16. Rose
16
ROSE
T he spa was everything I imagined luxury would feel like—and more. From the moment I stepped through the frosted glass doors, a wave of lavender and eucalyptus greeted me, as if the air itself had been designed to exhale my stress. The receptionist, a woman with a smooth voice and a name tag that read Celeste , handed me a plush white robe and slippers as she explained my deluxe package with the kind of care usually reserved for unwrapping delicate presents.
“This includes a full-body massage, a facial, and access to the relaxation lounge. You’re going to love it,” she said, her smile so serene it made me wonder if working here came with mandatory Zen training.
I nodded, trying to play it cool even as excitement bubbled beneath my skin. “Sounds perfect.”
She led me down a hallway where soft instrumental music drifted, mingling with the faint trickle of a fountain I couldn’t see but somehow felt. The walls were painted in calming shades of cream and taupe, with flickering candles tucked into alcoves every few feet. When I was shown to a room, my masseuse— a woman named Lena with hands that could probably sculpt clouds—welcomed me warmly.
“First time?” she asked kindly, her eyes crinkling with a knowing smile.
“Is it that obvious?” I laughed, shrugging into the robe.
“Don’t worry,” Lena said, her voice as soothing as the ambiance. “We’ll make sure it’s unforgettable.”
As I settled onto the heated massage table, a wave of nausea hit me out of nowhere. It wasn’t overwhelming, but enough to make my stomach twist uncomfortably. I closed my eyes, breathing in the lavender-scented air and blaming last night’s wine. I knew I'd gone overboard, so maybe I wasn’t as invincible as I used to be.
Lena’s hands began working on my shoulders, and though the pressure was perfect, the queasiness lingered. I frowned, recalling how I’d been unusually tired lately, too—like I could nap at any moment. Probably just stress or something. Right? Still, it was hard to ignore.
I pushed away the thoughts and closed my eyes. Last night, Cole had been such a gentleman. I was so horny, wanted him so badly. I'd have let him fuck me right there in the elevator, but he insisted on carrying me to the room, and by the time we got there, I was just too drunk. I felt him undress me and tuck me in, but I never felt him climb into bed. I was so wasted, which only confirmed my initial thought. The nausea was a hangover and nothing more.
My phone, in my purse across the room where I left it when I put on the robe, began to ring. It was a ringtone I assigned to my mother, and she rarely called so I felt like I should take it. I lifted my head and looked that direction and Lena said, "Want me to get that for you?"
"Would you please?" I asked her, not really sure if this was a thing or not. I felt bad because I didn’t know if they had a no phones policy, but it was my mom.
Lena reached into my purse and pulled out my phone, and as soon as she handed it to me, I answered.
“Hi, Mom,” I said, holding the phone to my ear.
“Rose! Are you busy? I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” she said, the way moms always do when they know they absolutely are.
“Not really,” I replied, keeping my voice light. “I’m at this amazing spa Cole brought me to. Seriously, you wouldn’t believe this place—it smells like a lavender field and a rainforest had a baby.”
There was a brief pause, just long enough for me to brace myself. “Cole?” she asked, the curiosity sharp in her tone. “I don’t think you’ve mentioned him before.”
I hesitated, realizing she was right. This was the first time I’d said his name to her. “Oh. Yeah, I guess I haven’t. He’s… kind of new, but not really. We’ve been seeing each other for a few months.”
“A few months, and you’re just now telling me?” she asked, half teasing, half concerned. “What’s he like? And how old is ‘new, but not really’?”
I bit my lip, trying to figure out how to play this. “Okay, first, he’s amazing. Like, genuinely incredible. He’s kind and thoughtful and…” I trailed off, smiling despite myself. “He’s just got this way about him, you know? Like he knows exactly how to make me feel comfortable and safe.”
“Mmhmm,” she murmured, clearly not sold yet. “And?”
“And…” I drew the word out, hesitant. “He’s a little older than me.”
“How much older?”
“Fifteen years,” I said quickly, wincing as I braced for her reaction.
“Fifteen?” she repeated, her voice rising slightly. “Rose, that’s… that’s a big gap.”
“I know it sounds like a lot,” I said, rushing to fill the silence, “but it’s not weird. It doesn’t feel weird. He’s—he’s grounded in this way that I’ve never had in a relationship before. And I need that, Mom. After all the guys who were, like, obsessed with video games or afraid of commitment, Cole’s refreshing.”
She exhaled, the sound heavy with caution. “Okay. So he’s older. What does he do?”
“He’s a surgeon,” I said, knowing it would impress her but also anticipating the next wave of concern. Lena glanced at me with a professional poker face, probably used to people rambling on their phones mid-massage. I gave her an apologetic smile and let my head sink back down.
“A surgeon?” Her tone was skeptical, but I caught the faintest note of admiration. “Well, that’s… respectable. But don’t you think there’s a power imbalance there, Rose? Older man, successful career, bringing you to fancy spas… He could be trying to, I don’t know, control things.”
“Mom, stop,” I said, laughing despite myself. “It’s not like that. Cole’s not manipulative. He’s supportive, and he listens to me. Honestly, he’s probably more patient with me than anyone else ever has been.” I sighed, closing my eyes as Lena worked on a knot in my neck.
“That’s nice,” she said carefully, but I could hear the reservations lining her words. “I just don’t want you to get swept off your feet by the wrong person. Men with that kind of power can be… persuasive.”
“Not Cole,” I said firmly. “He’s not that guy. I promise, you’d like him if you met him.”
“I just don’t want you to get hurt.” I appreciated my mom's concern, but it was unwarranted and right now, I wanted to focus on relaxing and letting this spa day take the edge off all my stress.
"I'm not going to get hurt, Mom." I sighed and wished I could just hang up.
Another pause, then a resigned sigh. “Alright. I’ll trust you. But if he does anything that makes you uncomfortable, you call me right away. Got it?”
“Got it,” I promised, smiling. “Love you, Mom.”
“Love you too, sweetheart. And enjoy the spa. You deserve it. I'll call you tomorrow to talk about Aunt Sally. Now probably isn't the time.”
"Bye, Mom," I said, realizing she probably just wanted to gossip about something her sister had done. I was relieved that I was actually busy and unable to sit here talking the whole time.
I hung up, setting the phone aside as Lena pressed into my shoulders again. The tension was uncoiling, and I put my phone down on the massage table beside me.
I wondered if what they said had any merit. Mom only wanted what was good for me, and she was telling me the same things Alana had, but I still didn't believe her. Was I just blind? Was it that I was being ignorant because I just liked him? Or were they just too closed-minded?
I finished my spa day, choosing to buy a sexy negligee from the boutique in the front of the spa, then I sat in the waiting room, waiting for Cole to pick me up. I might have miffed last night by drinking too much, but tonight he and I were going to have a good time.