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Avery squeezed her arm “Good Then let’s promise

to make it happen”

Autoers to hed as they realized how easily they’d fallen back into familiar and fun habits

“How do you like being a hairstylist?” Raevynn asked a short while later

Her friend’s eyes lit up, giving Raevynn her answer before Avery even spoke “I love everything about it The cutting, the coloring, the styling, and chatting with clients It’s a fun job,” she added with a laugh

Absently, Raevynn reached out and touched the short, wavy strands around Avery’s face “The way your hair is cut and styled now is so cute,” she said wistfully

“Thank you” Avery bea, especially after having kids, was just too hter to take care of now” Then she tipped her head and took in the endlessly long braid Raevynn had put her hair in before leaving for the beach, just to keep it froled in the breeze “And youyou kept yours so long”

She shrugged “All part of the Raevynn Walsh brand,” she said wryly “But if I could, I’d chop it off as short as yours”

“Then you should,” she said, repeating what her brother had said Then, she grinned “If Taylor Swift can lop off all her long, curly hair and rock a shoulder-length style, then so can you”

After the past few days of reflection on her persona and career, Raevynn was beginning to believe she could, too She tucked the possibility into the back of herdesire toone of them

A happy squeal fro out toward the water, where Collin was pretending to be ahis niece and nephew The scene h

“He is such a goofball with the kids,” Avery said with a shake of her head, just as Collin swept a child up under each one of histheht

What Raevynn noticed was hoesome and patient he ith Harper and Lucas So attentive and playful and fun He was the perfect unclewhich would undoubtedly ht of hi a family with someone else made Raevynn’s stomach twist uncomfortably

“Has Collin dated -ter she’d definitely wondered since he’d whisked her away from the fairy-tale ball

Avery’s eyes widened in surprised “You haven’t asked him yourself?”