Lovejoy had already introduced our masseurs, Andre and Luca, both of whom had been on my grandfather’s spa staff for years.
“Very comfortable,” Ellie answered, crossing both arms on the table and resting her chin on them. Her eyes were glued to the platter of croissants sitting on a spare table, and I could swear she was salivating.
I dragged my gaze away from the attractive slope of her exposed back, finding another reason this was a terrible idea.
How the hell was I supposed to just lie here while Luca was rubbing oil on his hands and getting ready to touch her?
“Good, good.” Lovejoy flipped through a stack of flash cards before beaming at both of us. “This activity is about relaxing the mind and body, but also thinking about your future. Irecommend leaving your inhibitions at the door and really allowing yourself to speak from the heart. How does that sound?”
Like my own personal hell,I thought while sticking my face into the hole in the table.
But Ellie quickly agreed, so I grunted noncommittally.
“Wonderful,” Lovejoy praised with a clap of her hands. “Luca and Andre, start with focusing on any tension in their shoulders. Really dig into the soft tissue there. Cade and Ellie, close your eyes, and we’ll begin.”
Andre wasted no time digging into my shoulders, while I grudgingly shut my eyes.
“Let’s kick things off with one of the big questions couples discuss before marriage,” Lovejoy continued. “Do you two see children in your future?”
“Yes,” Ellie answered immediately, making me pause.
I’d never really given a wife and kids much thought, but it was almost too easy to picture a couple mini versions of Ellie and me running around the penthouse and playing with her hellion. They even had blue hair.
“And you, Cade?” Lovejoy asked, yanking me out of the daydream.
Andre kept a steady pressure on my shoulders—which were somehow tenser than when we started.
“That’s a private discussion,” I said, followed by an uncomfortable beat of silence.
“Completely understandable. I’m not here to pester you.” Lovejoy cleared her throat, and the grin reentered her voice. “Let’s talk wedding plans, then! Have you set a date yet?”
Ellie jumped to answer again. “Well, they say when you marry in June?—”
“We’re also keeping that private,” I cut in before she could ramble out another lie for us to keep track of.
Lovejoy just laughed lightly.
“I see you play your cards close to the vest, Cade. You know what, why don’t we work our way up to the big stuff? I have a few other questions that might seem odd at first, but they speak to the foundation of your relationship. Let’s start with a fun one. If your partner were transformed into a worm, would you still love?—”
“That’s enough.” I pushed up from the massage table, shrugging off Andre’s hands and pulling the sheet around my hips. He backed off, and I strode past Lovejoy to open the door. “I think we can handle it from here. Thank you, Bliss.”
She gaped over her shoulder at me, and the cat-eye glasses amplified her widening eyes. “Oh, but we’ve only just begun. I’m here to help guide the discussion.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ellie lift her head to watch us.
I struggled to keep a pleasant expression and reached for a lie Lovejoy would fall for. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to take more of a lead in my and Ellie’s therapy sessions. This retreat means a lot to my fiancée, and I’ve been slacking. It’s time to pull my own weight now.”
Dr. Lovejoy blinked owlishly, then broke into a wide, toothy smile.
“Oh. Yes! Yes, of course.” She jumped up from her chair and handed over the flash cards. “That’s a wonderful idea, Cade. I applaud you for taking the initiative.”
“Thank you. Now, if you wouldn’t mind…” I gave the hallway a pointed glance, and Lovejoy straightened.
“Ah, yes. I’ll just leave you both to it, then.” She stepped into the hallway before jabbing a finger into the air. “Oh, we have our next mandatory activity later this morning. Group yoga begins on the main deck in forty minutes—don’t forget!”
“Couldn’t if I tried,” I muttered, then swung the door shut behind her.
I turned back to the room to see Ellie watching me with laughter in her eyes and her lip trapped between her teeth.
