Page 83 of Forbidden Harmony

“Thanks, man. I love it. I can’t wait formy girl to see it.” The tourist paid for his tattoo and grinning from ear toear, left the shop.

Lucas joined them. “There goes a man who’sgetting lucky tonight.”

Preacher snorted, and Lucas grinned athim. “What? Girls eat up that romantic stuff. Right, Addison?”

“It is kind of romantic,” Addie said.

“No, it’s stupid,” Preacher said. “Nolan,what’s the number one tattoo cover up request in this shop?”

Nolan looked up from his station. “Names.Fucking names. Unless it’s your mama, never get a name tattooed on you. I don’tcare if you think you’re gonna love that girl for fucking ever. Don’t get hername tattooed on your body.”

Preacher glanced at Lucas. “Only an idiotgets his woman’s name tattooed on his body. It’s not romantic. It’s a mistake.”

“Noted,” Lucas said with another of hisirritating grins. “Nix, you ready to talk?”

“Sure,” Nix said.

“I’m going to go,” Addison said.

“I can give you a ride home,” Lucas said. “Connormentioned you didn’t have a car.”

Before Preacher could spit out his immediate‘not a fucking chance’, Addison said, “That’s all right. I’ll take the bus. Thenext one is in, like, two minutes.”

“You sure?” Lucas said. “I can book an appointmentto chat to Nix tomorrow.” He glanced at Nix who nodded.

“I’m sure,” Addison said. “I’ll talk toyou later. Bye, everyone.”

Without looking at Preacher, she walked outof the shop.

“Give me a few minutes to clean up my stationand then we’ll chat,” Nix said.

He walked away and Lucas stared atPreacher. “Dude, I was trying to help you here. Gave you the opportunity tosee her and you act like you’re gonna rip everyone’s head off, including hers.If you want a chance with her, you might want to act like you’re happy to seeher for God’s sake.”

“I don’t need your fucking help withdating,” Preacher said.

Lucas laughed and clapped him on the back.“Buddy, if this is you trying to make a good impression with the lady you like,then you do. You really do.”

Chapter Nineteen

“How long is your supper break?” Gideon slidinto the booth at Nan’s, adjusting his vest and turning down the radio on hisbelt.

“I’m done for the day,” Preacher said.

“It’s only five.”

“My client was scheduled for four hours,asshole tapped out after two,” Preacher said.

“Hey, Sheriff.” Georgia, a curvy redheadwith a warm smile and a penchant for cursing that outmatched Preacher’s,stopped at their booth. She wore a Nan’s Diner t-shirt with a name tag justabove her left breast, an apron around her waist, and she held a notepad in herleft hand.

A slender blonde woman wearing an identicalt-shirt and apron stood beside her holding a tray in her hands. She set thebeer on the tray in front of Preacher who nodded in thanks.

“Hi, Georgia. Nice to see you,” Gideonsaid.

“You too. This is Wren. She’s the new serverNan hired.”

Gideon shook Wren’s hand. “Nice to meetyou.”

“You as well.” Wren was soft-spoken and pretty,but Preacher barely gave her a second look. His obsession with Addison meantthat he compared every woman in Harmony Falls to her, and every single one ofthem failed to do a thing for him.

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