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With a single nod, he escorted her to the limo. “See you soon. Have fun.”
Derek closed the door, leaving her nothing else to do but sit back, relax, and enjoy her favorite white wine, which had been left inside.
She’d considered booking an appointment at the spa several times since it opened. For one reason or another, she never managed to find the time. She couldn’t wait to see if all the hype about the facility was true.
She managed to drink one glass of wine before the limo stopped and the driver pulled open the door. From inside she noticed people on the sidewalk stop and look, curious to see who would emerge from the vehicle. They’re going to be disappointed.
“I’ll be here when you are ready to return home, Miss Novak,” the driver said once she exited the limo.
“Thank you.” She ignored the stares and crossed to the spa’s tinted double doors.
Soft music greeted her when she entered. Two women sat in the waiting room, both focused on their smartphones. Behind a pale pink desk, a dark-haired woman sat studying her computer screen, but when Brooklyn approached she glanced over.
“Welcome to Magnolia Day Spa. Who is your appointment with this evening?”
He’d failed to give her that information. “I’m not sure. My….” She paused. She guessed calling him her boyfriend was correct, yet the word stuck in her throat. She’d never referred to anyone as her boyfriend. And she’d never imagined attaching the title to Derek. “My friend arranged everything as a surprise. My name’s Brooklyn Novak.”
“Oh, yes. I spoke with Mr. Sherbrooke when he called this morning.”
Across the room, both women looked up, more interested in her than whatever was on their phones.
“You’ll be seeing Melody tonight. Please have a seat, and I’ll let her know you’re here.” The receptionist didn’t wait for an answer before walking away.
Brooklyn glanced at where the other women sat. Neither had stopped staring at her yet. Sitting near them was out. Thankfully, she didn’t need to sit at all.
“Miss Novak, welcome. I’m Melody.” A pencil-thin woman approached her. “Please follow me.”
Melody led her past several closed doors before stopping in front of one. “This evening we’ll begin with your Magnolia Massage. It’s a ninety-minute-long Swedish-based massage that begins with a dry brushing.” She opened the door and gestured for Brooklyn to enter. “It’s our most popular treatment.”
She’d heard of a lot of things, but not dry brushing. “I’m not familiar with dry brushing. Could you explain it to me?”
“Of course. Please have a seat. This is the brush we use. You can also purchase one to take home with you if you want to continue the practice.” Melody picked up a brush from near the massage table and handed it to her. “Dry brushing is an ancient practice. I’ll brush your entire body using rapid strokes. By doing this, I’ll stimulate your lymphatic system and exfoliate your skin. Once I’m through, we’ll begin the actual massage.”
She’d never had a massage before. Did they all begin with a brushing? Brooklyn handed the brush back and waited for Melody to continue.
“Since this is meant to be a tailored experience, I’ll need you to tell me how much pressure to apply. Once the massage is finished, you should be relaxed and revitalized.”
“You said we’d start with a massage. What other treatments will I be receiving today?”
“Afterward you’ll receive an eighty-minute double exfoliation pedicure and a hand facial, which is similar to our Magnolia manicure.”
A ninety-minute massage followed by an eighty-minute pedicure as well as manicure; she’d be here a while. Maybe she should call and tell Derek not to wait for her. He probably had no idea how long any of these things took.
“Unless you have more questions, I’ll step out so you can change. I’ve left a robe here for you to slip on. Please remove everything, including your bra. You may leave on your underwear if you choose.”
“Thank you.”
Once alone, Brooklyn went for her smartphone rather than undressing. Judging by everything Melody listed, it would be well after nine before she got home. She needed to at least give Derek a heads-up in case he didn’t want to stay in the city quite so long.
He answered on the first ring. “You’re supposed to be getting pampered, not using the phone,” he said after greeting her. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I wasn’t sure you knew how long everything you booked would take. I’ll be here almost four hours. If you want to go home, I understand.” She heard other voices in the background and assumed they belonged to Gray and Kiera.
“When I called the spa, they gave me an estimate of how long you’d be there. Don’t worry about it. Enjoy your time and call me when you get home. I’ll come down.”
Arguing with him was a waste of breath. If he wanted to wait, she’d let him. “You went a little overboard here.”
“Not possible where you’re concerned. See you soon.”
