CHAPTER SIXTEEN #2
“You’ve got to be making that up. I’m almost afraid to ask what the ‘suction’ part refers to.”
Maverick grins outright now. “Seaweed wraps.”
“You could get wrapped up in seaweed just walking the tide.”
“True,” he says solemnly. “But apparently the hot stone massages are life-changing.”
“Mm. Sure. Definitely sounds legitimate.”
“Listen, I just serve pancakes and emotional support around here.” He grabs two boxes from behind the counter and sets them on the table. “But if you’ve got a free afternoon, why not try something new?”
It’s been over a week since I opened my email or sent a new résumé. I’d even turned off email notifications on my phone.
Aunt Mirabella called yesterday with her flight information for when she was coming home in two weeks.
She’d asked about job updates, and when I told her I’d had no bites but was still trying, she reminded me I was welcome to stay as long as I wanted because the house was mine as much as hers, and she could use the company.
And I’d miss Gin when I left.
And Elliot.
I shake my head and step out of my car, looking both directions before crossing the street to stand before Suction and Serenity Spa.
“Why I didn’t get myself a massage sooner, I’ll never know.” I shift my purse higher on my shoulder before pushing open the door, a small bell tinkling as I step inside.
“Welcome to Suction and Serenity Spa. I’m Mina.
How can I help you?” The willowy woman behind the reception desk smiles warmly, her voice low and soothing, like she’s been trained to calm people on instinct alone.
Soft instrumental music drifts through the lobby, blending with the faint trickle of a tabletop fountain tucked beside a wall of trailing ivy.
“Hi, Mina.” I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, suddenly aware of how wrinkled my sundress is from sitting in my car debating whether or not to come inside. “I was wondering if you had any availability for massages today?”
“Of course.” Mina’s bracelets clink softly as she taps something into the computer. “We actually have an opening in about fifteen minutes. Octavius is just finishing with a client.” Her smile widens knowingly. “What kind of service are you looking for?”
She hands me a thick cream-colored card embossed with gold lettering. There are at least a dozen options listed beneath elegant swirling designs: deep tissue, aromatherapy, hot stone, suction cup therapy, facials.
“Oh, I don’t know,” I admit absently, scanning the list without really reading it.
“What’s going on in your life?” Mina asks gently. “I can help narrow down what might fit best.”
How do I explain that I lost my job? That every application I send out disappears into a void?
That I’ve nearly drowned twice in the last month?
That I’m falling for a man who makes me feel more like myself than I have in years, but if I find a job in the city, I’ll have to leave him—and this little beach town—behind in two weeks?
Instead, I shrug and hand the card back. “Just the usual life stress stuff.”
Mina studies me for a second too long, like she can see straight through the flimsy lie, before her expression softens.
“I’ve got just the thing,” she says. “And a discount for first-time customers. Let me grab you some water.”
The spa smells faintly of eucalyptus and citrus as she disappears through a side door. A moment later, she returns carrying a chilled glass beaded with condensation.
“Strawberry, ginger, and lemon infused,” she explains, handing it to me.
The first sip is cool and bright, sweet strawberries balanced by the sharp bite of ginger.
It tastes fresh from a summer garden, and unexpectedly, it reminds me of my aunt.
Of lazy afternoons in her kitchen while she tossed herbs into pitchers of water and insisted every problem felt smaller when you were hydrated.
Maybe staying here a few more weeks wouldn’t be the worst thing if a new job doesn’t pan out.
“It’s excellent for soothing sore muscles and reducing inflammation after treatment.” Mina gestures for me to follow her down a softly lit hallway. “Right this way.”
The room she leads me into is dim and cool, illuminated by flickering amber candles along the shelves. Glass jars of oils line the counter beside neatly folded towels. Somewhere nearby, lavender and bergamot perfume the air so heavily I can almost taste them.
“You can leave your belongings on the shelf and undress to your comfort level,” Mina tells me softly. “Lie face down beneath the sheet, and Octavius will be in shortly. If you need anything before then, just ring this bell.”
She points to a tiny silver bell near the oils before slipping quietly from the room.
I finish the last sip of water and set the empty glass aside.
The floor is warm beneath my bare feet as I peel off my sundress and undergarments before sliding under the sheet.
The fabric settles over me like cool water, silky against overheated skin.
For the first time in days—maybe weeks—I let out a full breath.
A few minutes later, the door opens again.
“Face cradle here. Arms relaxed at your sides,” a deep voice says calmly. “Any particular areas holding tension?”
“My shoulders and neck, I guess.”
“Those are always the first to surrender when life gets heavy.”
Something about the way he says it makes my chest tighten unexpectedly.
Warm oil slicks across my skin moments before strong hands glide from my neck down the length of my back.
I nearly groan at the first press of pressure into the knots beside my shoulders.
Every slow stroke seems to melt something tight and aching inside me, unraveling stress I didn’t even realize I’d been carrying.
Octavius works methodically, shifting between deep pressure and lighter movements that leave warmth radiating through my muscles. By the time he moves to my arms and legs, my body feels boneless, heavy in the best possible way.
His fingers thread gently through my hair as he massages my scalp, pressing into points near my temples and the base of my skull. A dizzy little sigh escapes me before I can stop it. I didn’t even know tension could live there until now.
Then come the suction cups.
Warm glass settles against my back and neck one by one, followed by a strange pulling sensation.
Tight at first, then oddly relieving, like pressure being lifted straight from my skin.
Tingling warmth spreads outward in waves, curling down my spine and along my limbs. Beneath it all is something else too.
Magic.
Not wild or chaotic like it’s been lately. Gentle. Humming quietly beneath my skin like ocean tides smoothing jagged stones.
For the first time in what feels like forever, I don’t feel fractured.
I feel light. Floaty. Safe.
Like when I’m in Elliot’s arms.
By the time the suction cups are removed one at a time, I’m half asleep under the sheet. Octavius drapes warm blankets across my back, cocooning me in heat that sinks straight into my bones.
Glass clinks softly against the counter. The door opens quietly.
“Take your time getting up,” he murmurs. “Sometimes people feel dizzy after deep tissue and suction therapy. There’s fresh water waiting for you.”
The door clicks shut again.
I lie there for another minute, breathing in lavender and bergamot while distant music hums through the walls. My body feels loose and warm, like every sharp edge inside me has been sanded smooth.
Eventually, I force myself upright, drink the fresh glass of water waiting on the counter, and get dressed.
I pay Mina at the front desk, thank her, and head toward my car feeling lighter than I have in weeks. When I step back outside, the late afternoon sun feels golden against my skin instead of oppressive.
Almost hopeful.
Pulling out my phone, I open my messages to text Elliot and invite him over for dinner. After being called into work unexpectedly all day, he deserves a good meal.
Before I can type anything, an email notification slides across the screen.
I swear my notifications were off.
Not that it matters. I haven’t gotten any worthwhile emails in weeks.
My stomach flips.
I tap it open.
Invitation for In-Person Interview at Camdon Corp
For a second, I just stare at the words glowing on my screen while the warm ocean breeze suddenly feels much, much colder.