“Well, you had to expect some constructive criticism. Right?” He frowned.
“Constructive? Yes. Getting sneered at and degraded? Not really. It was like I had jumped in the middle of a pack of wolves. They are very traditional. I even brought up self-publishing, and that was the end of the world. It was like I had just burned every book that ever existed.”
“Now you’re being dramatic.” Max’s words were a little accusing, but I could tell that he was annoyed.
“I’m not. It’s the truth. They only want real writers in their group, and apparently I’m not real enough for them.”
“Well then, you need to go back there.” He stood up from the couch and grabbed my hand.
As he started to tug me up off of the couch I stared at him, horrified.
“What are you talking about? Why would I ever go back there?”
“Because, Samantha—you are a beautiful, talented, amazing person and you should never let anyone make you feel otherwise.”
He finally got me up off the couch, but he still held onto my hand.
“I didn’t say that they did.”
“You don’t have to say it. I can see the doubt in your eyes. They don’t get to do that to you. You’ve got to walk in there and show them that you don’t care what they think of you, that you are proud of who you are. Isn’t that what this whole bucket list is about? Or do I have that wrong?”
The way he looked at me made me feel like I could accomplish anything. I shook my head and gave his hand a squeeze of affection.
“Max, you really are my best friend.”
“I know that. So your best friend is going to drive you to this coffeehouse tomorrow. I’m going to watch you flaunt your stuff, and then if those little pencil pinchers give you any kind of attitude I’m going to take them out back and—”
“Okay, okay, no violence.” I laughed and hugged him. “You don’t have to do all of this, you know.”
“I know.” He looked intently at me as he pulled away. “But I want to. Because one day I hope that you can get a glimpse of yourself the way that I see you.”
My heart melted. But I tried not to let my emotions show on my face.
After Max left that night, I took some time to post an update on my blog. I even included my poem. I was feeling bolder about my writing. I wrote about my experience at the coffeehouse and how I planned to go back the next day. I just hoped that I would be brave enough to actually read my poem.
I waited for a little while to see if Blue would comment. When he didn’t, I headed to bed. I lay awake for a while thinking of Max. I wondered if he really had seen me naked. It wasn’t like him to peek, but he might have if he thought I was in trouble.
Strangely, I wasn’t upset by the idea that he might have seen me. I trusted Max and knew that he would never do anything to hurt me. I just wished that he would see what potential we had between us. I drifted off to sleep thinking of him.
The next day Max showed up to drive me to the coffeehouse.
“Are you ready for this?” He smiled at me.
“I think so.”
“You should know so. You’re going to blow them all away.”
“I guess.” I looked out the window at the passing traffic.
It wasn’t long before we were parked in the lot of the coffeehouse.
Chapter 10
I marched to the front of the coffeehouse. The man behind the counter looked at me with an odd expression. I thought it might have something to do with the commotion I’d caused the day before. I ignored the look and grabbed the small microphone that he used to announce when orders were ready.
“I just need to borrow this for a moment.” I smiled at him.
He looked bewildered but only nodded.
I turned around to face the table of hecklers that called themselves a writing group. Max stood close by and shot me a smile of support.
“Attention. May I have your attention, please?”
They looked in my direction. Charlie broke into a wide smile. He was the only one that was smiling.
“I know that all of you have very strong opinions about my writing and I thought I’d share a little something with you.”
I could tell from their dismissive expressions that they weren’t the least bit interested, but I was determined not to be ignored. I smiled broadly at the group.
“I have come to understand that writing is not meant to seek approval. Writing is meant to create thought, to get the attention of a slumbering mind. You may have your traditional way of doing things, which is just fine. When you put someone else down just because they do things differently, you are part of the problem. You know what writing the same thing one hundred different ways actually is?” I didn’t wait for a response before answering my own question. “Boring!”
Sheldon glared at me. Audrey didn’t look too pleased. I ignored them both and launched into the poem.
Once I started reading, I forgot about the coffeehouse and all of the people in it. I felt as if I was reading it directly to Max—as I had the night before. When I was finished, there was a smattering of applause. Max of course was clapping the loudest. I gave the bewildered barista his microphone back and headed over to Max. He gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
“You did wonderful. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at him.
He slipped away to use the restroom and Charlie gestured for me to join him. All of the other members of the group had scattered. He was the only one who had stuck around.
“Good work, Samantha. Can I buy you a cup of coffee?” Charlie offered.
“I’d like that.” I smiled and sat down beside him. It was nice to have a new friend in the writing world.
He signaled for the waitress. She walked over with a cup of coffee in hand.
“Here you are.” She set the coffee down on the table.
“Oh, I didn’t order that.” Charlie said. “But I would like to buy my friend here a cup of coffee.”
“That’s great, but this one is already paid for.” The waitress smiled secretively. “Courtesy of Blue.”
“Blue?” I was so surprised that I nearly knocked the cup of coffee off the table.
Charlie caught it before it could slide off the edge. A small amount of coffee splashed out, which the waitress quickly wiped up.
