“No, there aren’t any available slots for the next three months, and we only book out three months at a time.” Giovanni sat back at his desk and held the phone to his ear. Since Ben had started to apprentice with Riley, and the new girl, Lauren, had been tending to the front, he’d picked up some of the slack. These days the phone rang almost off the hook. They’d had to hire a dedicated piercing and walk-in artist to keep up with demand.

“None at all?”

“No. Every artist in the shop is booked solid. What I can do is put you on a waiting list, and if there are cancellations, you’ll be called. There are separate lists for each artist.”

“I’m looking to book with Riley,” the woman on the phone said. “I’ve seen some of her photo realism, and I know she’s going to be able to do justice to a picture of my late father. I need to book with her.”

“I’ll put you on the list, then. I’ll need your name and a phone number I can reach you at.” Giovanni keyed the information into the agenda app, grateful that Riley had installed it when she had. With business booming like it was, keeping everything straight in the leather bound appointment book would have been a nightmare.

The conversation wrapped up. Giovanni thanked the woman, hung up, and then yawned and stretched until he popped his spine. When Riley had started doing it, it had disturbed him. Now he mimicked it without a second thought.

Thorn Tattoo was thriving.

After a rocky quarter, they’d rebounded and capitalized on every opportunity. With Riley’s big brain, they’d come up with a plan of action, and with her charisma, they’d connected with Mitch who in turn introduced them to the giants of the tattooing industry. A reporter for Inked magazine covered the progress on the back piece Riley and Mitch designed together, and after that, there was no turning back.

Riley selflessly dragged all of them into the spotlight with her, and every time Giovanni thought about how far she’d come and how much she’d given the shop, his love for her grew even more. It was six months since the second workshop, and he couldn’t imagine their relationship or business going any better.

Even Mal and Jaime had become better artists through her guidance, and Ben was doing a spectacular job. In a few months, once he was confident in his skills, Giovanni knew he’d be as good as the rest of them.

Giovanni himself felt like his art had improved.

Every day at the shop was a new adventure as new clients walked through the door, but without the possibility of closure, nothing bothered him anymore. Coming to work every day was fun.

Seeing Riley there made it better.

As soon as her lease was up, they were planning to move into an apartment together, and Giovanni couldn’t wait. She spent at least half the week at his place, anyway, but he was looking forward to seeing her face every morning when he woke up, and saying goodnight to her every night when he went to bed.

The phone at his desk double-rang, signaling an internal call. Giovanni picked up the receiver and held it to his ear. “Yo.”

“Hi, Gio,” Lauren said uneasily. “I need someone up at the front? There’s some guy here—”

“I’ll be right there.” Giovanni put the phone down and exited the office. After what had happened with Riley on her first day on the job, he wasn’t willing to let Lauren handle aggressive customers on her own. If she thought any customer was going to be trouble, she was to call him immediately. Increased fame meant an increased number of assholes, Giovanni quickly learned. He dealt with them swiftly and refused to let them threaten his employees.

By the time he left the office, Riley was already on her way to the front.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Since they’d started dating, Giovanni had become increasingly protective over her, and it drove Riley insane. She always insisted she could take care of herself, but Giovanni didn’t like the thought that what was his could be hurt. But Riley was as stubborn as ever.

He couldn’t blame her. There were plenty of things he was still stubborn about as well.

Riley stood with her back to him, talking to a man who towered over her. A wall of muscle, he was imposing. The scowl on his face and the many visible tattoos set Giovanni on high alert.

His wrist still wasn’t one hundred percent healed, but if he needed to, he wouldn’t hesitate to throw punches if it meant he was keeping Riley safe.

Before he got close, Riley handed a clipboard to him and shook his hand. A stiff cardboard envelope exchanged hands, and the man stepped back. Once he cleared away from her, Giovanni saw the delivery uniform he wore. He was a courier, not a client. Riley had just signed for a package.

She turned and saw him, her face brightening. “Hi, Gio.”

“Hey. How’s your day going?” Riley was always busy in her tattoo bay, and now that she was training Ben, she was busier than ever. The times they saw each other during the day were few.

“Good. I left Ben to work with the client on some sketches. He really seems to be doing great.” She handed the envelope to him. “Here. This has your name on it. I had to sign for it, so I take it it’s something important.”

Giovanni took it and checked the sender information. He grinned and handed it back to her. “This is actually for you. Why don’t you open it?” The look on Riley’s face was a cross between distrust and curiosity, and Giovanni snorted. “It’s not like it’s got live snakes in it. Open it up. It’s a surprise.”

The package was sealed with a perforated strip, and Riley shot him one last look before she tore it open. Carefully, she slid the documents out from inside and looked them over. Giovanni watched her face carefully. The distrust turned to confusion, then alarm. He choked back a laugh as Riley looked up at him, eyes wide.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“You’re not serious!” her voice was shriller by the second.

“I am.”

“Giovanni!” It was rare these days that she used his full name, and Giovanni had to laugh. There was no holding it back any longer. “I can’t accept something like this!”

“Well, then consider it professional development.” He shrugged. Riley punched him square in the chest, and he took a few steps backward as he wheezed in laughter. “What?”

The surprise had taken months of planning, but he’d finally worked it out. In the cardboard envelope were two badges for a tattoo festival in Ireland taking place in three months. Giovanni was going to speak at one of the events, but what he was most excited for was to reunite Riley with her aging grandparents.

At its core, the trip was a business expense. Beyond that, he was eager to meet the people who’d raised Riley and turned her into the fantastic young woman that she was. Secretly, Giovanni hoped to corner her grandfather and ask him for permission to marry Riley, but he wouldn’t be sharing that surprise with her any time soon.

“Gio,” Riley murmured. She looked up from the badges, tears in her eyes. “This is the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me.”

“And you’re the sweetest thing that’s ever walked into my life, so I say we’re pretty even.” He stepped forward and kissed her on the forehead, and Riley sniffled and buried her head against his chest. For a moment they held each other, and in that moment, Giovanni knew that he’d truly found the right woman for him.

Riley wasn’t like anyone else, and he was a fool if he would let her walk away.

Their forever would be paved in laughter, adventure, and ink.