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Charlee smiled. “Yes, I do.”
“How is your salon and your spa?” Jo asked.
“Good.” Charlee sipped her now cool coffee. “Busy, thanks to the holidays. That’ll last until New Year’s, and then it’ll slow down. That is for a week or so, until kids head back to school and moms want to make sure their kids heads aren’t too shaggy.”
Charlee continued, “There always seems to be something. Next are Valentine’s Day dates and school dances. Then comes spring break and Easter, and so on.”
Jo finished a drink of her own coffee. “It’s similar in the nightclub business. Always something new to celebrate.” She laughed. “Not that I’m complaining.”
Charlee studied her sister. “Do you ever think you’ll sell Jo-Jo’s?”
“I’ve thought about it.” Jo leaned back in her seat. “Lately more than ever.”
Charlee leaned forward. “I think about selling the spa and the salon all the time. I don’t really know what I’d do instead. Buy a new business, maybe.” She raised her hands, “Hell, go back to school even.” She dropped her hands into her lap. “I really don’t know.”
“Being a stay-at-home mom is a rewarding career,” Jo said. “I still run Jo-Jo’s, but I’m not as hands-on as I once was. I hired a good manager and staff, and they do a great job, but I still have to keep active.” She sighed. “Sometimes I want to sell and just spend time with the girls.”
“And maybe have more kids?” Charlee asked.
“Maybe.” Jo looked thoughtful. “Tate and I have talked about it, but these two aresoactive and they keep us on our toes.” She cocked her head. “What about you? Have you thought about being a stay-at-home mom, or working from your home with kids?”
Charlee’s insides warmed as she thought of Ace. “I love the idea of either of those options. But you never know for sure exactly how things will turn out.”
She imagined how hers and Ace’s kids would look. Both she and Ace had blue eyes. So they could have dark-haired and blue-eyed kids. Or maybe blonde. Whatever they looked like, she and Ace would make pretty babies together.
“What do you have planned for the rest of the day?” Jo asked.
Charlee looked at the twins who were happily styling Barbie hair in the play salon. “I think I’ll hang out with the girls for a while.”
“Good.” Jo stood and pushed back her chair. “Then you can have dinner with us when Tate gets back from Phoenix.”
“Sounds great.” Charlee pushed her chair back. “I’m sure after styling hair for the rest of the afternoon, I’ll have worked up an appetite.”
Jo laughed. “I have some calls to make if you’re going to be playing with the twins.”
“Absolutely.” Charlee gave a “scoot along” wave to Jo. “I’m more than happy to spend time with my girls.”
“I’ve been cravinga Grand Saloon burger forever.” Justice handed the menu back to the bartender. “Give me a cheeseburger with the works.”
That did sound good. Ace gave the bartender his menu, too. “I’ll take the same.”
Ace shifted on the barstool. “What’s up with you and Fiona?”
“All’s good,” Justice said as Ace took a swallow of his beer. “Sophie and Lora are both doing well in school. Fiona’s jewelry-making business is going great. She loves it.”
“Have you two talked about having more kids?” Ace asked.
“We’ve talked about it.” Justice gripped the handle of his beer mug. “We decided with two teenage girls, we’ve got our hands full.” He appeared to contemplate his words. “Sometimes I feel like I missed out since I didn’t know about Lora until a few years ago, when I finally tracked down her mother. I feel lucky as hell that Lora came to live with me, and I’ll take what I can get. But I wish I could have been there when she was growing up—for her and for me.”
Ace studied his brother. “Fiona’s daughter, Sophie, is the same age as Lora. You went from no kids to two teenagers and a wife in no time flat.”
Justice smiled. “Couldn’t be a luckier man.” He looked from his beer to Ace. “Thinking about having kids of your own? You should probably get a woman to help you with that part.”
Ace would have smiled if he wasn’t thinking of how he might end up hurting Charlee.
He shook his head. “I’ve never wanted kids.”
Justice looked at Ace. “Any special reason? You’re great with the nephews and nieces.”
