I really just need to relax and be pampered.” Jade surprised me with her answer. I expected her to want to go and put her feet up at home, and I was pleased that she wasn’t abandoning me. My spirits lifted and I was ready for the next round. Pampering sounded exactly like what we needed.
“Okay, but it’s my treat. I know just the place to go. They have massage chairs and champagne . . . not that you can have any, but they have orange juice too. Sound good?”
“Oh yeah. What’s a girl’s day out without some pampering?” She wrinkled her nose. “But what about your dress? You need one by the weekend, right?”
“I do, but maybe I’ll go online tonight and check it out. I love shopping in my pajamas.”
I paid the check and left a generous tip. Grabbing our purses, Jade and I pushed to our feet to leave. I couldn’t wait to get out of the place.
We hopped into my car and I drove us to a little place I’d frequented since my mother had introduced me to pampering sessions as a teenager. The staff were friendly, and because they’d known me for years, they always squeezed me in regardless of how busy they were.
Monica welcomed us with a smile. Luckily her salon wasn’t that packed so I didn’t feel too guilty showing up without an appointment. I’d called her on the drive over and she’d assured me she could do our nails.
“Oh this is heaven.” Jade sank back into the leather massage chair and closed her eyes.
“Hmmm, this is the time I’m glad I’m a woman.” I sipped my champagne and reran the whole lunch episode through my head. Two glasses of champagne later, and I was finally able to relax enough to enjoy the treat.
I chuckled when I looked over at Jade. She’d fallen asleep with her feet in the water bath and was even snoring softly. I indicated for Monica to let her just rest for a while before she chose her nail color.
Monica and I chatted while she did my nails. She loved catching up with my life and never failed to ask me the one question I was dreading.
“So how’s your love life these days?” She winked at me. “Still seeing the sexy cop?”
I’d shown her pictures of Harrison and me at a barbeque, and she’d drooled over how good-looking he was.
I shrugged and took another sip of champagne. “That is a question I can’t really answer. The sex is off the charts hot and yeah, I’m still seeing him . . . but I honestly don’t have a clue where it will end up. Harrison is so damn unpredictable. Just when I think I understand him, he goes and makes me doubt everything.”
“Oh, sweetheart, men usually say women are hard to understand, but let me tell you—I talk to a lot of women daily and the male species, while simple in many respects, are complicated as anything. They run hot and cold and everything in between. It’s as if they don’t know what to do with their feelings.”
“You’re a wise woman, Monica,” I said, laughing out loud. Monica always managed to lift my spirits, regardless of how I felt when I walked into her salon.
“That may be because I’m on husband number five. And I’m still none the wiser sometimes. Men confuse the crap out of me.”
“Me too,” I said, as I held my glass for a refill.
“That’s your third glass, Eva. Will Jade drive you home?”
On hearing her name, Jade stirred. Moments later, her eyes popped open. “I’m sorry. I’m so damn tired all the time.” She sat upright and looked around the salon before leaning back into the chair again. “I haven’t been sleeping all that great and this chair is freaking magic.”
Monica laughed. “Those chairs are the best investment I made in my business. I can’t tell you how many women have fallen asleep in them, especially when we get to the foot massage part, so don’t apologize at all. I take it as a compliment.”
“That’s good to know. I was feeling a bit foolish.”
Handing Jade a glass of orange juice, Monica said, “Choose a color from the swatches. We’ll have you feeling pretty in no time.”
I loved how my old friend could make anyone feel at ease.
“Thanks.” Jade pointed to a hot pink. “I like that color. It’s pretty and reminds me of happy times.”
Poor, sweet Jade. I wanted to kill Harrison. And maybe I would.
Chapter