Fallon
In the soft spa-issued robe, I lie back in the big reclining chair with a glass of wine in my hand while my feet soak in a warm, heavenly substance guaranteed to get rid of all the dead skin.
Amanda and Reggie are next to me, doing the same thing as we all glow in the aftermath of our two-hour massages.
After a few early morning continuing education classes, we’ve spent the entire afternoon at the spa.
It’s just what I needed to take the edge off the past few weeks.
From Tanner telling me he’s going to get remarried and have more kids to finding out my daughter is embarrassed by my job, this trip is hitting the mark.
Naturally, Beckett called ahead and had us upgraded to the penthouse suite, so we’ve got the nicest room in the hotel with the best view in all of South Beach.
Amanda sighs. “This is so nice, but maybe I should stop drinking so I can hit the gym before dinner.”
Reggie rolls her eyes. “You’re annoyingly motivated. You know, every person who died at the top of Mount Everest was once highly motivated. Look what happened to them. Take a day off. Rest. It won’t kill you but being motivated might.”
Amanda and I giggle like schoolgirls. Reggie always makes us laugh, especially when we’re a few drinks in.
Amanda motions for the attendant to refill our glasses, which she does. “I guess you’re right. A few days off won’t matter in the long run.” She leans her head back. “I’m too relaxed to work out anyway. My body is numb.”
Reggie takes a huge gulp of her wine and then stares at it. “We should invent protein wine. Then I feel like my fitness journey would really take off.”
“Tequila is supposed to be good for you,” I offer. “Maybe we should order that too.”
Reggie raises an eyebrow. “When I was twenty, I could mix wine, tequila, vodka, and whiskey. Now I have to watch which creamer I use in my coffee or I’ll shit my pants.”
Amanda and I spit our drinks as we laugh. I shake my head. “Reggie, what would I do without you?”
“Be bored,” she responds. “Speaking of boring, any prospects on that dating app to add a little color to your dull, sexless life?”
I scrunch my nose. “Uninspiring men were messaging me constantly until I took down my photos. Since then, it’s been crickets. So superficial. All of them.”
“Would you go out with a man if you didn’t know what he looks like?” Amanda challenges.
I twist my lips. “Hmm, I’d like to think that if he checks other boxes, I would agree to a date. Obviously I need some physical attraction to progress things, but if I like everything else about him, I would take that date.” At least I hope so.
“Yes, you should find a nice guy. Looks aren’t everything,” Amanda says amiably, as if her husband couldn’t be a GQ model.
“I wouldn’t mind a sweet guy who is nice to everyone,” I admit. “Something easy is very appealing to me.”
Reggie twists her lips. “You don’t want a golden retriever who loves everyone. You want a Doberman who only loves you.”
“Can’t a man be sweet and madly in love with you? Sam is both,” I challenge.
She shrugs as if unimpressed when a woman brings us a tray of grapes and offers one to her. She holds up her hand. “No thank you. I don’t take my wine in pill form.”
I smile at her ridiculousness. Waiting for the attendant to leave, I say, “Honestly, I would just take a decent lay at this point. It’s been several months since I had sex, and not since my marriage have I had great sex. I miss it. I miss daily intimacy too.”
Reggie straightens her shoulders with pride. “We have sex almost every day.”
My eyes widen. “You do?”
She nods. “Yep. Almost on Mondays, almost on Tuesdays, almost on Wednesdays…”
Amanda and I giggle. I lean my head back and smile. Yep, this trip is just what I needed.
The problem with middle-aged women who start drinking at three in the afternoon is that they’re passed out cold by eight. Reggie and Amanda have been asleep for two hours with no signs of them waking before morning.
No such luck for me. My mind is spinning. I can’t shake the eerie feeling I have. It’s like I know something bad is about to happen.
I should check my phone. Except for Tanner, I’ve had it on Do Not Disturb all day.
I scroll through my notifications. Nothing earth shattering until I notice one from the dating app.
I thought removing my photos fixed this problem.
Until now, I haven’t received a single message since I deleted them.
Men are so predictable. Every message has been along the lines of, “Hey, beautiful,” or “Love your eyes, sexy.” Nothing remotely creative.
The man’s username is Nine2Five. I open the notification and can see his profile. There are no photos, but I let out a small laugh at his name. It’s Lloyd Dobler.
Lloyd, you now have my attention.