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"You know, I always wanted a helix piercing." She lifts her chin and stares at me defiantly. Cute. Look at her, even throwing piercing names around as if she didn’t read it off one of Evan’s posters.

"And you, Lauren?"

Her focus shifts to the jewelry displayed in a glass showcase behind the counter as she tries to think of a smart retort.

"She's here for emotional support." Nic quickly jumps in and pats Lauren's arm.

"And coincidentally, you decided to ride my bumper the entire way here."

The two glance at each other, caught but trying to wriggle their way out of it.

"Hey, don't scare away potential customers." Evan appears and nudges me with his elbow. Bless him, the guy has one of his piercing needles in his hand, holding it up in a ‘mad scientist’ way. "I love piercing people with long and sharp needles."

"So this is your friend?" The color has returned to Lauren's face, and she frees her arm from Nic's and extends her hand. "The man of the hour. I'm Lauren, and you are?"

"Evan." He grins and shakes her hand with the non-needle holding one. “Good to meet you.”

"And I am Nic." Another handshake.

"I've heard a lot about you two."

"Funny thing." Both of them cross their arms in front of their chests and shoot me murderous glares. "Because we can't say the same about you."

Now all three pairs of eyes land on me, though Evan’s expression is definitely more amused than the girls’. It was never my intention to make him a secret, but Wayward Hollow being a small town, I didn’t exactly want to shout our glimpse of a relationship out to the world. Thankfully, he understands and, dare I say, he loves the role of ‘dirty little secret.’

"Hey, show me the contract where it says I have to introduce all of my friends to each other." I lift my hands in defense and take a step back.

"Guys, I hate to interrupt this joyful meeting,” Evan steps between me and the two. “But we have an appointment, and I do have to start tattooing Kieran. Because my mom invited me for dinner tonight, and she’s making burgers, I'm not missing out on those."

"Oh, I always wanted to watch someone get tattooed." Lauren wrings her hands and glances at me with wide puppy eyes. "Pretty please, can we watch?"

"Why do all women want to stare at my ass?" I grumble under my breath and run my palm over my face.

“The horror,” Evan deadpans, and I subtly show him my middle finger. Then I nod at Nic and Lauren. “Sure, go ahead.”

The two of them break into squeals and do a victory dance.

Suddenly Nic freezes and turns to me. "Not because of your ass. Because we get to watch someone jam needles into your skin."

"Sure, sure." I purse my lips and walk past Evan to his tattoo station. “Tell yourself that.”

Exactly like last time, I drop my pants, hike up my shorts so my full ass cheek is exposed, and climb on the tattoo bed stomach down.

"Oh wow, you weren't wrong," Lauren says, surprised. "That is a lot of ass on display."

"Warned you," I say over my shoulder.

They grab two chairs and take a seat by my head to continue their interrogation. So this is really happening now, isn’t it?

My hands turn clammy. I’m doing my best to breathe through the anxiety. Still, I’m drumming my fingertips against the black plastic surface and looking anywhere but at them.

"So," Lauren leans in while Evan disinfects my leg and gets out his pen to sketch out the smoke lines. In retrospect, maybe we should have done both at the same time after all. Now I’ll have to go through another week without sitting down. Which will be a bitch for my way back, having to drive and all. "Is there any particular reason you never introduced us to each other?"

"No." I put my chin on my folded hands and stare up at her. "It just never came up." The pen tickles on the back of my knee as Evan sketches.

"One year, Kieran," Nic leans in.

"Is this an inquisition? Are you the good cop, and Lauren the bad cop?" My eyes dart between the two of them. "Or is this more of a mobster about to dive into a torture situation?"