Going Inksane (Nice Ink Book 1)

by Trish Edmisten

  “So, Heath, I understand you’re a tattoo artist,” Grant said.

  And so the third degree began.

  I smiled. “Yes, I have been for several years.”

  “How do you like it?”

  “I love it.”

  “It must be hell on your hands.”

  “It can be, but I make sure to take good care of them.”

  “I’m sure Ned appreciates that,” Kiel interjected with a grin, and Ned shot him a death glare.

  Smiling, I settled my arm around Ned’s shoulders.

  “Thank you for the flowers, Heath,” Connie said as she joined us in the living room. Taking a seat beside her husband, her brow furrowed as she looked from Ned to his brothers. “What did I miss?”

  “Heath was just telling us all about being a tattooer,” Grant said.

  “Actually, its tattooist, Dad,” Ned corrected.

  “That does sound better.” Grant nodded. “What made you decide you wanted to be a tattooist?”

  “I always knew I wanted to do something with my art, but I didn’t know if there was anything that would actually keep a roof over my head,” I answered. “I wasn’t exactly anxious to be a starving artist.”

  Not after having spent so much of my childhood going hungry, especially when it meant I could feed Cooper so he didn’t have to know that feeling. I kept that part to myself though. No need to drag the evening down with my sad story.

  “Anyway, my brother was the one who suggested we open a tattoo shop, and when my friend, Xavier, found out, he decided he wanted in too,” I finished.

  “Your brother’s an artist as well?” Connie asked.

  “Yes,” I replied, leaving out the part about him being a piercer as well.

  They seemed okay with me being a tattoo artist, but I didn’t want to rock the boat.

  “How long have you been in business?” Grant asked.

  “I’ve been tattooing since I was eighteen, but our shop’s only been open about five years now.”

  “And how’s business been?”

  “It’s great actually. We’ve been able to add another artist so there are four of us now, five when you include our shop manager.”

  Tattoos had come a long way from their rough reputation. These days I inked more soccer moms and college kids than I did bikers.

  “You probably make a ton of money,” Kiel spoke up and shrugged when Connie shot him a disapproving look. “What? I just meant tattoos are expensive. Aren’t they?”

  “They can be,” I agreed. “It depends on what a person wants done and how long it will take to finish the piece.”

  “I don’t suppose you can do tattoos of birds, can you?” Grant asked.

  “You are not getting a tattoo of a bird for Pete’s sake,” Connie huffed.

  Kiel frowned. “Why would you want a tattoo of a bird, Dad?”

  “Maybe it’s something really cool like an eagle or a phoenix,” Oliver offered.

  “Still doesn’t explain why Dad wants a bird tattoo at all,” Kiel said.

  “I didn’t say I wanted a tattoo,” Grant pointed out. “I was merely asking the boy if he could do that type of tattoo.”

  “Are you sure?” Oliver asked. “It’s an oddly specific question.”

  When Ned slid an apologetic look in my direction, I gave him a reassuring smile to let him know I wasn’t bothered. Honestly, I was a little curious about why Grant had asked because Oliver was right. It didn’t sound like a random question. Maybe the guy just really liked birds or something.

  The answer, of course, was yes. I could do bird tattoos and had done so before. If it wasn’t a random question, and Grant wanted a tattoo of a bird, I would do it for him. Do it free of charge and make sure it was the best damn bird I had ever done.

  “I’m going to check on dinner,” Connie said. Getting to her feet, she gave her husband a pointed look. “No more talk about bird tattoos.”

  “Yes, dear.” Grant’s solemn nod was at odds with the twinkling in his eyes.

  When Kiel and Oliver snickered, I knew I wasn’t the only one who’d picked up on it. Ned didn’t join his brothers in their laughter, instead still looking like he wanted to crawl under a rock.

  Kiel waited until his mother was in the kitchen before asking, “So, Dad, a bird tattoo, huh?”

  Grant grinned. “I’m not planning on getting one. I just get a kick out of seeing your mother so worked up.”

