Chapter 3 – The Additional Option
Calf and foot massages kept pedicures at the top of my list of all-time favorite spa-treatments. It was the one procedure that almost made me forget my “silent spa” etiquette. Holding the magazine, I leaned my head back in the chair and closed my eyes. The gentle kneading of my tired lower leg muscles had me conceding to Elaine—this week very well could break me out of my funk. Even without the Derek encounter.
My eyelids drooped with fatigue. Last night, I’d tossed and turned for an hour before finally falling into a restless slumber. I kept seeing his blue eyes turned dark navy with desire. For me. The thought made me shiver. Until 2 a.m., all I could do was wonder if he was still there. How long would he wait? Was I making a huge mistake?
Elaine returned about an hour later, and my sterner nature prevailed. I remained in my own bed, in my own room the entire night. Today, she was a little bleary herself.
“What kept you out so late?” I asked, wondering if she might’ve had her own decadent encounter.
“Fell asleep on the lounger by the fire pit,” she said, propping her newly buffed and polished feet on the empty tub near mine. The clinician had finished my massage and was now scrubbing my heels with a pumice stone. “It’s so gorgeous here, I might never go home.”
I thought of Baltimore and how I hadn’t wanted to move there a year ago. I’d lived just outside Wilmington, on the North Carolina coast for years, and I loved it there. But Sloan had insisted a change of scenery would help us, and when his father died, he needed to be closer to his family’s business.
Since I’d gone freelance with my marketing work, and we were moving to another bustling, urban location, there was no reason to fight the move. Other than I loved my hometown. Elaine was there, along with all my old friends.
“I know this is only Day 2, my friend, but I have a confession to make,” she said, giving me a serious look. My brow creased. I couldn’t imagine what she was about to tell me. “I can’t eat another meal of raw foods.”
I snorted a laugh, rubbing my forehead with my hand. “What did you have in mind?”
“Let’s sneak over to the dark side and order a burger in the main restaurant.”
I hesitated. Crossing from the spa resort to the main hotel would increase my chances of running into Derek again. But if he were tied up in conference meetings like he claimed, it was possible we could get in and out without being seen. Still, the thought of bumping into him after my no-show last night made me uneasy.
“Maybe we should just drive into town,” I suggested. “I think there’s some big thing going on next door and it’s probably crowded.”
She played with the massage-chair controller while she waited, and didn’t notice my worried expression. “A banker’s convention,” she said, not looking up. “Can you imagine a bigger snooze-fest? Probably a bunch of accountants.”
“Probably,” I said, remembering Derek saying he was in upper management. “But I’m sure there are other executives there as well, don’t you think?”
She glanced up at me then. “Sounds interesting. Maybe we can meet someone and have a little bonus treatment. Some sexual healing?”
“What about Brian?” Elaine’s boyfriend back home had been a fixture in her life for years.
She shook her head. “That book’s coming to a close, I think.”
I sat up quickly, “You never told me this. What happened?”
“Nothing.” Her lips pressed together. “And that’s just it. I don’t feel anything toward him. It’s been five years. Five years! And I still can’t imagine marrying him.” She released an exhale. “Sadly, it seems he is not my one true love.”
Reaching across the space, I clasped her hand. “I’m so sorry, Lainey. I had no idea. I’ve been so self-absorbed.”
Her hand covered mine with a squeeze. “Please. You’ve had damn good reasons to be preoccupied. And honestly, I can’t even work up the energy to cry over it. I just want to be done. I think he feels the same.”
I shook my head, but she winked. “So let’s find something new, yes? A desert memento?”
The clinician was finished with my feet and slipping the thin foam flip-flops against my now-smooth soles. “At least let me get changed first.”
The mid-day Arizona heat swirled around us as we walked from the spa lobby across the short, circular drive to the huge, main complex. The resort consisted of three large towers and was all bronze glass, blending nicely with the terrain. Palm trees lined the drive and rocky fountains stood in front of each entrance. I’d slipped on a black skirt and beige tank top and pulled my hair into a low, side ponytail that sent dark curls spilling down my chest. Elaine was wearing a little green dress that made her green eyes glow, and her straight blonde hair hung loose down her back. We both wore flip-flops to preserve our bright salmon pedicures.
The restaurant was crowded as I’d expected, and I tried not to appear to be scanning every face for signs of him. So far, he didn’t seem to be here. As we waited for the hostess to return and seat us, a fellow about our age walked up and requested a table.
He was handsome, with honey blond hair and hazel eyes. He wore khaki shorts and topsiders without socks, and I noticed his biceps were well-toned. He also seemed to have a defined chest under his short-sleeved polo. I had to wonder when the banking industry had gotten so sexy. Elaine noticed him, too, and smiled.
The second hostess marked the plastic board in front of her and handed him a square pager. He stepped back and joined us staring into the enormous tropical fish tank that separated the waiting area from part of the dining room.
My friend glanced at him. “Here for the convention?” she said, switching into full flirt-mode.
His eyes lit when he saw how pretty she was, and he turned to face us. “Yeah,” he said. “You?”
Elaine shook her head. “We’re here for the spa.”
He glanced over her shoulder at me and nodded with a smile. I smiled back, and he returned his attention to her.
“I’m Elaine,” she said, twisting a lock of her hair around a finger as she leaned into him. “And this is my best friend Melissa.”
“Patrick Knight,” he said, shaking her hand and taking a step closer as well. “Nice to meet you both.”
“Are you waiting for someone, Patrick?” The defining difference between Elaine and me was her complete lack of hesitancy around men. Of course, she’d never been given a reason to hesitate.
“Just my boss,” he said. “We were at the gym earlier, and he’s still in his room.”
“Is he a banker, too?”
“Nah.” Patrick had a charming smile with straight, white teeth. “Neither of us are, really. More freelance consultants. Knight and Alexander.”
He handed her a business card, and she took it. But Elaine’s eyes moved from the cream rectangle to Patrick’s torso. “That sounds fascinating,” she said, allowing her eyes to travel slowly up his chest. “I’d love to hear more about your work.”
He cleared his throat, obviously appreciating her admiration of his body. “Why don’t you ladies join us?”
“Oh, we can’t,” I quickly jumped in. I wasn’t ready to meet yet another banking convention attendee. “We’ve got a treatment this afternoon, so we’re kind of on a schedule.”
“Dinner, then,” he insisted.
“Perfect,” Elaine cut me off before I could block her action again. “What time?”
“Eight o’clock? Here?” Patrick once again had Elaine’s hand in his.
“See you then,” she said.
The hostess appeared, perfectly timed to escort us to our table, and as we followed her, I carefully scanned the large dining area for his face.
“Yum!” Elaine caught my arm and leaned into my ear, speaking in a low voice. “Wouldn’t it be lovely to add him to our treatment schedule?”
“Hmm… I think my schedule’s full,” I said, taking a seat at our table.
I cautiously glanced behind me after giving my drink order, but I still didn’t see any sign of him. As far as I could tell, he wasn’t having lunch here.
“Maybe this Alexander guy is equally hot,” she said with a wink.
I shrugged, sipping my iced tea. “Wouldn’t matter.”
The corner of her mouth curled up. “We’ll see tonight. This might be the additional option you need.”
Her words provoked a little laugh from me. She had no idea what additional option I’d already had, and I doubted this Alexander person would be able to top it. That flash of memory caused me to inspect the restaurant once more. Not seeing him, my stomach unclenched enough for me to eat our non-cleansing lunch of cheeseburgers and fries.