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JENN
The restof our prep time flies by, and it’s the day of the big launch party before I know it. I head in early that day, just to double- and triple-check everything, but to my relief—and delight—it all looks amazing.
Just standing in the bright, airy lobby, I feel refreshed. The front desk is gleaming, every shelf stocked with beautiful products, and the soothing trickle of the wall fountain makes it feel like you’re in the middle of the rainforest—and it smells like it, too. The place is somehow scented like water and greenery—a total, blissful getaway.
Our guests for the launch party are going to be blown away.
I check in with the PR team, and the special events crew who are technically running this shindig, and then take a tour with eagle eyes. I know that Austin will be hyper-focused on the smallest details, so I want to make sure everything’s set.
First, the therapy rooms, which are perfectly decked out. Then the locker rooms, where every cubicle is prepped and ready with fluffy branded robes and towels. Our restaurant is catering with the amazing chef Austin finally approved, and out in the main space, there’s a huge table of goody bags beside the full bar being set up.
I pause. “Remember the Starling gin needs to be in full view,” I suggest brightly to the bartender.
Without a word, he turns, and gestures to the wall behind him, which has been covered in the bottles from our exclusive supplier. So many of them, they blend into the décor.
“Whoops, sorry!” I blurt. “Keep up the good work.”
Paloma finds me straightening up palm fronds by the photo-friendly living wall, complete with neon VITAL sign, for influencer pics. “You do realize that’s below your pay grade,” she teases, just before I spot another mix-up.
“Help me out?” I say, pointing to the ice sculpture that has blue liquid frozen inside in the shape of the spa logo. “It’s way too close to the windows. The minute it hits noon, the whole thing will melt.”
Paloma takes the other side of the sculpture and helps me hoist it to a cooler spot.
“There. Safe and sound,” I say, wiping my very cold hands on my pants.
“Good thing,” she remarks. “If Austin saw a drippy ice sculpture, he’d take it as a bad omen that his business prospects will melt.”
I wince. I wish she was kidding but… He’s been fretting all week. And I don’t blame him, with his big dream on the line.
“I don’t know how this would have happened without you,” Paloma says, looking around.
I wave away her compliment. “You’ve done great.”
“I mean it,” she insists. “We were headed for a serious meltdown before you came on-board. Now… It might actually be a success.”
“No ‘might’ about it!” I exclaim. “Itwillbe a success.”
“If you say so.” Paloma grins. “But don’t undersell yourself. You turned this whole thing around. You’re my hero.”
I blush, feeling bashful. To tell the truth, the past month at Vital has barely felt like work. After years of workplace drudgery, it turns out that I thrive on the unexpected. Jenn Walker, queen of spontaneity.
Who would have thought?
Asher suddenly skitters down the staircase, heading straight for us. “You have to do something,” he pleads. “He’s doing it again.”
“Austin’s micromanaging?” I ask.
Asher nods. “He’s taking out his nerves on every, tiny detail. He told me to check the fruit baskets for soft-looking strawberries. All twenty-five of them!”
I smile. “Stand down on the strawberries,” I tell him. “I’ll go see what the latest emergency is.”
“Thank you,” he says, already sampling the cocktails.
Austin’s pacing in his office when I tap on the door. “Someone said you needed a defibrillator?” I joke.
“I’m fine,” he snaps. Then he takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m…”
“A little tense?” I finish.
