Chapter 18
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
Lizzie
Emberlyn
What are you doing this weekend?
Me
Working. What’s up?
Emberlyn
I thought I’d come for a visit.
Me
You’re always welcome. You don’t have any senior last few weeks of school stuff?
Emberlyn
Nope. Prom is next weekend and then graduation. I can’t believe I’m almost done.
Me
Me either, squirt.
Emberlyn
Don’t call me that!
Me
Fine, fine. Anyway, I have to work Friday and Saturday night, but I’m all yours otherwise.
Emberlyn
Mom says I can drive over Saturday morning, but I’m gonna ask Dad if I can go Friday after my softball game. It should be over by seven.
Me
It’s an hour drive here, Em.
Emberlyn
I know, Mom. I’ll be fine.
Me
Well, if Dad says it’s ok, then it’s fine with me.
Emberlyn
Yay! I’ll keep you posted!
Me
Sounds good.
I slip my phone into my pocket and climb out of my vehicle. I’ve been anxiously waiting for my massage appointment all week, and it’s finally here. Add in the fact my sister is going to come for the weekend, and I’m all smiles when I pull open the door to the salon.
“Hey!” Charli greets exuberantly over the noise of a blow-dryer.
“Hi.”
“Are you ready?” Her blue eyes twinkle like sapphires, much like her brother’s.
“So ready,” I proclaim, drawing out that first word.
“Follow me.” As we walk toward the back room I know to be her massage studio, she says, “You’re extra smiley today. Have you talked to my brother?”
“Umm, not since last night. We texted for a while, but then he got a call.”
“Oh. I thought that smile meant you two were sexting or something.”
My eyes widen at her comment, and I’m suddenly very happy for the hair dryer noise in the room. “Umm…”
“You know what?” she says, stopping and holding up her hand.
“Let’s not discuss that. I’m all for girl talk and all, but I draw the line at knowing anything about my brother.
” She shivers in disgust. “It’s bad enough I had to hear Cade and Melissa going at it one night in his tent while we were camping.
” She makes a face. “Or was it Megan? I don’t know. There’s so many. He’s such a whore.”
She takes in my wide eyes and fast smile. “Not Collin though. He’s always been the quiet, broody one.”
“It’s crazy to me how different they are,” I say, stepping inside the room.
“It really is, yet so similar. They’ve always been best friends though. Okay, let’s talk massage for a second before we dive back into my brother. Do you have any medical conditions or anything?”
“No.”
“Do you know what type of massage you want?”
There are different kinds?
She laughs. “I can tell by the panicked look on your face you have no idea. That’s okay. I recommend a Swedish massage, because it will relax the body, help with circulation, and ease muscle tension.”
“That sounds perfect,” I reply.
“Any trouble areas? Pain in your neck, back, legs?”
“Nope, all good.”
“Okay, then I’ll let you get undressed. You can get down to what you’re comfortable with, but I recommend down to panties.
You’re under a blanket the entire time, unless I’m working on your back or an extremity.
Privates are always covered, but I know most people are most comfortable in their skivvies. Any questions?”
“Nope, I think I got it,” I reply, hanging my purse on the hook on the wall.
“When you’re ready, climb under the blanket, face down. I’ll knock before I enter.”
And with that, she exits the room, leaving me alone to undress.
I take a quick look around the space. It’s comfortable, peaceful, and warm.
There’s soft music playing and a little waterfall on one of the shelves echoing lightly throughout the room.
I strip down to my panties and climb beneath the blanket, placing my face in the hole.
After a couple of minutes, there’s a gentle knock on the door.
“Ready?”
“Yes,” I reply, feeling the warmth beneath me.
Charli enters the room, quietly closing the door behind her, and says, “Let’s begin.” Her tone is serene, her footsteps light. “Are you comfortable?” she asks. “If the bed gets too warm, let me know and I can turn off the heater.”
“It’s perfect,” I reply.
“This lotion is hypoallergenic,” she informs me before placing her hands on my back and moving. “This is called effleurage. It helps warm up the muscles and gives me a glimpse at your pressure preferences.”
“It feels amazing,” I whisper, practically groaning in euphoria already.
“The entire massage will be. Now, I’m gonna shut up and get to it. If you want me to increase or decrease pressure at any point, just say so. You control this. If you don’t say anything, I’ll assume what I’m doing is good and will keep going.”
