"You can say that again," Lauren said with a chuckle. "I like it so far, though. Scarlet Oak is an interesting town in a totally different way than Vegas was. I don't think I'll stay here forever, but I don't think I'd mind staying for a while, either." Once he'd settled himself, she started in on the shading, voice raised slightly to carry over the buzzing of the tattoo machine. There was a rhythm to tattooing - ink ink ink, pause to wipe off the excess ink and blood, back to inking. It was a zen thing for her. All her art was, but watching art take permanent shape on someone's body was always particularly special.
"This wasn't originally my shop," she said. "I took over after the first owner bounced. There are some days where I pause to wonder what the hell I was thinking, but otherwise it's not bad. And you're right - the weather's slowed things down some, but we do just fine. I've got great artists." Though now she wondered if maybe Bailey had had something to do with the other shop burning down. Getting rid of the competition, so to speak.