Page 70 of Her Ex-Husband's Brother

But Mack never is one to pull his punches.

I shrug and tell him the truth. “Then things go back to normal?”

Mack rolls his eyes. “Why do I put up with you again?”

I grin. “My charm and charisma?”

“As if,” Mack snorts. Then he shakes his head and glances out the window at the line, which, if possible, has gotten even longer. “Well get ready for a long day, because I’m going to let them in.”

NINETEEN

LENNON

I slingmy laptop bag over my shoulder and cut across the downtown street, my head down against sharp, cold February wind.

My breath comes out in little clouds, and I’m grateful when I jog the last few steps down the sidewalk to the tattoo shop where August works.

My hand is on the door handle before I notice a sign on the glass and grin.

Tattoos with August Gallagher are By Appointment Only.

Call to get on his calendar.

Walk-ins with other artists welcome

Then it lists a number of the shop.

My smile widens as I push in the door, hiking my bag higher on my shoulder.

A wall of heat and the buzz of half a dozen tattoo machines running at once greet me as soon as I get inside.

The small waiting area is packed. Every folding chair is full and two guys parked by the flash-covered wall are flipping through a portfolio binder. Someone’s toddler runs laps around the reception desk while his mom pretends not to notice. The whole place smells like green soap.

August and I didn’t set up a contract before I started running his socials, so when we finally sat down to do it last week, after I’d been running them for three weeks and he had really started seeing an upswing in business, he was the one to suggest I take a percentage instead of a flat fee.

It’s not unheard of. It’s usually just theclientthat wants to talk flat fee options, no matter how big their businesses are or how much specialized attention they want.

August says I should always demand percentages.

I’ve never had anyone believe in me as much as he does, and he just met me.

I could certainly give myallto a more selective clientele, locking in to make sure their businesses soar.

To be honest, the last three weeks have been the most insane and liberating of my life.

Which, you know, is only mildly effing terrifying.

This thing with August… I mean, it literally started out as a lovely distraction and means of escape for what was supposed to be one, wild, electric night I’d never forget.

Which… I mean, oh my god, itwas.Beyond my wildest dreams.

And then it got complicated.

Way,waycomplicated.

Even August himself says I should run, and God knows I’m not naïve enough to be blind to how messy this is.

He’s my ex-husband’sbrother.