Blake and Liam exit the ceremony while the crowd claps and cheers. I had no idea they even knew this many people, and it’s very loud in the barn. Luckily, I have an excuse to escape the chaos for a little bit at least.
“Ready?” I check with Liam and Blake when I catch up to them outside.
“Ready for what?” Chad asks, inserting himself. I wasn’t expecting him to be a part of this, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
“John’s going to give us tattoos!” Blake practically shouts. “I’m so nervous but excited for my first one!”
“What! Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Chad pouts, sounding hurt that he was left out of the plan even though it has absolutely nothing to do with him.
“Don’t worry, I only found out this morning,” Liam reassures him before staring at Blake adoringly. “Apparently, Blake has been cooking the idea up with John and wanted it to be a surprise. I can’t think of a better tattoo to have than a B on my ring finger.”
They look like they’re about to jump each other, so I excusemyself. “My shit is in Wyatt’s house whenever you’re ready. It’ll take me a few minutes, so I’ll go set up.”
“You didn’t tell me you know how to tattoo,” Chad calls out as he follows me.
“Didn’t know it mattered,” I mutter. It’s not like he ever asked.
I already brought everything in this morning when Chad was helping Blake before his big reveal with Liam, so I do my best to sanitize the kitchen table we’ll be working on before I set up my station.
“This is what I meant about wanting to know more about you,” he points out. “You don’t have to tell me everything, and I know you’re busy now, but I want to hear about how you learned. Maybe we can go on another date and you can tell me all about it?”
“I told you I can’t date you, Chad.” My tone is harsh, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see how he visibly deflates with my answer. I shouldn’t care, but the knot in my stomach eases some when he perks up again as I continue. “But it’s not a big deal. A guy I was friends with after trade school was a tattoo apprentice, and I let him practice on me. He ended up teaching me while he did it.”
Before he can no doubt ask me more, I’m saved by Blake and Liam barging in with big smiles on their faces, followed by their photographer, and Chad turns to them instead. “So how are you guys feeling now that you’re married?”
“Amazing,” Blake answers, tone full of love. “That felt so much more like us than theLove Without Labelswedding ever would have.”
I’m kind of surprised he’d bring up that day when I know how shitty it was for them both. When they were on the reality TV show they met on, there was some drama with Blake’s family on the day they were meant to get married, and theydidn’t go through with it. Obviously it wasn’t enough to break them up forever, but it made for some popular reality TV.
“Who wants to go first?” I ask.
Chad is practically bouncing in place as if he’s about to volunteer, and as much as the possessive part of me would absolutely love to mark his perfect virgin skin, to use any excuse to touch him, really, I know I need to keep my distance.
Blake interrupts that line of thinking as he sits down across from me. He’d already sent me the exact font he wants, so we pick out the best stencil size from what I’d previously printed and make sure he likes the placement before I mark him with an L forever. Honestly, I’m shocked at how well he sits for it, even if it’s over quickly. Liam follows, and Chelsea snaps away.
I’m trying to focus—it actually means a lot that Blake asked me to do this for them, but it’s hard to completely block out Chad. I’m always aware of where he is in a room, even if I don’t want to be. It’s more than just attraction. Plenty of people are hot—well, maybe not as hot as Chad—but I think it’s also how unpredictable he is. A part of me is always waiting for whatever crazy thing he’s going to do or say next so I don’t miss it.
I’ve never minded how boring my life is, but I imagine it’ll feel especially monotonous when he leaves.
“Alright, guys, that’s it. I covered them, and you really shouldn’t wear your rings while they’re healing. Make sure to keep them clean and put on the ointment throughout the day for the next couple weeks to keep the skin from drying out. That’s a shitty spot though, so I can do touch-ups whenever you need.”
As soon as I finish my care instructions, Chad rips the glove off my left hand.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I bark at him, but he just grabs my hand and holds it up, searching for something.
“Perfect,” he whispers, nodding approvingly.
I yank my hand out of his grip before he can start askingabout adding a C to my ring finger or something equally ridiculous.
Blake holds his hand up. “I love it so much, John. This was the second-best idea ever.”
“What was the first?” Liam asks, sounding amused.
Blake grins at him. “Can I tell you about my wedding present yet?”
“This wasn’t the present?” Liam holds up his hand, gesturing to the new ink.
“Nope,” Blake replies, emphasizing thep.