  “I heard that,” Connie called, and there was another round of laughter.

  So far, I liked Ned’s parents. I’d figured I would. There was no way the people who raised Ned were anything but awesome.

  “Dinner’s just about ready,” Connie announced. “Kiel, come in here and get drinks for everyone while I get this on the table.”

  “Why do I have to do it?” Kiel asked, though he was already on his feet.

  “You want to eat, don’t you?” Connie quipped, and Ned and Oliver traded sly grins.

  “Laugh all you want, but you’re probably gonna be the ones on clean up detail,” Kiel warned his brothers before heading into the kitchen.

  After a few minutes, Connie called for everyone to ‘get in here and eat’.

  Ned and I sat on one side of the table, across from his brothers. Connie and Grant were at opposite ends of the dark cherry wood table.

  The food looked great; roast and potatoes and mixed vegetables. There was also a loaf of bread sitting on a decorative plate in the middle of the table and a butter dish beside it. No doubt it was honest to God butter, and not that fake stuff the rest of us ate.

  It was all I could do to hold in the obscene moan threatening to escape when I got my first bite. The roast was melt in your mouth good and packed with flavor. It was no wonder Ned was such a good cook.

  “This is really good, Connie,” I said.

  Connie gave me another of her beaming smiles. “Thank you.”

  “I should be the one thanking you.”

  I realized I was laying it on a little thick when Kiel smirked at me, but I wasn’t kidding. The food was that good. These guys didn’t know how lucky they were to have grown up with a mom who could not only cook but made sure she did it on a regular basis.

  Whenever Marjorie cooked for us, it was nothing like this. Instead, we had things like spaghetti with no sauce because the sauce was too expensive or ramen noodles because they were less than fifty cents a package.

  “I can’t tell you how glad we are to have you here, Heath,” Connie said. Before I could thank her, she added, “It’s been so long since Ned had a boyfriend that I was beginning to give up hope.”

  Ned sputtered on the bite of food he’d just taken while his brothers cracked up.

  Sliding a hand under the table, I gently squeezed his thigh. “And it’s been so long since I’ve met anyone as amazing as your son that I’d almost given up hope of finding anyone like him.”

  Ned’s brothers pretended to gag while his mother’s smile stretched even wider across her face and his father gave a short nod of approval. Their reactions didn’t matter to me though.

  All I cared about was Ned who was looking at me with an emotion in his eyes we hadn’t spoken yet but had been there for me since the moment I laid eyes on him.

  “That went well.”

  “What are you talking about?” Ned demanded. “That was terrible.”

  I frowned. I didn’t think it had gone badly at all, let alone as badly as the horror in Ned’s voice suggested. After everything he’d told me about his parents, I’d expected them to be a little more conservative and a lot less accepting. They’d been neither and had welcomed me instead.

  Maybe Ned saw something I didn’t.

  “I can’t believe my mom.”

  “What did your mom do?”

  “She made that comment about giving up hope that I’d ever find a man.”

  “Yeah, that was a little unexpected, but I don’t think she meant anything bad by it.”

  Ned sighed. “I don’
t either, but it’s still embarrassing.”

  No, embarrassing was having a mother who only remembered your existence when her drug money dried up. Embarrassing was having a mother who showed up at your place of business dressed like a cheap hooker and yelled at your employees.

  I didn’t say any of that though. I didn’t want to make him feel bad or think we were in some sort of sick competition. Whose mother sucks more? Mine would win hands down every single time.

  “Do you think your parents liked me?”

  “Are you kidding? They loved you.”

  “You think so?”

  “A responsible business owner who’s apparently going to save their hopeless son from a life sentence of being the gay male version of an old maid? Yep, I’d say you’re their hero.”

  “Are they really that anxious to see you married off? It’s not like you’re the only one of your brothers who’s single.”

  “I know right. So, what? It’s like if Ned can find a man then any of them can?”

