Page 105 of Forbidden Harmony

Brad glanced at him. “Sorry.”

He shifted in the tattoo chair and Preacherglared at him.

“You keep squirming and your tattoo will befucked up.”

“Right.” The firefighter gave him a shit-eatinggrin and Preacher was tempted to stop tattooing and tell the idiot to get thefuck out of his shop. Instead, gritting his teeth, he went back to tattooing Brad’sarm, concentrating on the shading as Brad watched Nix clean his station.

“Where’s the guy with the green hair?” Bradsaid.

“Off today,” Preacher said. If Brad didn’tstop being so fucking chatty, he really would tell him to get the fuck out.

“Shop’s busy today,” Brad said. “Is thatwhy you hired the new guy?”

“You want a fucking tattoo or you want agoddamn cup of tea and a chat?” Preacher said.

“Sorry, man,” Brad said sheepishly.

Preacher started up the gun again. He wasn’tbeing an asshole to Brad because he’d been sitting at the table that night withAddison at the Thirsty Beaver and let her go outside without any fuckingthought to her safety. He was being an asshole because Brad was a jacked-up dickheadwithout a single fucking coherent thought in his head.

The bell over the shop door chimed andPreacher looked up when Brad said, “About fucking time you got here. Where thehell you been?”

Daniel, his blond hair too long and his usualclean-shaven jaw covered with two days of stubble, grabbed a stool near thedrawing station and brought it over. He sat down next to Brad. “Sorry, my caris still at the Beaver, so I took an Uber over here.”

“Jesus, you fucking reek. You still hungover from last night?” Brad said.

The scent of stale beer clung to Daniellike a musty overcoat.

“Nah, I’m good,” Daniel said.

Preacher glanced at Addison’s brother. Hedidn’t think it was his imagination that the beer smell intensified when Danieltalked or that he’d staggered a little when he walked. He glanced at the clockon the wall. It was just after eleven on a Friday morning and the guy was alreadyfucking drunk.

“Christ, my thighs still hurt from ball Wednesdaynight,” Brad said. “Swear to fucking God, I was doing all the work. I don’teven know why we put Martin in center field. Fucker can’t catch or run worth shit.”

Daniel shrugged as a few tourists walkedinto the shop and studied the artwork on the walls. Nix joined them, theirconversation drowned out by the sound of Preacher’s tattoo gun. “Martin wasjust having an off night.”

“Every fucking night is an off night forhim,” Brad said. “Jesse ask if you could take his shifts tomorrow and Sunday?”

“Yeah. I said I would.”

“Sucker,” Brad said. “Hey, can I borrowyour phone for a minute? Forgot to fucking charge mine.”

Daniel handed Brad his phone and Preachermade a grunt of annoyance when Brad shifted in the chair again.

“I gotta look up when that -” Daniel’s phonechimed, and Brad squinted at the screen. “Gross, your sister’s asking you toget tampons for her.”

Brad moved his arm again and Preacherstifled his urge to slap the idiot across the head.

“Hold still,” he growled.

“Right, sorry,” Brad said.

Daniel took his phone back and texted rapidly.“She’s been a real pain in my ass lately.”

“Send her my way, I’ll be a real pain inherass,” Brad said with a laugh.

“Talk about my sister like that again andI’ll shove my foot upyourass,” Daniel said.

“Whatever, man. Your sister’s got that hotgood girl thing going on. Swear to God, ever since her loser fiancé dumped her,half the guys in town have been dying to get between her -”

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