Henri looks at her. “You don’t know my mom. She might.”
I rub a hand across my mouth. “Hash, if they see these tats like they are, they’ll both blow a gasket. Worse, they won’t let us get them fixed.”
Max grins. “They look like piles of poop with eyes.”
Hash looks doubtful. “If I take you to my ink shop without your dad’s permission, he will kill me.”
“He really won’t kill you,” Brielle says.
“He might,” Max says.
“He doesn’t have to know,” Henri says with big eyes. “We’ll go there. You’ll disinfect them, maybe touch them up a little.”
He looks at her. “I don’t know, kid.”
“Please.” She wrings her hands as she begs. “You don’t know my mom.”
I roll my eyes. “Dad and Selkie are probably still sleeping. They didn’t get to bed until this morning.”
“You tellin’ me you were out all night and—” Max starts.
I elbow him hard. “Shut up.”
Hash looks undecided, then takes a deep breath and nods. “Okay, but how’re we gonna get to Sailor Jerry’s? I only have my bike and the van’s not here.”
“I got my car,” Ash says. “They can ride with me.”
“I wanna ride on the bike,” Henri announces, temporarily forgetting the big picture.
“God,” Max says to her. “You have the brain of a mouse.”
He’s not wrong.
Hash ignores the side conversation. “Okay. Ash will take you and I’ll meet you there.”
“I’m comin’ too,” Max says.
I look at him. “You should stay here and make sure everyone keeps their mouths shut.”
Max raises his eyebrows at me. “But who’s gonna keep my mouth shut.”
He’s playing games. He doesn’t narc. Still, he’s getting on my nerves. “I’ll punch you in the mouth so you can’t talk.”
“If Max is going, I’m going,” Brielle pipes up stubbornly.
We all look at Sean. “I’m not good at keeping my mouth shut, either,” he says with his half-smile.
Ash says, “I can fit four passengers.”
“Which means I have to ride with Hash,” Henri says.
Hash glances at her, then to me, his eyebrows raised.
“I ride shotgun!” Max says.
I throw my hands in the air. “Whatever.”
We’re almost out the door when Henry and Zack, Haley and King’s kids, come roaring in from outside. Henry is eight and Zack is six and they’re the most annoying brats I’ve ever met. Almost as annoying as my Henri.
