Chapter 10
JOHN
Blake and Liam exit the ceremony while the crowd claps and cheers. I had no idea they even knew this many people, and it’s very loud in the barn. Luckily, I have an excuse to escape the chaos for a little bit at least.
“Ready?” I check with Liam and Blake when I catch up to them outside.
“Ready for what?” Chad asks, inserting himself. I wasn’t expecting him to be a part of this, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
“John’s going to give us tattoos!” Blake practically shouts. “I’m so nervous but excited for my first one!”
“What! Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Chad pouts, sounding hurt that he was left out of the plan even though it has absolutely nothing to do with him.
“Don’t worry, I only found out this morning,” Liam reassures him before staring at Blake adoringly. “Apparently, Blake has been cooking the idea up with John and wanted it to be a surprise. I can’t think of a better tattoo to have than a B on my ring finger.”
They look like they’re about to jump each other, so I excuse myself. “My shit is in Wyatt’s house whenever you’re ready. It’ll take me a few minutes, so I’ll go set up.”
“You didn’t tell me you know how to tattoo,” Chad calls out as he follows me.
“Didn’t know it mattered,” I mutter. It’s not like he ever asked.
I already brought everything in this morning when Chad was helping Blake before his big reveal with Liam, so I do my best to sanitize the kitchen table we’ll be working on before I set up my station.
“This is what I meant about wanting to know more about you,” he points out. “You don’t have to tell me everything, and I know you’re busy now, but I want to hear about how you learned. Maybe we can go on another date and you can tell me all about it?”
“I told you I can’t date you, Chad.” My tone is harsh, and out of the corner of my eye, I can see how he visibly deflates with my answer.
I shouldn’t care, but the knot in my stomach eases some when he perks up again as I continue.
“But it’s not a big deal. A guy I was friends with after trade school was a tattoo apprentice, and I let him practice on me.
He ended up teaching me while he did it. ”
Before he can no doubt ask me more, I’m saved by Blake and Liam barging in with big smiles on their faces, followed by their photographer, and Chad turns to them instead. “So how are you guys feeling now that you’re married?”
“Amazing,” Blake answers, tone full of love. “That felt so much more like us than the Love Without Labels wedding ever would have.”
I’m kind of surprised he’d bring up that day when I know how shitty it was for them both.
When they were on the reality TV show they met on, there was some drama with Blake’s family on the day they were meant to get married, and they didn’t go through with it.
Obviously it wasn’t enough to break them up forever, but it made for some popular reality TV.
“Who wants to go first?” I ask.
Chad is practically bouncing in place as if he’s about to volunteer, and as much as the possessive part of me would absolutely love to mark his perfect virgin skin, to use any excuse to touch him, really, I know I need to keep my distance.
Blake interrupts that line of thinking as he sits down across from me.
He’d already sent me the exact font he wants, so we pick out the best stencil size from what I’d previously printed and make sure he likes the placement before I mark him with an L forever.
Honestly, I’m shocked at how well he sits for it, even if it’s over quickly. Liam follows, and Chelsea snaps away.
I’m trying to focus—it actually means a lot that Blake asked me to do this for them, but it’s hard to completely block out Chad.
I’m always aware of where he is in a room, even if I don’t want to be.
It’s more than just attraction. Plenty of people are hot—well, maybe not as hot as Chad—but I think it’s also how unpredictable he is.
A part of me is always waiting for whatever crazy thing he’s going to do or say next so I don’t miss it.
I’ve never minded how boring my life is, but I imagine it’ll feel especially monotonous when he leaves.
“Alright, guys, that’s it. I covered them, and you really shouldn’t wear your rings while they’re healing.
Make sure to keep them clean and put on the ointment throughout the day for the next couple weeks to keep the skin from drying out.
That’s a shitty spot though, so I can do touch-ups whenever you need. ”
As soon as I finish my care instructions, Chad rips the glove off my left hand.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I bark at him, but he just grabs my hand and holds it up, searching for something.
“Perfect,” he whispers, nodding approvingly.
I yank my hand out of his grip before he can start asking about adding a C to my ring finger or something equally ridiculous.
Blake holds his hand up. “I love it so much, John. This was the second-best idea ever.”