“A friend of yours?” Charlie raised an eyebrow.
“You could say that.” I wasn’t sure whether to be thrilled or a little frightened.
A man I had never met had just bought me a cup of coffee. Had he been there the whole time? Did he hear me reading the poem? I was absolutely stunned by the idea.
“Did he say anything else to you?” I looked at the waitress hopefully.
“No, I’m sorry. He did leave me a nice tip to make sure you got the coffee, though. You can have anything you want added to it.”
“Thanks. This is fine.” I stared down into the coffee cup. I didn’t even want to drink it. Not because I wasn’t dying for a cup of coffee, but because this wasn’t just coffee, this was coffee from Blue.
“Hm, a mystery man buying you cups of coffee. That sounds like something that you could put into a book.”
“Yes, it does.” I was still marveling over the revelation when Max walked up to the table.
“Hi. I’m Max.” He offered his hand to Charlie.
“Charlie.” Charlie shook Max’s hand and then glanced at me. “Not Blue?”
“No, not Blue.” I laughed a little.
“Who’s Blue?” Max asked. He cast a look in my direction that showed he was more than a little curious.
I stared at the two men, both of whom I found fascinating in different ways. I had no idea how to answer the question. I had no idea who Blue was, or how I could explain our relationship.
“Honestly, I’m not entirely sure.”
“Well, he did buy you a cup of coffee.” Charlie smiled.
“He did?” Max glanced around. “Who is he?”
“Just someone who admires my writing.” I decided that was the safest answer.
Both Max and Charlie seemed satisfied with that answer. They began sharing some small talk, but I wasn’t listening. My mind was on only one person. Blue.
I wondered what it meant that he’d gone to all the trouble of coming to the coffeehouse where I was reading a poem. He had obviously seen me in person now. Instead of being frightened by that, I was excited. I had a secret admirer.
I couldn’t help but be curious about him. Maybe the next item on my bucket list would be asking Blue out on a date. I wasn’t sure if I was brave enough to go through with it, but I was determined to find out.
When Max dropped me off at my apartment, I headed straight for my computer. I opened it up to find Blue’s comment.
SWF,
Your words were so beautiful, I had to hear them aloud. I hope you’re not upset with me. It was beautiful. You are beautiful. I hope you enjoyed the coffee.
Blue
I stared at the words on the screen. There it was. He had admitted to being the one who had ordered me the coffee. There was no getting around it now. The only question was, how would I reply?
I thought about it for a moment. My heart pounded. Suddenly I knew what I wanted to write. I was so nervous that my hands were sweaty as I began to type.
Blue,
I would have enjoyed it a whole lot more if you had shared a cup of coffee with me. Thanks for the support.
SWF
I sat back and waited. I was hoping for a quick response—I was very curious about where all of this might lead.
Single Wide Female: The Bucket List
13 Enjoy a Spa Day
By
Lillianna Blake
Copyright © 2015 Lillianna Blake
Cover design by Beetiful Book Covers
All rights reserved.
LilliannaBlake.com
Chapter 1
Of all the things on my bucket list, the one thing I hadn’t really done was truly pamper myself.
I guess growing up I’d been raised with the image of fairy tales. A woman had to suffer until a man swept her off her feet and made her life paradise. As a result, I never really felt right about truly indulging myself.
I would get my nails done now and then, although I didn’t really enjoy it all that much. I would get my hair cut and styled once a year. But never had I truly and one hundred percent spoiled myself.
Since I had the entire weekend off from Fluff and Stuff, I decided that I was going to treat myself to a spa day. The only problem was, I didn’t really know how to do that.
I realized this dilemma when I began to type up the blog post about my latest task. I wanted to explain to my readers why this one was actually a challenge for me.
My life had been a series of steps. None of those steps involved slowing down and appreciating myself and my body. Maybe that was why I struggled so much with my weight. I wanted so badly to look in the mirror and see a healthy happy me looking back. Yet, I so rarely treated my body in a healthy or happy way.
So all of that was going to change today. I’d decided that it was time for some serious pampering.
After I posted my blog entry, I grabbed my purse. I had an appointment to make. One of the customers at Fluff and Stuff had recommended a new spa that had opened down the block from the laundromat. I was ready to go and enjoy it.
Of course before I could actually go the spa I had to get my body looking great. I’d already spent the better part of the morning shaving, tweezing, and primping. By the time I was done, I looked good enough to go out to a fancy dinner.
Instead, I was going to feed my soul.
I left the apartment with a bounce in my step. I was looking forward to glowing when my treatment was through. I’d made plans for Max to pick me up directly from the spa to grab a bite to eat. That way I could show off to him in all of my post-spa splendor.
As I walked to the spa, I thought about all of the times in my life that I’d wished I had a little more time to relax. When I was in college the hours I kept were ridiculous. Now, with the bucket list demanding my attention, I tended to overdo it a bit.
Relaxation needed to become more important to me—to give me room to breathe and explore my thoughts. I was looking forward to getting plenty of that at the spa.
