Page 60 of Chasing Sparks

“Ori didn’t say anything?”

“She waved and said good morning. Does that count?”

All these dramatics, and Ori hasn’t said a word about running into me.

Now, why doesn’t that make me feel better?

I run a hand over my beard, releasing an annoyed huff. “Huh. She didn’t sayanything?”

Braden smirks at my continued digging. “Who knows? Maybe she’s not that intoyou, either.”

I click my tongue against my teeth, shooting daggers at my younger brother. “Go fuck yourself.”

“Love you too, brother.” Braden swigs the last of his coffee and tosses the cup into the trash. “So, are you ever going to tell me about Casey’s business proposal, or was it all just a front to get laid?”

“Well, she asked, but I let her down gently.”

“You’re such a dick.”

I roll my eyes, snorting out a laugh. “I speak the truth. Anyway, that interview inInk Spotgarnered crazy attention. Worldwide attention. They want to send us on a tour to some of the finest tattoo parlors around the globe to work as traveling artists.”

Braden bolts upright in his chair, his booted feet hitting the ground with a thud. “Us? As in, all of us?”

Not exactly, but I’m not disclosing that piece of information.

Yet.

What I told Casey, in no uncertain terms, is that my decision hinges on Braden and Zane tagging along. They’re my guys, my chosen family, and I wouldn’t be here without them.

Either we all go, or none of us do.

Casey figures the bigwigs will need some convincing, but I told her that with Zane’s black-and-gray, Braden’s neo-traditional, and my photorealism, we’d cover all the bases.

A tattoo lover’s wet dream. Or orgy, whatever they prefer.

“That’s the goal, but there are a ton of moving parts, and who knows if it’ll come to fruition.”

A ridiculous grin breaks across my brother’s face. “Holy shit, that’s huge! When do we leave? How long would we be gone? What countries are we hitting? Are we going to Italy because I’d kill to see Rome.”

The questions fly from Braden’s mouth like bullets, his excitement impossible to miss.

No doubt Zane will be equally enthused.

Too bad I don’t feel one iota of their ardor. The idea of leaving Sparkwood doesn’t sit right with me—something about uprooting everything, even for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, just feels off.

Or maybe my head is still screwed from last night.

“Try to curb your enthusiasm,” Braden remarks, pushing himself to his feet. “I’m grabbing a refill. You want to come along? Face the firing squad?”

With a snort and a light smack to the back of his head, I trail him into the bookstore.

Mina glances up as soon as we cross the threshold, her face lighting up with a smile when she sees Braden.

That same smile morphs into a scowl the second her gaze lands on me.

“Back again so soon?”

“You make excellent coffee,” Braden replies, settling onto a stool. “Plus, I’m starving.”

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