everyone’s attention.Lola hoped the old woman wasn’t about to collapse in front of them.She didn’t need to add ‘watched old woman drop dead’ to the list of traumatic things already plaguing her life.
When the coughing finally subsided, Kian continued.“You’re the one Drystan… was interested in.”
“Ooh, hear that, Loles?”Katy said, a smile filling her voice.“Someone isinterestedin me.”
Lola narrowed her eyes at Kian.That wasn’t what he’d been about to say.She looked at his neck for the panther tattoo.It was there, but while she stared at it, the animal never moved.The three-dimensional quality was still incredible.
“Well,” Jaxine spoke up swiftly, “it’s fantastic that you’ve already met one of our artists.Kian, you can collaborate with Lola.”She gestured to the man on her right.“This is Zephyr.”The guy was seriously channeling a Machine Gun Kelly vibe.He had piercings everywhere, black-painted nails, and his hair was blond at the tips but darker at the roots.It seemed too soft to be bleached hair, but then again, who naturally had hair that grew blond at the tips?And who had disappearing tattoos.
Zephyr tilted his head at them.“Welcome toWild Ink.”His eyes were an unusual shade of green, almost the color of limes.
“I’ll take him,” Katy said with a salacious grin.
Maddie pursed her lips.“Try not to molest him, please.”
Zephyr simply chuckled as he held out his hand to Katy.Lola noticed a tattoo on the back of it—a chameleon.Again, the lifelikeness and three-dimensional effect of the image was incredible.She stared at it until he walked away with Katy in tow to a chair on the right-hand wall.
“You’re Maddie, correct?”Jaxine said, pulling Lola from her tattoo-induced trance.
She smiled.“Yep, I’m the normal one.”
