“Cheers,” we echo, snapping a quick selfie to send to the guys.
I start to unpack my things to get ready as Harper and Stevie tell me about their families.
“Want help with your hair?” Harper asks. “I’m so used to curling the girls’ hair now, I’m a natural.”
“If you’re sure.”
“Absolutely. Sit down and tell me how you met Dax,” Harper says, patting the stool we moved into the bathroom.
“We met in high school. The two of us were in the same homeroom our freshmen year and we’ve been friends ever since. Dax has been in my life almost as long as he wasn’t.”
“That’s sweet,” Harper says, fishing out a lock of hair and twisting it around the hot iron. “Most of my friends I met in college or while teaching.”
“It’s so hard to make friends as an adult,” Stevie says. “I don’t know how we’re expected to meet people when all we do is work.”
“You’ve got that right,” I say. “And now that I’m starting my own business, there are some days I never leave the house.”
“Bode said you’re making jewelry?” Stevie asks, touching up her eyeliner.
“I am. I’ve always wanted to do it, and after everything that happened, I figured why not?”
“Can you show us what you’ve made?” Harper asks, finishing one side of my hair and moving on to the back.
Grabbing my phone from my leggings pocket, I tap into the album of my most recent creations. “A lot of them are still in progress and need a final polish, but I love designing rings the most. I’ve just started working on bracelets and charms.”
“You made those?” Stevie peers over Harper’s shoulder as they flip through the photos. “These are amazing, Chloe.”
“Are you taking orders? Because I would love to get some of these for myself and the girls,” Harper says. “You are talented.”
“Thanks. Once I figure everything out order-wise, I will get you hooked up.”
“You better,” Harper reiterates. “I want to say I had a ring from Chloe before she hit it big.”
I laugh. “I don’t know if anyone will be saying that, but we’ll see.”
“Well, I’m getting in on this too. I only wish we had some to wear tonight,” Stevie laments.
“Maybe for the next gala,” Harper says. “Because I have a feeling you’ll be coming to next year’s.”
“Is this an annual thing?” I ask.
“They want to make it that way,” Stevie replies. “The owner’s granddaughter had a pretty severe leg break from what Bode told me, and he was blown away by all they did for her, so he is making it his mission to support the hospital now.”
“Is she okay?”
She nods. “She’s doing great and apparently wants to try out for the hockey club in her school.”
“I love that she wants to play hockey. Do your girls want to play?” I ask Harper.
“No. One loves chess and the other is currently into knitting with her Gigi. Now our son, Jamie, he might play hockey, but he’s three, so we’ve got a few years.”
“Not if Marcus has anything to say about it. Bode is already planning on getting Caleb into skates as soon as he can.”
I love listening to the two of them talk about their partners and families. Every so often, they mention the guys, and it seems like they’re their own little family unit.
“All set,” Harper exclaims.
“I can’t believe how fast you did that.” I fluff my curls before setting them with hairspray.
