Page 8 of Fierce-Dane

It was hard to get the staff on that day, but she did manage to get one of her other massage therapists to take a few appointments in the morning and two of her nail technicians to work for pedicures and manicures. Many were young and relied on the tips too. The more they worked, the more they got.

Sloane knew the hustle and lived her whole life that way.

To be twenty-eight and financially secure with her own business was still a shock to her, but she’d never take it for granted either.

There’d been a time in her life when she didn’t know what the next day would bring.

“If I’d known that, I might have scheduled it rather then today.”

“You know I love seeing you on your Fridays,” she said.

The two of them walked out together while the receptionist rang Maureen out. She had several part timers thatcovered most of the hours at the desk. If there wasn’t someone there, the massage therapist or any of the technicians or estheticians took care of it.

She’d been expanding her business more and more and the excitement overrode the fear. Finally.

Once the room was set up for her next client, she moved around the building checking on things.

She heard laughter in the pedicure room and popped her head in.

“Sloane, how are you doing?”

“Hello, Diane. Carolyn. I see you lovely ladies are getting your monthly pedicures.”

“Always,” Diane said. “We’ve got our annual party this weekend and our toes have to look perfect.”

She smiled at the regulars who had been coming to see her since she opened.

If they weren’t coming together for pedicures, then one of them was in for a massage.

Over the years they’d bought more gift cards from her for those they knew and almost single-handedly grew her clientele base with their family and friends.

“Pretty toes are important,” she said. “I wanted to thank you again for all the business you’ve generated for me. I got another repeat customer from that wedding party you recommended a few months ago.”

“Chloe?” Diane asked.

“Yes, she came in with her mother and niece last weekend to get pedicures. But prior to that Chloe had been in with a friend for a massage. She sure is a funny one.”

“Chloe is one of the engineers at our husbands’ firm,” Carolyn said.

“I know,” Sloane said, grinning. She knew a lot about the family and what their hobby was too. They seemed to beenjoying their retirement, and as long as it helped her business, she wasn’t going to complain.

“Isn’t Tiffani just a doll?” Diane asked. “That’s Chloe’s niece.”

“Oh, she’s a sweetie,” Sloane said. “A smart one too. She had her grandmother eating out of her hand, but Chloe was onto her.”

The two women looked at each other and back to her. “Tiffani’s father, he’s a great guy. A doctor. He works at Duke with my son and Diane’s,” Carolyn said.

“Let me guess,” Sloane said. “He’s single.”

“You’re a smart one too,” Diane said, smirking. “Heissingle.”

“I happen to like being single,” she said.

“No one likes being single forever,” Carolyn said. “Chloe is a good example. When you find the right guy, it’s perfect.”

“You two love to believe in perfect, but the rest of us are content with being happy.

Just being in control of her own destiny was enough for her. The rest would come when or if it did happen.

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