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“You’re a hair genius,” Audrey said. “I’m sure your clients don’t mind a dim restroom. It’s totally worth it to have you as a stylist.”
“You’re so sweet. I appreciate it. But business has been tough, especially this last year. With inflation, people are cutting back, and their beauty routines are often one of the first things to go.”
“That’s definitely familiar,” Audrey said. “When I was unemployed, I totally neglected my hair.”
“Sometimes we have to make hard choices,” I said. “It’s understandable. And difficult for everyone, including me. Just don’t mention anything in front of my parents. If my dad gets an inkling that my business has issues, he’ll overreact.”
“Your dad is so sweet,” Annika said. “But yeah, the next time you had dinner with your parents, you’d probably find out he bought the building so you wouldn’t have to pay rent anymore.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know if he’d go that far, but he’d definitely do something.”
“This is probably a dumb question,” Audrey said, “but could your parents actually do that? Could they afford it?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” I said. “They do fine, but I don’t think they have buy-a-building money sitting around.”
“You never know,” Isabelle said. “Your mom’s paintings might have caught the eye of a rich, eccentric art collector who bought her latest masterpiece for millions.”
I laughed. My mom was a painter, and she did sell her work, but mostly at a local art gallery in town. “That would be amazing. But if that ever happened, I’d much rather handle my business challenges on my own and let my parents bask in their newfound millions.”
The conversation shifted from my salon to Annika’s latest craft project. She was busy making Christmas ornaments to sell at Tilikum’s Christmas Village during the holidays. How she had time to create such beautiful designs when she was a busy, working mom of four, I had no idea. But maybe she simply made time because crafting brought her joy.
That was a good lesson. I needed to remember her example. It also helped that her husband, Levi Bailey, was such a hands-on and involved husband and father. She’d married a really great guy and they’d built a beautiful life together.
So had Isabelle and her husband, Elias. Her family owned and operated Christmas Village, which was the highlight of the holiday season for the entire town. They were busy running her family farm and raising two kids while Elias managed a successful business of his own.
It reminded me how lucky we were to still live close enough to get together once in a while. These girls’ nights weren’t frequent, but they were always so bucket-filling.
“I just need to pause to say how much I love you three,” I said, my throat tightening with a rush of emotion. “I know you’re all so busy with your careers and weddings and husbands and kids. I’m so grateful you made time for this tonight.”
Annika leaned over and hugged me. “We love you so much.”
“You’re going to make me cry.” Audrey wiped a few tears from beneath her eyes.
Isabelle raised her glass. “To our friendship.”
We all lifted ours and clinked. “To our friendship.”
Our moment of big feelings passed and we laughed at our happy tears.
“Hi, ladies.”
I smiled at the voice behind me. Luke Haven. He approached our table and put his hand on the back of his sister’s chair.
“Hey there.” Annika twisted in her seat to look up at him. “What are you up to?”
He rested his other hand on my chair and winked at me. “Just hanging with some friends.”
Luke was a good guy. A little lost, maybe, but he’d always been sweet to me. Once in a while I wondered why I wasn’t attracted to him. On paper, Luke and I could have been a good match. Was it my unrealistic expectations keeping me from seeing what was right in front of me?
No, it wasn’t. Luke and I had no spark. A few years ago, we’d even had a very blunt conversation about whether we should be a couple. He was single. I was single. We’d known each other forever. Maybe it made sense.
But he’d reluctantly admitted that he wished he was attracted to me, but he just… wasn’t.
Which had been a relief because I felt exactly the same way. And neither of us wanted to settle.
He acted flirtatious toward me, but he acted that way toward every girl. That was just his personality. And I had a feeling he paid me a little extra attention because he felt bad about the way Zachary treated me. It was like he was trying to make up for his brother.
Sigh.
