Page 47 of Small Town Sash

"For what?"

"For taking a chance on this, on us." Candace's gaze was warm, her hazel eyes sparkling with genuine gratitude. "I wouldn't want to do this with anyone else."

Hadley felt a sudden lump in her throat, brushing it away with a shaky laugh. "Well, thank goodness you didn't ask anyone else then."

Candace snorted, slapping her hand lightly. "Seriously, Hadley. Thank you."

"Well," Hadley said, trying to lighten the mood. "Let's hope you're still thanking me when I accidentally sew our first collection together, and several pieces are slightly off."

"No worries," Candace responded with a grin. "That's what seam rippers are for."

Hadley glanced at the tiny tool on the table, then back at Candace. She gulped. "And...you're sure I can't accidentally stab myself with that?"

The two dissolved into laughter, echoes filling every corner of the workshop. Yes, things were about to get interesting, but neither of them would have it any other way.

A couple of hours later, laughter bubbled over the rim of her cocktail glass as Hadley clinked it against her friends' drinks, the ice cubes dancing like her heart. "To new beginnings," she toasted, the words a cheerful note in the hum of the bistro.

"Spill it, Hadley," Jenesa leaned in, her eyes sparkling with the kind of curiosity that could unearth secrets. "You're practically glowing. What's up?"

"Is it that obvious?" Hadley teased, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, her smile betraying her.

"Out with it," Avery urged, elbow propped on the table, her grin expectant.

"Okay, okay," Hadley relented, the excitement fizzing through her veins. "I'm joining Candace at the shop. Designing. For real this time."

"Whoa, seriously?" Jenesa's eyebrows shot up. "That's huge."

"Designer Hadley Wilder," Avery mused, nodding approvingly. "It's got a nice ring to it."

"Congrats," Jenesa squeezed Hadley's hand across the table, her enthusiasm infectious.

"Thanks, guys." Hadley's cheeks warmed from the shared joy, the words 'new job' feeling like a pair of snug jeans—just right.

"Speaking of new—how's things going with Braden?" Avery wiggled her eyebrows, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Braden?" Hadley's smile faltered. The name was a pebble in her shoe. "Uh, well..."

"Still giving him radio silence?" Jenesa tilted her head, concern creasing her forehead.

"Kind of. We're...between signals." Hadley shrugged, sipping her drink as if it held answers at the bottom.

"Isn't he leaving soon?" Candace's voice asked in a soft tone, threading sympathy into the question.

"Yes, which is why it's complicated," Hadley murmured with a sigh. She traced the rim of her glass, the coolness was a balm to her thoughts.

"Complicated how? Like a rom-com where you run to the airport to stop him?" Avery's chuckle was gentle, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"More like a sitcom where the lead forgets her lines." Hadley forced a laugh. "And misses her cue."

"Girl, life's not a script you have to follow," Jenesa said, squeezing her shoulder. "Write your own ending."

"Right," Hadley nodded, her resolve a paper boat on uncertain waters. "My own ending."

"Hey, let's celebrate your new job tonight," Avery interjected, redirecting the conversation with a smile. "Tomorrow's drama can wait for its own episode."

"Cheers to that," Hadley agreed, raising her glass again. They toasted once more, the clink a punctuation mark to the promiseof future laughter and the hope that maybe, just maybe, missed cues could lead to unexpected scenes.

Laughter bubbled around the table like champagne fizz, but it popped and vanished as Hadley's mother approached with the determination of a stage mom looking for her prodigy.

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