“Yeah, but… they’re, like, famous. I heard their daughter, Jolie, is better than both of them.”
As if summoned by Callie’s declaration, Jolie steps onto the set. She doesn’t have a single tattoo, but she’s definitely the artist most celebrities gravitate toward these days.
The show ends, and Jax puts his arm around his wife’s shoulders and turns her toward me.
Frankie’s eyes light up. “Foster Davis!”
“Oh my god, I was not prepared for this,” Lex whispers, grabbing Callie’s arm. “She’s so hot.”
“Frankie Owens. Still making artists second-guess their calling, I see,” I say.
She laughs and hugs me with a pat on the back. “Do you want shitty tattoos on your skin? You should be thanking me.” She eyes Callie, then Lex. “Which one is Callie?”
Callie raises her hand. “Me. I’m sorry to interrupt?—”
“We’re done for the day, but we’ll be back at it tomorrow. Jolie has a private client right now, so you only have Jax and me.”
“You’re icons.” Lex’s eyes are wide, and she appears a little star struck.
Frankie laughs. “Well, thank you, but it wasn’t always like this for us.” She turns around and waves Jax over.
He joins our little group, giving me a handshake and a once-over. “What are we doing today?”
“Ah, not until the season is over.”
“Callie?” Jax looks right at her as if he’s done his research and knows exactly who she is.
They shake hands, and Lex can barely control herself when I introduce her.
“I have an idea. I’m starving, and I’ve yet to have Chicago deep-dish pizza since we’ve been in town. Would you mind walking, having lunch, and then we can walk it off and finish the interview? I don’t want to change whatever plan you had.” Frankie directs her question at Callie.
“I’ll take whatever you’ll give me. Honestly, I’m just so grateful you agreed to this.” Callie’s brown eyes sparkle. It’s likely not a great sign how much I love being the one who put it there.
Frankie laughs, and Jax joins in, putting his arm around his wife. “Please, we’re just normal people. Our friends from Clifton Heights would tell you we’re not anything big. One of our friends married a prince, so… we’re small potatoes.”
This is why I thought they’d be perfect. They tattoo some of the biggest celebrities in the world, but they’re also self-made. Plus, they didn’t have it easy in their younger days.
Lex gets them set up with microphones, and Callie decides she’ll interview Frankie on the way to the restaurant and Jax on the way back.
Jax and I hang back on the walk to the restaurant, letting the girls do their thing.
“So… a baby?” Jax says.
I nod. “A baby.”
“Crazy. You knew her before?”
“I’m friends with her brother. Hayes Carlisle.”
“Oh yeah, you brought him by once.”
Probably.
“Feels like a real grown-up move. And here I thought you were calling for another tattoo.”
“Maybe after the season. I’m trying to help her get some celebrities on her show. Her podcast is gonna be huge soon, so you should be thanking me for getting you in so early.”
He chuckles and shakes his head. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