  I wasn’t sure if I was supposed to laugh or not, but I couldn’t help it. My sexy little nurse sounded way too indignant about something I was sure wasn’t as big a deal as his mom meant it to be.

  “You’re laughing, but I’m serious,” Ned insisted. “If that’s not it then what’s the big deal?”

  “Maybe it’s more like if Ned can’t find a man then they’re all doomed because he’s the best of the bunch.”

  “Ah, that’s sweet. Probably not true, but still sweet.”

  “Whatever she meant, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. The important thing is that your parents like me and I honestly wasn’t sure that was going to happen.”

  “Of course it was going to happen. I mean, hello, have you seen yourself in the mirror?”

  “Yeah, I have which is why I was worried.”

  “What are you talking about?” Ned sounded genuinely confused, which my ego appreciated.

  “Most parents want more for their son than a tattooed bad boy who…”

  I managed to catch myself in time to keep from saying I used to do porn, but damn that was close. I really needed to come clean, but that was a truth bomb I wasn’t ready to drop yet.

  “Who what?” Ned prompted.

  “Who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks,” I finished.

  “Okay, first of all, yes you’re tattooed, but you’re not a bad boy. You’re a good man, whether you think so or not, and we already covered the responsible business owner thing,” Ned said. “Second, yes we grew up comfortable, but my parents aren’t some rich snobs who are going to look down on you for coming from a family who had less. If anything, they’d be impressed by how well you’ve done for yourself despite how hard you had it growing up. Third, and most important of all, even if they didn’t like you, which we’ve already established isn’t possible, it wouldn’t have mattered because I think you’re amazing and kind and sweet and caring and sexy and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I totally owe Derek for setting us up.”

  “Thanks, baby.”

  I wasn’t sure what else to say. Ned hadn’t said the words I love you, but they were there, coming through in everything else he said.

  When Ned pulled into the parking lot of the shop, I barely suppressed a sigh. I didn’t hate my job. I loved what I did. I was just having such a good time with him that I didn’t want to let him go just yet.

  “Did you want to come inside? Maybe meet everyone.”

  Ned grinned, obviously seeing through my flimsy excuse to spend more time with him. “I haven’t met everyone?”

  “Not officially, at least not according to Cooper.”

  “In that case, I’d love to come in and officially meet everyone.”

  We climbed from his car and headed toward the entrance of the shop. When we reached the door, I pulled it open and gestured for him to enter first.

  The lobby was void of customers, but the steady buzz of a tattoo gun carried in the air.

  “Hey, Nurse Ned,” Damian greeted him, giving him a cheeky grin.

  I frowned, all set to tell him to back off, but Ned spoke first.

  “Hello, Damian the Door Monitor.”

  I cracked up. I should have known better than to underestimate Ned. The man had grown up one of five brothers. There was no question he could hold his own.

  “I’m disappointed,” Damian said. “No sarcastic T-shirt today.”

  “Maybe I’ll wear one next time,” Ned said, and I couldn’t hide my cheesy smile.

  I loved that he was already making plans to come back.

  “I’d rather you bring some more of that lasagna,” X said as he came from the back to join the conversation.

  I shook my head. “Ned, this pushy fucker is my best friend, Xavier, but we call him X.”

  “I’ve heard a lot about you,” Ned said, holding his hand toward X. “It’s nice to officially meet you.”

  X gave him a quick handshake. “You too, and I’m serious about that lasagna. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever had in my mouth.”

  “That is a sad commentary on the state of your sex life,” Cooper said, popping up behind X. Ignoring the dirty look X threw his way, Cooper focused on Ned. “I’m Heath’s brother, Cooper.”

  “Ned,” he said and shook Cooper’s hand.

  The four of us stood around shooting the shit for a few minutes before Flynn came from the back with a customer in tow. When Damian stepped away to take care of the payment, I expected Flynn to head back to his station to avoid the chit-chat.

