Page 54 of Gabriel's Salvation

“No we love you, don't we girls!” Ava laughs with a big cheesy grin.

“That's what I thought,” Lexi grins back triumphantly.

We head to the back of the salon where Lexi and Jenn are waiting.

I sit down at Lexi’s chair since Ava is already rummaging through the nail polishes beside the chair that Jenn usually sits at.

Lexi comes over a few moments later with two small foot spas and places them down in front of the window bench Harper and Izzy are sitting at.

“So what's the special occasion then Freckles?” Lexi asks. Although we come here often, it's usually not me who gets her nails done. Since the salon is owned by Lexi and Justin's mum, Lexi, the girls and I have all been hanging out here for years. So, when Lexi started training a few months ago, she started giving us discounts on things while she got trained. Something Ava in particular enjoys.

“She’s been in a funk over some guy and needs a little pick me up,” Ava says leaning over to my table.

“Don't tell me you're still hung up on my idiot brother,” Lexi says looking at me with raised eyebrows.

“Nah, some sexy older guy,” Ava replies.

“Wait. you don’t mean G...”

“You don't know him,” I interrupt quickly before she has time to name him.

Lexi gives me a suspicious look, but doesn't push it any further.

“So, how about you, newbie? How are things with your guy?” Lexi says changing the subject to talk to Izzy.

“Yeah, it's going amazingly,” Izzy blushes.

“She's being modest. She's basically married off to literally the sweetest guy ever,” Harper coos from beside her.

“Married off, huh?” Jenn questions incredulously.

“Well, not really, but a little bit, I guess.” Izzy mumbles while trying to hide the bright red blush appearing on her cheeks.

“Tell her your story Izzy, don't be shy,” I encourage. “It’s almost like a story from one of the books we read.”

I hope that if everyone focuses on Izzy, Lexi will stop giving me that ‘I know you're hiding something’ look.

“Okay, so it all started when we were kids…” Izzy begins.

“We met one day randomly when I was forced to spend a week with my Pops and older cousins in their old hunting cabin. As you can imagine, it was the most boring week of my life,” Izzy laughs.

“Well that is until I stupidly got lost and decided the best way to find my way home was to climb a huge tree. Then of course, because I'd never climbed a tree before, I fell out and almost crushed poor Nate who was passing by.”

“You fell on him?” Lexi laughs.

“Pretty much,” Izzy giggles back.

“Okay, so Izzy sucks at telling stories,” Ava chimes in, “I've heard this story from Nate and his version is so much more romantic.”

“Well go on then, little Miss Theatrical, why don't you tell my story instead?” Izzy says as she gives Ava a playful shove.

“You asked for it.” I say as I shake my head at Lexi and Jenn.

“Izzy was right. She did go wandering alone in the woods which looking back was a totally idiotic thing to do, but whatever. She got to meet her prince so it's fine . . . According to Nate, he saw her climbing and was totally bewitched by her but was too nervous to walk over and say hi so he just kind of watched her…”

“Because that's not a little weird,” Jenn pipes up.

“Shh, listen,” Ava whines. “As I was saying, Nate was watching, trying to pluck up the nerve to speak to her when she got stuck. Nate rushed over like the knight in shining armor he was to rescue her but he was too late. She’d already fallen and was lying on the ground semiconscious. Then their eyes met, the birds sang, and like some sort of Disney movie, they fell head over heels in love right then and there,” Ava says with an exaggerated sigh.

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