Brady
“So,”TJ said, typing on the computer at the front counter. “When was the last time you ate and drank?”
“That was breakfast, so... three hours ago?” I replied.
“Did you drink coffee?”
“Can’t wake up without it. Cream and sugar.”
TJ grinned as he walked over to me, a pen and piece of paper in hand. “Good. That means I get to bring you a drink and a snack. Here, Brady. Sign this waiver for me, would you? You and Kiara—any allergies?”
“Nope. Neither of us.”
I took the paper as TJ disappeared into a back room. The wording was highly professional, unlike the shoddy waiver I signed the first time. I scribbled my signature just as TJ returned. In his arms were a bottle of water, an apple juice box, and a couple of peanut butter granola bars. He placed the juice and snack on Kiara’s table first, then handed me mine.
“The peanut butter is for protein. You’ll need it,” TJ explained. “Drinking water beforehand keeps you hydrated and lessens the pain.”
I was shocked by his generosity. Even in the last few months of my pregnancy, Corey never lifted a finger to keep me comfortable. I remembered hobbling to the fridge to feed myself while heavily pregnant withhischild. TJ would never make me do that.
“Man, you really think of everything,” I said. “Thanks.”
TJ nodded, smiling. As I ate my snack, he returned to sit on the stool next to me with a portable drawing tablet in hand.
“Let’s get down to business,” TJ said, electronic pen at the ready. “Any ideas for what you’d like your cover-up to be?”
Glancing at my old tattoo, I imagined various designs. “I have some ideas, but I don’t know how feasible they are.”
TJ’s black eyes sparkled. “I’m good at what I do, Brady. Anything’s feasible.”
I found his confidence sexy, but now wasn’t the time to be turned on by my mysterious, attractive tattoo artist.
“This is probably so cheesy,” I admitted.
“Bring on the cheese.”
“I was thinking... since most of the old tattoo is red, we could keep that color. But better, obviously.”
TJ grinned. “Obviously.”
I looked over at Kiara, who busily colored her paper with TJ’s variety of markers. Then I glanced back at TJ.
“April is Kiara’s birth month, and Gerbera daisies are the official birth month flower for April. So I imagined a big red Gerbera daisy...” I blushed. “Is that super corny or what?”
“I love it,” TJ said, his voice genuine.
I laughed sheepishly. “I know it’s not very original. I bet people ask for flower tattoos all the time.”
But TJ just gave me a warm, sunny smile. “Originality is overrated. Do what makes you happy, Brady.”
My heart skipped a beat. How did this man I’d known for an hour make me feel so good inside?
First, TJ took a photo of my current tattoo with his tablet, lowered its opacity, then he drew on top of it digitally.
“Let’s figure out the design together,” he suggested. “If at any point you want to change something, let me know.”
I peered over to watch him work. In no time at all, he’d drawn a beautiful outline of a Gerbera daisy.
“Whoa,” I murmured. “You’re so fast! And your lines are amazing.”
