The little group was well into their second bottle of sparkling, and Jesse was about to jump up for a third when Chloe let out a squeak that attracted the attention of just about the whole bar.
“What is it?” Julia looked alarmed.
“Nothing!” Chloe was embarrassed. “Just, I got this email—”
“Were you checking your emails under the table?” Julia chided. “I swear, you’re like a kid. I have to tell Harriet and Jude ten times a day, no phones at the table!”
“Sorry!” Chloe apologised. “But look!” She thrust her phone at Julia.
“You’ve won Young Small Businessperson of the Year!” Julia’s voice was almost a shriek. “That’s awesome! And completely deserved, of course.”
“I haven’t won,” Chloe hissed. “I’ve just been nominated.”
“You’ll win,” Jesse declared, pouring the last of the sparkling wine into his glass. “For sure.”
“Thanks,” Chloe was touched by his faith in her. “But the competition will be pretty fierce, and it’s an honour just to be nominated.”
“Don’t be so modest,” Julia waved a dismissive hand. “You’re the best young businessperson in Australia, let alone the Central West.”
Chloe wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think that’s true.”
“Nah, it is,” Jesse grinned. “Besides, it’s your birthday! You get to be the best on your birthday!”
“Oh, is that how it works?”
“Definitely,” Jesse nodded. “Drink up, Chlo. I’m getting shots to celebrate!”
Chloe opened her mouth to protest but closed it again. There was no arguing with her brother when it came to shots.
“Get some chips too!” Julia said, her eyes lighting up. “I’m starving!”
“You shifters,” Jesse pretended to grumble. “Always hungry.”
“Can’t help my metabolism,” Julia shrugged with an angelic smile. “Do you have any idea what it takes to feed two preteen potential shifters? I swear, those kids will eat me out of house and home.”
“Then I’d better get two serves of chips. And maybe some schnitzels, too. You love Kelly’s schnitzels, don’t you, Chloe?”
“I am definitely invoking my rights as birthday girl for schnitzel.” Chloe’s stomach grumbled at the thought. She knew for a fact that Kelly’s schnitzels came frozen in a box, and their delicious flavour was entirely due to deep frying and copious amounts of gravy, but they had always been her favourite.
“Good call!” Julia agreed. “Don’t forget the extra mashed potatoes!”
“I would never,” Jesse gave her a baleful look of faux-hurt as he walked up to the bar.
When they were alone, Julia turned to Chloe. “Well, I think you’ve already had the best birthday present you could want, with the nomination, but I wanted to give you this anyway.”
Julia pulled an envelope from her bag, handing it to Chloe.
“You didn’t have to get me anything,” Chloe complained, even as she took the envelope. Even after all these years, it made her uncomfortable to receive a present. She still felt like the little girl who could never reciprocate the smallest of gifts: a sticker, a lip gloss, a bag of lollies. But she swallowed down her discomfort because she knew Julia was just being a good friend.
She tore open the envelope to find a card with a truly ridiculous amount of glitter and a gift certificate for…
“Oh Julia, this is too much!” Chloe’s eyes widened. “I can’t—”
“You can and you will,” Julia said firmly. “You need a pamper session more than anyone I know. And I’m going to book in too, we’ll be ladies of leisure for an afternoon. Massages, pedicures, facials. And no arguments.”
“Thank you so much,” Chloe was earnest. “This is incredibly thoughtful, and I’m—” To her horror, she felt the beginnings of tears in the corners of her eyes. Damn, why did sparkling wine always make her emotional?
“Oh my god, don’t cry!” Julia enveloped her in a hug.