Chapter 92: Chapter 92
The soft chime of the glass door closed behind them, sealing out the city noise. Rodger said he’d wait for them in the car but Celeste refused, and asked him to drive around, if he wanted.
Celeste’s heels clicked once against the polished marble before the sound disappeared into the thick, serene hush of the spa.
"Oh no," Celeste muttered under her breath.
That got Amara’s attention. She finally tore her eyes from her phone, blinked, and took in the space. The spa was immaculate, tranquil...and utterly deserted. Not another guest was in sight.
Her eyebrows shot up. "Don’t tell me your boyfriend booked the whole place."
Celeste’s lips pressed together. She nodded, giving a silent confirmation she didn’t want to give.
Before Amara could tease her, two receptionists glided forward from behind the marble counter. Both wore polite smiles and uniforms.
One of them folded her hands in front of her and dipped her head slightly.
"Ms. Monroe?" Her tone was warm, professional, yet with a hint of surprise, as though they’d been expecting royalty.
"Yes," Celeste said, smoothing her hair with one hand, feeling a little self-conscious.
"Welcome. Everything has been prepared for you and your guest. If you follow me, we’ll begin right away. May we take your coats?" The lady had an American accent that made Celeste smile.
Amara arched a brow at Celeste as she slipped her phone into her bag. "You didn’t tell me we were getting the VIP treatment."
Celeste rolled her eyes but handed over her coat. "I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know he’d go this far."
The second receptionist stepped forward, offering a tray with two crystal glasses of chilled cucumber-mint water. "For you," she said softly. "Infused this morning."
Celeste murmured her thanks, took a sip, and then caught the expectant glance of the first receptionist. "Would you like a moment to make your call before we begin? We were told you might want privacy upon arrival."
She stilled, then remembered. She’d promised Dominic she’d call. "Yes, thank you."
A quiet, glass-walled alcove was indicated just off the lobby. Celeste gave Amara a look, "Two minutes," she murmured, and stepped inside.
She dialed, and he answered before the first ring had finished.
"You’re there," Dominic’s voice was smooth, and certain. He sounded so relieved hearing her voice.
"I’m here," she said, leaning lightly against the wall. "And before you ask, yes, I’m calling just like I promised."
"I appreciate it," he replied, and she could hear the faint click of a pen in the background. "How does it look?"
She glanced through the glass at Amara, who was now chatting with one of the receptionists. Both of them laughed softly at something either of them might have said. "Empty," Celeste said. "You didn’t—"
"I did," he said easily. "You’ll have the place to yourselves. No interruptions, and no strangers."
She sighed, though a smile threatened to escape the corner of her mouth. "You’re a bit too much, you know that, right?"
Dominic smiled at the other end. "Indulge me." There was a pause, and a shift in his voice that made it quieter, and warmer. "Enjoy it. That’s all I want from you today."
Her fingers played idly along the edge of the counter. "Fine. But I’m not telling Amara you did this on purpose."
"That’s smart," he said dryly. "She’d never let me hear the end of it."
Celeste’s lips curved. "I’ll call you later."
"I’ll be waiting."
She hung up and stepped back into the reception, where Amara was now holding the spa’s menu like it was a sacred text.
"Alright," Amara said, looking up, "this is either the most over-the-top date he’s ever arranged for you, or I’ve died and gone to heaven."
Celeste chuckled, her face flushed.
They were led down a softly lit hallway where candles flickered behind frosted glass niches and the faint sound of trickling water followed them.
They started with the thermal suite. An entire wing of saunas, steam rooms, and mineral pools, all for just the two of them. Robed attendants appeared silently whenever they needed something: chilled towels scented with rosewater, trays of fruit and chocolates, delicate herbal teas poured into porcelain cups.
Amara was in her element, lounging in the warm pool like she’d been born to it. "I’m going to start demanding this every weekend," she declared, lifting her glass of sparkling water.
Celeste let herself float, the warmth seeping into every tense muscle. "I think Dominic might love it more than I ever will, if I start making this a habit."
They drifted from the pools to heated loungers, where they were given hydrating face masks and scalp massages that had them both melting into silence. Then came the body treatments: a sea-salt scrub that left their skin impossibly smooth, followed by warm oil massages that made time blur entirely.
The staff was perfect. Never intrusive, yet always exactly where they needed to be. Every movement was precise, and every word gentle and unhurried. It was the kind of professionalism that made you feel safe to completely let go.
They had given themselves this treatment back in college, but nothing compares to this. Ever!
By the time they were in the lounge at the end of the day, wrapped in thick robes and sipping honeyed chamomile tea, Amara’s grin was fully lazy and satisfied. "You realize this is the happiest I’ve been all month, right?"
Celeste laughed softly, curling her fingers around her cup. "I don’t know," she sipped from her cup, and threw a teasing smile at Amara. "You did look extra happy while texting whoever you texted all the way here."
Amara playfully rolled her eyes. "He’s just another person. He’ll get bored and leave soon, I promise,"
Celeste set her cup aside, and looked at her friend deeply. "What if he doesn’t get bored and leave? What happens then?"
Amara gave a short, almost dismissive laugh, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She leaned back into the plush armchair, letting her robe slip just enough to pull the collar closed tighter. She needed a barrier between herself and the question.
"Then I leave first," she said simply, staring down into her tea.
Celeste frowned. "You’d really do that? Even if you actually liked him?"
"That’s the problem." Amara lifted her gaze with a wry smile that didn’t match the heaviness in her voice. "Especially if I liked him."