word perfect way too often. I do it all the time. But seriously, I don’t want perfection. I want messy and real and extraordinary. You can never get that with perfection.”
“I second that,” Brooke said. “If things hadn’t worked out for Sarah and Noah after I was already with Finn, then we would’ve figured it out. We will with you as well. There are five of them, so if we had to take one out, they’d come back from it.”
The ridiculous words made Chloe laugh. “We have vowed to always help each other bury the body,” Chloe said.
“If the government ever listened to our conversations, we’d probably be arrested,” Brooke said. “But that would just be a new adventure we could do together.”
“And at least we’d be together,” Sarah added.
“As long as we’re always together, we can get through anything,” Chloe said. She’d had messy before. Maybe she just hadn’t realized it was. And as she thought more about it, she realized those had been some of the freest moments of her life. Why was she still trying to live in this bubble she didn’t want to live in?
“So that means you need to live your best life possible and not worry about how it affects the future or our relationship. We’re a triad, and nothing will ever break that,” Brooke assured her.
“I know this, but there are some things in life worth taking a risk for and other things that aren’t. I need to have more faith in myself. It’s a very hard cycle to break,” Chloe said.
“You need to have as much faith in yourself as the two of us have in you,” Sarah said.
“And I think Brandon has that same faith in you,” Brooke added. “You can’t fake the way he looks at you or talks about you. Even if perfection is boring, you’re perfect for him and to him.”
“I can’t imagine living my life without you guys. I can face anything or any situation as long as you’re by my side. Maybe I’ve been changing more than I’ve realized. A lot of me wants to run and hide, but the other part is happy where I am. It’s such an odd sensation to feel pulled in multiple directions.”
“Is that a marriage proposal?” Brooke asked with a laugh.
“Sorry, I’m taken, but we’ll still grow old together,” Sarah said.
All three women laughed, and Chloe was truly glad to have them. She’d been nervous about the event that night, and now she felt foolish for ever feeling that way. She was a strong woman, and she didn’t allow fear to hold her back.
Being with these two women also reminded her that she’d had long-term relationships in her life that had worked out. Maybe a friendship was different than a romantic relationship, but it did prove that relationships could last—even when you saw the worst of those you loved the most.
“Okay, let’s get beautiful,” she said to the girls.
“We’re already beautiful. Let’s get made up and knock our men’s socks right off their feet,” Brooke said.
“Amen,” Sarah added.
Brooke pulled out a bottle of champagne, and though it took a few moments, she got the top popped while Sarah grabbed glasses. She poured them and held hers up. The girls joined her.
“We’re positively gorgeous, independent, and loyal women,” Brooke started. “Because we believe in ourselves, in family, and in values.”
“And in taking care of ourselves and our loved ones,” Sarah added.
“And that we all deserve a little pampering once in a while,” Chloe said.
“Hear! Hear!” They clinked glasses and had a drink.
They finished their champagne, then Chloe put on some sweats and a comfortable T-shirt. She’d be spending the rest of the day in a spa robe, so there was no reason to get dressed up.
The next six hours were exactly what the doctor ordered. The girls giggled, drank wine, and had masks placed over their entire bodies, their hair waxed, their nails done, and their skin treated luxuriously.
It wasn’t often that they went all out, but the results were fantastic. At the end of their pampering, Chloe looked in the mirror feeling like an entirely new woman. Her skin was silky smooth, her hair soft and teased, and her smile permanently locked on her face.
She actually felt beautiful, and she hadn’t even put on her dress yet. She wasn’t sure if she would’ve made it to the event in one piece if it hadn’t been for her friends. Sometimes she forgot who she was. That was why it was important