“Okay.”
And for the next forty-five minutes, I’m in heaven.
She massages my back, my legs and feet, my arms, and then my head and neck.
She even rubbed my hands, which was practically orgasmic.
It’s pure bliss, and to be honest, I can’t believe I’ve never had one of these before.
In fact, I think everyone should have one.
Massages for everyone this Christmas!
“All right, I’m gonna step out and let you redress. Take your time and be careful getting off the bed. When you’re ready, come out front.” She exits the room just as quietly as she entered, leaving me lying on the bed and not wanting to get up.
Unfortunately, I know she has other appointments, so I slowly sit up and stretch. I feel amazing, my limbs loose and my body relaxed, and I have a soft smile on my lips the entire time I get dressed.
When I’m ready to exit, I open the door and find Charli waiting just down the hall. “Well?”
“Incredible,” I reply.
“Oh, good. I want everyone to have the best experience, but when it’s someone’s first massage, I want it to be the best it can be.” She hands me a small bottle of water.
“Well, it was. You’ll definitely be seeing me again.”
That makes her smile. “Happy to hear. Now, there isn’t much post-massage care to deal with, but make sure you drink lots of water.
Technically, you should avoid strenuous activities for twelve to twenty-four hours, but I know you work in a bar and will be lugging those cases of beer and whatnot.
Just try to rest as much as possible. Plus, I’m sure my brother’ll be by after he catches up on his sleep.
I don’t want to think about what strenuous activities might be involved later, so we won’t talk about those. ”
I can’t help but giggle. “He told me he usually sleeps part of the day when he gets home from a shift.”
She nods. “He does, especially if they were out all night with calls.”
“All right, well, I’ll get out of your way. How much do I owe you?” Reaching into my small purse, I retrieve my wallet.
“It’s taken care of.”
I glance up, meeting her gaze. “What?”
She smiles. “Someone covered it. He tipped too. I made sure it was a generous one,” she states with a little chuckle.
My heart skips a beat in my chest. “Oh.”
She winks and starts to walk me toward the front of the salon. “He’s totally into you, if you didn’t already know. He’s never once—not ever—reached out to me and paid for someone’s massage.”
“That doesn’t mean anything,” I argue.
“Are you kidding me? It means more than you think, believe me. I know my brother, and this is very out of character for him,” she says as we reach the front counter.
“Oh! Do you want to talk about scheduling a hair appointment? I spoke with both Lila and Jenn, and both feel Jenn is a better fit for your hair type. Jenn is Curly Girl certified and is the absolute best for clients who have any and all types of curls.”
“That’s perfect,” I reply, pulling out my phone and bringing up my calendar.
“Jenn told me just to schedule you for an extended appointment, and she’ll talk to you beforehand about your hair. You can go to her Insta page and see her work, but I assure you, she’s amazing.”
I nod. “Sounds good. The thought of driving an hour back to Stewart Grove just to see my usual girl doesn’t sound all that convenient right now, so I’m willing to talk to Jenn and see what she can do.”
My hair has loose curls, but curls, nonetheless.
Anyone who has them knows you have to take proper care of them, or you’ll have an uneven, frizzy mess.
Ever since I can remember, I went to someone who is certified in caring and cutting those curls.
My mom is the same, with long, loose curls.
But all it takes is one bad cut to change everything.
“She had a cancellation next Wednesday at nine. Will that work?” Charli asks.
Tapping on the calendar app, I see Guy is opening that day. “Perfect.” I add the appointment to my calendar.
“Great! We’ll see you then.”
“Thank you, again, for the massage. I’ll definitely be back.”
She flashes me a smile that reminds me of Cade. “You’re welcome. Talk soon.”
I wave to the others and make my way out of the salon, feeling relaxed and refreshed for the weekend ahead. Collin is working Friday night with me and Jani on Saturday evening. Things have definitely picked up on those two nights, requiring me to make the decision to staff two bartenders.
Tomorrow night is the first karaoke Friday, and I’m super excited.
I found a great DJ locally who’s got a great setup.
He usually sticks to weddings, but we were able to come up with an agreement and schedule that didn’t overwhelm him and offers a little bit of flexibility.
Plus, the added bonus of a set schedule is great for marketing.
We have a six-month agreement in place and will discuss changes or extending after we see how it goes.