“I’m happy for you, kid,” I tell him, bringing him in for another hug. “So, you came to your ol’ Uncle Gan for a little parenting advice?”
“Yeah, I mean, you’re doing a hell of a job with Tati and Terra.”
I blink at him, stunned. “You mean that?”
“Yeah? Why wouldn’t I?”
“Sarah would beg to differ…”
“She’s your ex, of course she’s going to differ. But anyone with a set of eyes could tell you my cousins think you’re Dad of the Year, though.”
My heart fills with pride, hearing that. “And you’re looking to strip me of my title?”
“Oh god, please don’t strip. No, Petro and I just want to learn from one of the best,” he says, nudging my shoulder.
I snort. “Tell you what, ink me up, and I’ll give you some of my best advice.”
“You want me to give you your first tattoo?” he asks, arching an eyebrow up at me. It’s barely visible under his shaggy, bright purple hair, however.
“It’d be my honor to get a Colton Waters tattoo.”
“Right on! Any idea what you want?”
“The girls’ names, right above my heart.”
He nods over to the chair. “Go take a seat then. Should still be warm from your ‘I don’t know what we are yet’s’ ass.”
“You tell your father, and I will give you thebiggestfriggin’ wedgie, kid.”
“I won’t, but I haven’t forgotten the whole Pride cake thing you pulled with my dad at his and Brooks’ coming out barbeque. Once you and Gordy figure out what you’ve got going on, I’ll preheat the oven.”
I get seated in the chair while Colton lines up fresh supplies. He looks as giddy as an emo-grunge kid can get, all because I told him he could take whatever creative liberties he wanted, just as long as it included the girls’ names. I trust him, and I’m so epically honored that he came to me,me, looking for parenting advice first, out of anyone in our family.
Christ, that’ll make the ol’ peepers moister than an oyster.
“You wanna hold my hand?” I tease Gordy as he wanders around the parlor, studying all the samples of work they’ve done.
Colton snorts.
Gordy shoots me a withering glare. “Keep dreaming, Wee-Waters.”
“What’d you end up getting?” I ask him. Whatever it was, he got it on a patch of blank canvas on his ribs, but he’s been super secretive about it.
He lifts his arm and flips me the bird right over the covered tattoo. Colton chuckles, and I narrow my eyes at him. “What’d he get?”
Colt’s eyes flit up to Gordy, who is shaking his head, then back at me. “Yeah, that’s gonna be a ‘no’ from me, dawg. I’m kinda counting on him to leave me a good review.”
“Smart kid,” Gordy grunts.
Colton smirks. “You say thatnow, like I totally wasn’t the little shit that keyed up your car back when I was in high school.”
Gordy glances down at his covered ribs. “You’ve gotten better with your art skills over the years.”
“Thank you,” Colt says earnestly. “And, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
Gordy scoffs. “Taryn ended up with that car anyway, so it kind of came full circle. He had a hell of a time down at the body shop learning how to buff it out and repaint it himself. Besides, y’all managed to grow up and wise up.”
Colton nods, readying his tattoo pen at my chest. He peeks up at me from his stool. “You ready?”
