Before she can interrogate me further, the salon door bursts open and a blast of cold mountain air sweeps through, carrying with it two very familiar voices.
"—I'm just saying, if I don't get an espresso martini in the next twenty minutes, my art students might actuallydietomorrow."
Avery Larkins tumbles through the door first, her cheeks pink from the cold. She's wrapped in an oversized vintage cardigan that's somehow both hideous and adorable, and Quinn Reyes follows behind her, all black leather against the salon's aggressive pinkness.
"You've been teaching for six weeks, Avery. You were sober for five of them. Just give it a chance."
Behind them, moving to hover in the doorway like two massive, confused bodyguards, are Samuel Voss and Gabe Devereaux.
Samuel's ducking as if the doorframe might not accommodate his shoulders and Gabe is just…there. Taking up the entire entrance like a human wall.
"Baby, we're not coming in," Samuel says to Avery, one hand braced on the doorframe. "We said we'd walk you."
"Wesaidwe'd carry their bags," Gabe corrects, holding up two shopping bags that are bursting at the seams.
Quinn spins around and rises on her toes to press a kiss to Gabe's jaw.
"Are you sure you can get your nails done in twenty minutes?" Samuel asks Avery, checking his watch. "Dinner reservation's at eight, remember? Plus, Debbie looks busy."
He jerks his head over to where Debbie is still working on my nails.
Avery follows Samuel's gaze and spots me. "ZOEY?!"
"Oh no."
She launches across the salon like a guided missile, nearly taking out a display of hair products before skidding to a stop in front of my chair.
"Oh my God, yourhair!" She grabs a strand, holding it up to the light. "Debbie, you're a genius! She looks incredible."
Quinn appears at Avery's shoulder, arms crossed, head tilted. "Well, well. Morrison cleans up."
"Don't act so surprised," I mutter, feeling the blush warm my cheeks.
Quinn drops into the empty styling chair beside me and spins it to face me. "So… Care to explain how you managed to escape the bakeryandthe child without telling us? We've just been shopping. If we'd have known, you could have come! So spill. Did you finally snap and sell Morgan to the circus?"
"Morgan's with—" I hesitate, and dammit, both of them catch it immediately.
"Morgan's withwho?" Avery asks slowly, leaning in closer.
"With… Colt."
Quinn makes a sound that can only be described as unholy.
"COLT LANE is babysitting your daughter right now?!" She whips around to face the doorway where Samuel and Gabe are still lingering. "Did you hear that, Gabe?! Lane is on kid duty!"
Gabe's chest bounces with a silent laugh. Samuel's eyebrow lifts with curiosity.
Quinn spins back to me, gleeful. "And who arranged this little spa evening?"
I stare at my half-finished nails. "… also Colt."
Avery claps both hands over her mouth and she does a little bounce on the spot. Her green eyes are enormous above her paint-stained fingers.
"Zoey Morrison," she whispers, like she's witnessing a miracle. "That man orchestrated an entireself-care eveningfor you?"
"It's not a big deal—"
"It's a HUGE deal!" Avery grabs my arm and shakes me. "Look, I wish I could stay and talk, but we've got a reservation and two large men slowly losing the will to live in that doorway." She jerks her thumb over her shoulder. "Aves, let's go. Espresso martini awaits."