  Flynn wasn’t a dick or anything. He just didn’t talk much and he steered clear of crowds at all costs. The few times we had managed to drag him to Whispers with us, he’d sat at the bar nursing a beer with a big, neon ‘fuck off’ sign blinking over his head. Only the bravest, or the drunkest, guys had ever approached him. When they did, he was polite but firm in shutting them down.

  “You must be Flynn,” Ned said before Flynn could make his escape. “I’m Ned. It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You too,” Flynn said.

  If Ned was bothered by the brief handshake that accompanied even fewer words, it didn’t show in his expression. He wore that same sunny smile.

  “How long have you worked here?” Ned asked.

  Flynn looked startled but answered, “A few years.”

  “That’s nice. Do you like it?”

  “Yeah, it’s cool.”

  X was giving me a ‘what the fuck’ look, but I wasn’t worried by the inquisition. I knew Derek was interested in Flynn so I figured Ned was on some sort of recon mission for his brother.

  “I need to clean up my station,” Flynn said and was gone before Ned could ask another question.

  “Was it something I said?” Ned murmured.

  “Not at all,” I assured him, though it was probably a lie.

  Flynn wasn’t one for small talk. While he did need to clean his station, that was just a convenient excuse for his getaway.

  The door to the shop opened and a group of young women swept inside. Before they even made it to the counter, the door opened again, this time bringing in a couple of college aged guys.

  “I should get going,” Ned said.

  As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. “I’ll walk you out.”

  Leaving the rest of the guys to deal with the influx of customers, I guided Ned outside. My hand was on his lower back the entire time, me taking any excuse to touch him.

  “Thanks for having dinner with my crazy family,” Ned said when we reached his car.

  “Thanks for inviting me, and for the record, I like your crazy family.”

  “That’s good because they like you too.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Leaning forward, I pressed a kiss to his lips. When I broke the kiss, I started to pull away. Before I could, Ned reached out to grab two handfuls of my shirt, holding me in place.

  “What’s up, baby?” I asked, grinning down at him.

  “Can you s
tay the night again?”

  I wanted to. God, I wanted to, but I couldn’t ask Coop to take care of my dog two nights in a row. It wasn’t fair to him or Daisy. My poor girl would probably think I was abandoning her for something better, which I sort of would be.

  “You can bring Daisy,” Ned said, as though he knew what I was worried about. “I don’t mind.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, then. After work, I’ll swing by my place and grab some clothes and my dog, but it might be kind of late.”

  “That’s okay. Just text me when you’re on the way so I know not to worry.”

  “You got it. Drive carefully, baby, and I’ll see you later tonight.”

  I gave him one more kiss before I reluctantly pulled away. I waited for Ned to get into his car and pull out of the parking lot before I returned to the shop.

  The group of girls that had come in earlier stood at the counter talking to Damian, but the guys who’d entered behind them were nowhere in sight. Not seeing Cooper or X, I figured one or both of them was with them, which was good for me. Now, I had a few extra minutes to get my head in the game.

  “How was dinner with your future in-laws?” X smirked when I strolled toward my station.

  He was trying to get under my skin, but I just smiled.

  “Damn.” X whistled, shaking his head. “You’ve got it bad.”

  Yeah, I did, but I didn’t see that as a problem.

  Chapter Twenty

  Ned

  Instead of going home after dropping Heath off at work, I headed to the pet store. If his staying the night was going to be a regular thing, and I hoped to God it was, I wanted to get a few things to make it easier for him to bring Daisy over.

  My good idea, which sounded fairly simple when I first thought of it, was turning out to be somewhat overwhelming. Buying a dog bed seemed straightforward, but there were something like fifty freaking different kinds of dog beds staring me in the face. Okay, maybe there weren’t that many, but there were a lot.

  Some were fleece while others were sheepskin. There was even a couple of velvet ones, and there were so many colors. So many sizes too, which was probably because dogs came in all different sizes. That was the only thing about dog beds that made any sense because I did not understand the ones that looked like mini couches.