A buzz from my phone interrupted my thoughts. I glanced down to see a text from Max.
Please steal me a robe. Please. Seriously. I need a robe. A nice fluffy terry-cloth robe. If you love me, you’ll do it.
I laughed and shook my head. I paused a moment and texted him back.
I do love you, but stealing is wrong. So you’re just going to have to stick to pajamas.
A split-second later he texted me back.
You are a cruel and heartless woman, but I still love you.
I smiled wistfully. If only he meant that as more than just a friend.
I forced the thoughts of Max out of my mind and started walking again.
I really didn’t know what to expect—just an idea in my head. I envisioned a serene environment filled with fluffy furniture and people who whispered. I imagined that there would be glowing lights everywhere and that when people walked they might as well be floating.
When I reached the address of the spa, I saw a simple sign on a glass door. It was not what I’d hoped for, but I went inside anyway. Right inside the door were a few chairs, and a few feet from them a large wooden reception desk. The woman sitting behind it looked like any other receptionist. I was feeling more disappointed as I walked up to the desk.
“Is this Spring Spa?” I asked.
“Yes, it is. Take a seat.” She cleared her throat.
I frowned and walked over to the chairs. I started to wonder if I should just get up and go. The receptionist did a few more things on her keyboard, then stood up and waved to me.
“Samantha?”
“Yes.” I smiled.
“Okay, they’re ready for you. Just head through that door.” She pointed to a plain white door.
“Is this—like a real spa?”
“What do you mean a real spa?”
“I mean, is it for pampering?” I stood awkwardly in front of the door.
“Trust me, you’ll enjoy yourself. Go on in.”
I felt a little wary but I was already there so I opened the door.
The moment I opened the door, I was stunned.
Chapter 2
The plain exterior of the reception office did nothing to give away the luxurious interior. There were fountains everywhere I looked. Plush couches dotted the spacious main area. Three hallways jutted off the main room and seemed to promise to lead to even more luxury. Beautiful paintings adorned the walls. There were several different kinds of plants in full blossom throughout the room.
I breathed a sigh of relief. This was much more like what I had been picturing.
“Samantha, welcome.” A woman walked toward me. She had her perfect white blonde hair in a perky ponytail. Her petite frame was encapsulated in a flawless uniform. I might have mistaken her for an angel if she didn’t have the name of the spa printed across her chest.
“Hi.” I took a step farther into the room. “This is very nice.”
“Oh, yes. We keep the front room pretty bare. It discourages drop-in traffic. We prefer to schedule by appointment.” She smiled and handed me a folder. “My name is Amanda, and I will be hosting your day of relaxation. Here is your menu. Please take your time and select all of the services that you would like to enjoy today.”
“Oh, I get to pick?” I took the folder from her.
“Everything is listed on the menu. Just check off the items that you’d like. I’ll give you a few minutes.” She gestured to one of the fluffy couches and then walked away.
I sat down—or rather, sank down—into the plush couch.
I looked at the menu with some confusion. It was created to resemble a menu at a fine restaurant. Which was creat
ive, but it was also making me a little hungry. Not only that, but the fancy writing made it difficult to decipher what each service included.
I was going to stay away from anything that included the word wax. I wasn’t interested in anything being torn off my body. I did check off a facial, as I’d only ever had the kind that I gave myself. There were some interesting things involving hot rocks, but I was a little nervous about that too.
When I reached the massage section I relaxed a little. A massage was something I understood. It would be difficult for me, though. Just the thought of a stranger touching my naked body made me uneasy. But that was exactly why I had to try it. I checked off the basic one-hour massage. Then I moved on to reserve some time in the hot tub. I was looking forward to that. I hadn’t been in a hot tub for a long time.
“How are you doing, Samantha?”
Cheerful blonde Amanda walked back over to me. “Did you find anything you liked?”
“I’ll start with a facial, then I think a massage and some time in the hot tub.” I smiled at her. Then to my horror I realized that I did not have a bathing suit. “Oh, wait. Never mind about the hot tub. I didn’t come prepared for that.”
“We have suits in all sizes if that’s what you’re concerned about.” She smiled. “But is that all? We have so many other services to choose from. I bet you would really enjoy some raindrop therapy.”
I looked at her with a tight smile. Not even I was foolish enough to pay for something I could get for free by waiting for the next rainstorm. “Just the facial, the massage, and the hot tub, please.”
“Okay, you can always add more later if you decide to.” She took the menu from me. “Let’s get you to your facial.”
She was so cheerful that I felt like skipping. I was fairly certain that she had to be on some kind of mood-altering substance. Then again, if I spent all day in such luxury I might feel that way too.
“You can just step in here.”
She opened a door to a room that was not much bigger than a closet. There was a chair to recline in, a small sink, and a narrow counter. The only other thing in the room was a stool on wheels. It would have looked like a doctor’s office were it not for the painted walls that resembled a tropical sunset. There was a sound machine simulating waves rushing to the shore.
Single Wide Female: The Bucket List Mega Bundle - 24 Books (Books #1-24) Page 36