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“That, we can,” he quickly said, before capturing her lips again. At the very least, they were on the same page there.
Fourteen
“Today’s the day!”Aera clasped her hands together. She and Charlie stood in the break room of Springly Spa, giving each other pep talks. Their staff was busy getting the decor ready, setting up the electronics, and prepping the snacks for customers.
Today was the day.The grand opening. Four floral well-wishes and congratulatory wreaths were in the front foyer, sent by friends who couldn’t make it.
The marketing girl Aera hired had been instrumental in gathering attention and hype for their business. Jessa Lang was a twenty-one-year-old communications major, and a savant in public relations. In only two days, she attracted over twenty-thousand followers. Over two thousand interested parties signed up for their newsletter, and they were already booked through the rest of the month.
It was all too surreal. To build something from nothing and watch it come alive was more fulfilling than anything she’d ever imagined.
“I’m so nervous!” Charlie squealed, covering her heart with hershaking hand. Nothing like the moment before her wedding. This emotion was genuine excitement.
She’d forgone coffee this morning, thinking her natural jitters were more than enough to keep her on her toes. This day had been replaying in her dreams for so long, and to have it finally come true was also as nerve-wracking as it was thrilling. The night before, she was practicing her speech until her voice strained.
“We’ll be fine,” Aera said confidently. “You’ve worked so hard getting this ready and it’s paying off. Everything looks great. Well…”
“Yes, I know…” Charlie sighed.
Everything except Ryan. The inside joke of her brother being the only issue translated to the triple E clause.
“Everyone made it… everyone except Ryan.”
“Everything seems to be going smoothly. Everything except Ryan.”
On his first day of training as the spa’s new front desk employee, he was two hours late and arrived in his sleep clothes. One of the staff, Carrie, spent hours getting him familiar with their logging system. Charlie didn’t know what to do about him. Yelling didn’t work, neither did using guilt.
She didn’t want to think about it. Today was her moment to shine. Aera was a good partner in this venture, but the vision was Charlie’s. This washerbaby.
T minus one hour before opening. There was already a crowd gathering outside munching on hors d’oeuvres provided at the entrance. A few social media personalities were set to appear and made appointments for their services. After her speech, they’d begin the ribbon cutting. It was all procedural, and she couldn’t wait to get it over with.
Sarah texted Charlie earlier in the morning that she and Alex could arrive on time. Her friends Gisele, Eunice, Gemma, and a few others were already in the square, finishing up their nails before arriving. Her mother was on a cruise vacation with herstepfather, therefore missing out on the event. Charlie was never more relieved.
She didn’t, however, receive anything from Rick all morning. They’d spoken the day before, and he said he’d be there to celebrate the milestone with her. Unable to resist messaging him, she sent him pictures of the decoration with no response, and refused to read into it.
Rick’s appearance became important and a heavy point for her emotionally. Charlie saw the desire in his eyes that night at the pier. He had to be feeling something, too.
Was he coming? She couldn’t help but wonder. Though her worries were mostly groundless, she still couldn’t shake it off. If he didn’t come, then she shouldn’t put too much weight on it. He could be busy. But they had a moment, many of them, so heshouldbe here by principle.
Aera called her name, tugging Charlie away from her running thoughts. The partners went to freshen themselves up and snacked. The sustenance help eased Charlie’s nerves, and she was prepared to deliver her best welcome speech.
Fifteen minutes before the grand opening, the crowd outside grew, and she took a peek. From the messages on her phone, her friends were already outside. Alex and Sarah had just parked and were walking over. Nothing from Rick, still.
Aera grabbed her elbow, handing her the comically large pair of scissors. She took one last look at everything inside before they stepped out with their staff behind.
Past the threshold, the outdoor breeze met her as she greeted everyone.
“Hi everyone!” Charlie said with a rise in her voice, sounding upbeat despite her nerves. She waved to the crowd.
“Charlie, congratulations!” another high-pitched voice shouted. Gisele. Over to the back, she spotted Alex and Sarah, who excitedly waved at her.
Charlie smiled, humbled. “Thank you all for joining us on thisspecial day. We are so thankful for everyone who has been with us every step of the way. I’m Charlie, and I am the founder and co-owner of Springly.” She took a step next to Aera. “This right here is my partner, Aera, and none of this could have happened without her. To our staff and friends, thank you for all your support.
“Next we have the ribbon cutting, then followed by a tour of the interior and consultations, if any of you are interested,” she announced, then held up her oversized scissors. “Now, let’s cut that ribbon!”
The crowd cheered and whistled, and she heard Gisele and Gemma applauding. Her employees spread the ribbon before her, and she wiggled the scissor once more before reaching over and slicing the fabric in half.
Over the noises, everything moved. The staff held the door open for customers to walk in. Aera took the split ribbon and told Charlie she’ll be inside to supervise. As the crowd dispersed, she took the time to address every individual who went inside.
