2017 Red Ribbon winner, The Wishing Shelf international book awards (Adult-Fiction).
A tattoo artist is pursued by the man of her dreams, but her biker-gang friends mistake him for a hit man out to get her.
It's 1995, and Galen Randall, the world'...
Lou exited the Nichols' Bed & Breakfast refreshed from her afternoon nap and loaded with camera gear. As she loaded her rental for the evening's shooting, she noticed the chrome of a motorcycle's exhaust pipe beyond the driveway hedge.
"That you, Sailor?" she called toward the hedge.
A hulking mass of black leather rose up from hiding and smiled at her. "No, ma'am, it's me."
"Snake! How are you? Well, come here right now!" She threw her arms open, met him halfway, and the resultant crushing bear hug was mutual.
"You look good!" she said, leaning back from the hug.
"You're still beautiful," said Snake.
Lou gave a mock gasp. "Flirting? For shame. What would Elizabeth say if she could hear you?"
Snake turned away, suddenly saddened.
Lou saw her mistake right away, and her whole demeanor changed from teasing to sympathy. "Oh, Snake, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Was it an orthodontist?"
He shook his head. "It was an insurance salesman."
"Oh, dear!" Lou was genuinely horrified. "That's even worse!"
Snake removed his leather jacket to reveal his sleeveless tank top, and he turned to show Lou his extremely well developed bicep. "Yeah, that's worse, but that ain't the worst."
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Lou inhaled in sincere woe as she gazed at the word "ELIZABETH" tattooed in large letters from his shoulder to his elbow.
"Snake, didn't we talk about this? You know what happened to my pop after my mother.... Who did it for you? Dragon Diane in Tampa?"
"Don't matter who done it. I knew you and Pop said don't never tattoo nobody's name, but I found somebody who would do it, and now I'm paying for it. I'm saving up for plastic surgery to take it off. Either that or a belt sander—if I catch a good sale at Home Depot."
Lou gave him a consoling look and another hug, then helped him shrug into his leather jacket. "Hold off a while on that sandpaper idea. We'll think of something. Now, let's go take some pictures."
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