“Derek I hope,” Lana says, and if I could see her, I would guess her cheeks are red and not from the steam.
“Yeah, I made sure he knew,” I assure her.
Lana giggles. “Good, because I’m gonna need a repeat of last night.”
“Ooh, what happened last night?” Lisa asks Lana.
“I think what you mean to ask is ‘what didn’t happen last night?”’
“Wow, that good huh?”
“Like you wouldn’t believe,” Lana says.
“Ugh, I’m so jealous of you girls!” Lisa says.
Lana laughs and I laugh too because it’s nice to see Lana so happy and outside of her comfort zone. I’m glad she’s here and enjoying herself, rather than feeling guilty about me paying for everything. All I want is to enjoy life with her. She’s one of the few people who have seen through my front and shown me kindness.
“Okay, I think I’ve reached my limit in this heat, let’s go cold plunge and then head back to the cabin,” I tell Lana.
“Sounds good,” Lana says.
“By the way, his dick is huge,” I tell Lisa and Lana and we all dissolve out into a puddle of laughter.
***
The steam still clings to my skin as we step out of the steam room, the heat fading from our bodies, leaving us with a quietcontent warmth. The dim lights of the spa flicker gently off the polished stone floors and soft, earthy aromas of eucalyptus and lavender linger in the air.
We walk towards the ice plunge pools- the sight of the ice baths sends a shiver down my spine—crystal-clear water filled with jagged ice, a brutal yet invigorating challenge. The cold is almost enough to make me hesitate but the heat of the sauna still lingers in my bones, daring me to dive in, to feel the shock of the icy embrace and the rush of adrenaline that follows. Outside the window, the mountain’s silhouette is barely visible through the thick, tinted glass, framed by the serene backdrop of snow-covered pines and the early evening sky that’s just beginning to darken. I better do this now before I back out.
On the count of three Lana and I step into the freezing water, a gasp escaping our lips as the chill bites into our legs and every inch of our bodies from the neck down. It’s uncomfortable, sharp, but invigorating in a way nothing else can compare to. There are so many health benefits to doing this and I am always up for anything regarding self care. As the cold slowly creeps over me, I feel it—my pulse slowing, my mind sharpening, everything else fading into the background except for the ice that cuts through the warmth I’ve just left behind. We have to do this for two minutes.
I continue to breathe.
Lana turns to me and says, “This is freezing.”
“No shit, we knew this going in,” I tell her, still trying to control my breathing.
“Yeah, but I didn’t think it would bethiscold,” she says.
“You’re hilarious. Just pretend you’re in Cabo.”
“I’ve never been to Cabo.”
“Ooo, next girls trip!”
The two minutes feel like an eternity, but finally, the timer goes off. We scramble out of the ice baths, grabbing our towels with shaky hands and wiping off the frost from our skin. The cold bites atus, but the rush of adrenaline from the plunge lingers, giving us an unexpected sense of power. It’s the kind of invigorating discomfort that makes you feel like you can take on anything.
I pull my towel tighter around my shoulders still trembling from the ice, but there’s this glow inside me that comes from pushing through it. It’s like I’ve reset my body and I feel stronger for it.
With that last step of self-care behind us, Lana and I head back to the locker room, our footsteps echoing in the quiet hall. We’re ready to change, head back to the cabin, and prepare for the night ahead. The boys will be here soon and I can’t help but feel a flutter of excitement deep in my chest.
I can’t wait to see Aspen... but a part of me wonders if we’re both walking into something we shouldn’t. What if we fall, only to realize our lives don’t align? We live in two different states—that’sa lot to take in.
I push those thoughts aside as I get ready. Who am I to talk about falling in love? He’s just a hookup, after all
A weekend. A silly little hookup.
Nothing I haven’t done before.