“What was the first?” Liam asks, sounding amused.
Blake grins at him. “Can I tell you about my wedding present yet?”
“This wasn’t the present?” Liam holds up his hand, gesturing to the new ink.
“Nope,” Blake replies, emphasizing the p.
“Fine. What is it?”
“You know the old farm next door that’s mostly overgrown?”
“Yeah?” Liam confirms hesitantly.
“Well, I bought it so we can eventually expand the farm! I don’t think we’ll have time this year with our honeymoon and the music festival, but eventually, we can do a corn maze, or a bigger pumpkin patch, or get more animals.
Maybe a playground, a hayride, ooh, or a roller coaster!
There’s so much room for activities now! ”
Liam’s jaw is hanging open, and he doesn’t respond for a long moment. “You… got me a farm?”
“No, babe,” Blake corrects with a smile. “I got us more land for our dream.”
“I don’t know what to say, B. Thank you. I can’t believe this.”
Blake leans in for a quick but very passionate kiss. When he pulls away, he turns to us. “Now, who’s ready to party?”
“Me!” Chad eagerly agrees, but he hangs back until I’m done packing everything up to actually join the reception.
We walk back across the field to the barn where the music is already playing. Before we make it inside though, Chad grabs my arm to pull us toward a man I vaguely recognize talking to Ash.
“Think about it. We’d really love to have you on the next season,” the man says, and I realize he’s Andy, the Love Without Labels show host. “You’d likely be the only person we ever invite directly, but the crew really loved you in the moments they got with you, as did the audience.
We’re rooting for your happily ever after. ”
“I really appreciate the invitation, I do, but it would blow up my entire life,” Ash mumbles.
“It’s definitely a big decision, but here’s my number.” Andy slips him what must be a business card. “Call me and let me know either way; we’re in the casting process now.”
Andy walks away from Ash, who’s left staring off into space.
“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but you should totally do it, Ash!” Chad encourages. “This would be so good for you! Look how amazing it turned out for Blake and Liam! Oh, Jace and Kieran, too. Clearly there’s some magic happening on that show.”
“I wish I could. It’s tempting, but you know my family would never approve. I’d be forced out of the law firm and—”
“Who cares? You hate that place!” Chad cuts him off.
I don’t really feel like I should be a part of this, but Chad is still gripping my arm, and leaving in the middle of what’s clearly an emotional conversation seems more awkward than standing here.
Ash furrows his brows “I do hate it, but—”
Unsurprisingly, Chad cuts him off again. “And no offense, but your family sucks for not accepting you.”
“I know they do,” Ash quickly agrees. “But they’re still my family. Can I really risk losing them forever? Even if they do suck? It’s just a lot to think about.”
“You don’t have to decide right now. But whenever you want to talk about love, you call me. I’ll be your voice of reason,” Chad says seriously, and I snort a laugh at the idea.
“What do you know about love?” Ash teases.
Chad opens his mouth, but thankfully, something else catches his attention. I turn to see the donkeys being led into the barn, and yeah, that makes sense why he’d lose focus.
“Oh my God!” he shouts, sprinting over to them. “The donkeys are fully dressed in their wedding attire! Oh my God, oh my God. My babies, look at you two, so fancy, all dressed up for this special occasion.”
They both have their saddles on with flowers draped all over that match the rest of the wedding day florals. Buckets are attached to their saddles and filled with ice and beer. It’s definitely a very Blake thing to have at a wedding, that’s for sure.
“This is so amazing,” Chad exclaims to the handler.
This girl Blake hired must be used to people freaking out, because she calmly nods. “They are. It’s definitely a big hit at weddings.”
Chad’s smile is frustratingly hard to look away from as he continues talking to her.
“I still can’t believe it’s a real thing and how much I love these two already.
” I attempt to sneak away into the barn like Ash did while he’s distracted, but he reaches out for me as I do.
“John, look! They’re so cute. I need one! ”
I roll my eyes. “No, you don’t.”
He clearly doesn’t hear me—or chooses to ignore me with the world’s best selective hearing—nodding and smiling like I agreed with him.
“Alright, if we can have everyone take a seat, we’re going to have a quick word from Liam’s dad and the best men before we eat!” the coordinator says over a microphone.
Fuck.