Page 40 of Lost Love Found

* * *

I make myself scarce the following morning, heading to the grocery store early, picking up coffee at my favorite place and taking Frankie for a walk. I leave Adam a note on the countertop next to some muffins I baked. Yeah, I got pretty much no sleep last night, but I made sure my time was productive.

A,

Enjoy the muffins. There’s an iced coffee for you in the fridge along with lots of other food! Make yourself at home. I’ll be back from the spa around 4 and I’m making chicken for dinner. The gang’s coming over for 6. I hope that’s OK.

-E

I arrive at the spa before Maeve and Charlie, so I sit in a plush chair and open my book. I hear the automatic doors open and glance up from my reading to see them both walk in. We smile, eager for our spa day to begin. We're handed our thick white robes and slippers, then directed to the pedicure chairs. Gentle music plays in the background and I feel my shoulders loosen as we all relax into our chairs.

The spa attendant returns with a bowl of warm water for us to soak our feet in. She sets up a pedicure station for each of us, complete with fragrant foot scrubs and lotions. We take turns talking about our plans for the week. Charlie has been in LA for a few days already, so she tells us about some cool restaurants and stores she's visited so far since this was her first time here without us.

Once we've finished our pedicures, we're led to a cozy room with massage tables side by side. A thick blanket of lavender scented steam fills the air as the masseuses enter and start working on each of us.

Our time at the spa flies by, that is, except for the 45 minutes in which I have all of the hair ripped off of my lady parts! That was… torture. But I have to say, I really like how it looks. And how it feels. I wonder if Adam would like it. Ahhh! Slow your roll, dude. Jeez.

When I get home, Adam isn’t there, but he’s left me a note on the back of the mine from this morning.

L,

The muffins were perfect. Thank you! I’m training for a bit this afternoon, but I’ll see you for dinner. I’ll bring home more wine.

xx,

A

I read the note five more times. Home. I shove the little flutter I feel in my belly far, far away. Shove it down, down, down. I have a quick shower and change into my favorite jeans and a cropped tee, keeping my hair down.

By 5pm I have the chicken cooking and everything else is ready for dinner. Raf, Maeve and her stylist Taylor came early, so we turn on some music because any chance to have a kitchen dance party is welcome in my house. We’re all dancing to Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” when I feel eyes on me. I turn to find Adam standing in the doorway with a bottle of wine in his hand, eyes moving all over my body as he licks his lower lip. Oh, lord… Am I dreaming?

Without thinking, I glide across the kitchen towards Adam, my hips swaying in time to the beat. As I dip with my back arched and sway my hips, I notice that his shirt is soaked with sweat and essentially glued to his body. His breathing is heavy, and I feel his chest moving against me as he gently grabs my elbow and pulls me closer. We stand there, the air thick with anticipation, until I finally break the silence with a mere “Uh, hi.” The room is silent but for the music and the sound of my own heartbeat in my ears.

“I gotta go shower.” He lets go of my arm, hands me the wine and takes a step back, then turns to walk down the hall towards his room. I stand there like a fool and as the song ends, I hear a throat being cleared.

“There ain’t enough room for us and the sexual tension in this room, honey.” Taylor fans himself as he walks over to his glass of wine. “Was that River Holm? He is far hotter in person than on the screen. Damn, get it, Elaina!” He snaps with his hand high in the air and I take in Maeve’s face. Her jaw is about to hit the floor and Raf’s eyes look like they’re about to pop out of their sockets.

“Okaaaay. Anyone need a refill?” I walk to my wine glass and take a few big sips, mostly because my mouth is bone dry. I know the people around me are talking, but I can’t hear a thing. My brain keeps replaying the scene from a few minutes ago. The heat in Adam’s eyes as I danced, the fall and rise of his chest, the way he pulled me in…

It finally registers that someone is talking. “How was the spa today, ladies?” Taylor, blissfully oblivious to the magnitude of what just happened, moves right along. We talk about how lovely it was and I’m thankful for the subject change. Maeve goes on and on about her massage because the masseuse there really has magical hands.

“And I hear someone got herself a special something today?” Taylor wiggles his eyebrows at me and laughs. “How smooth are your hardwood floors right now, Elaina?”

“Oh my god, Taylor!” I shriek at him and Raf plugs his ears. “Leave my floors alone, OK? Fucking hurt like hell though, jeez.” I grab my crotch ever slightly, remembering that my lady parts are mad at me right now.

“What hurt like hell?” I freeze at the sound of Adam’s voice. Goddamn it, whyyyyy?

“Oh, Elaina had her first Brazilian blowout today.” Taylor motions to his own crotch as he says this. “Hope you enjoy it, big guy!” Taylor winks at Adam and sets his empty glass down. “Anyway, boys and girls, I have to go, but it’s been lovely to see you all. Later!” He walks out, blowing us all kisses. A little Taylor tornado just ripped through my house.

Adam’s eyes go wide as understanding of what Taylor was talking about hits him. He clears his throat and looks around a little nervously. “Who is that?”

“That was Taylor, Maeve’s trouble-making stylist.” I get the words out as quickly as I can and finish my glass of wine. I walk over to the stack of plates. “I’m going to set the table quickly. The wine’s open and there’s beer in the fridge.” And with that I leave the room, taking at least a dozen deep breaths, which either help me with my lightheadedness or make it worse. It’s hard to tell right now. I hear Raf’s cackle as I set down the plates. I so did not need this today!

By the time I get back to the kitchen, Owen has arrived, and everyone has moved on from the shitshow of 10 minutes ago. Dinner goes by quickly, but I feel Adam’s eyes on me the entire time. I avoid looking at him like I avoid the I-5 south after 3 p.m. If you know, you know.

By 11, we’ve all got full bellies and we’ve all laughed enough to almost work off the cheesecake I made for dessert. Almost.

When Raf, Owen and Maeve leave, Adam is standing behind me as I wave to them from the front door and I can feel the heat coming from his body.

---