Essentials Spa could not be a more perfect place for wallowing. It’s a well-oiled machine meant to take in the tense and pore-clogged looking women and turn out beauties ready to make the men of the world bow down to them. I treated myself to every one of their specialties after Tanner. Perhaps I should just buy stock if this is going to become a ritual.
Cassie signs us in and comes back with a list of appointments. “I’ve got facials, massages, mani/pedi, and a whole lot of cursing men in general. Where would you like to start?”
“How exactly are you supposed to curse men? You’re in a happy relationship.”
Cassie purses her lips. “That’s why I brought reinforcements.” She tilts her head toward the open doorway that leads to the spa proper. Shelby, Ruby, and Avery spill out—and bless them, they’ve got alcohol. Shelby, dressed in her trademark white shirt and biker jacket, hands out champagne. Ruby is as chipper as ever. She’s got enough enthusiasm to buoy even my downed spirits. Avery, who has always been more reserved than either Ruby or Shelby, gives me a hug and offers to help me hide the body should I need it.
“Brothers? Boyfriends? Men we use for sex? Who do we hate today?” Shelby asks, her trademark smirk twerking at the corners of her mouth and making her green eyes sparkle. Knowing Shelby, she could rant and rave about any one of those subjects. The girl never had a loss for words and never failed to charm the pants off anyone she set her sights on. It’s what made her a shark in the PR world.
“Men we fuck,” I say, getting into the spirit of the day. Ruby coughs on her champagne but regains her composure, giving me thumbs up. A little dose of liquid courage, and I start in on the words that have been building up inside me since this morning. “Cash Gardner—if that’s even his name. Who knew with a name like Cash, it’d all come down to money.”
I don’t miss the look that they all share. Most of them have known Cash longer than me, and in the grand scheme of things I’d probably think I was crazy too.
There’s no reason for them to tip toe around me. I can handle this. I can. It’s not like I’ve never had my heart broken before. I survived Tanner by myself, thank you very much. If I can get through that, I can get through this.
Ruby is the first to a raise her glass. “To stomping on men’s balls.”
“In five inch heels,” Shelby says, accepting the challenge. The rest of us raise our glasses.
Hours later, I’ve been pampered to within an inch of happiness. Cash could waltz up to me and I don’t think I would even blink an eye. I’m too busy floating in a river of calm.
The five of us have reconvened for a mani/pedi in a private room in the spa. Glasses of fruit-laced water and wine have been set out.
“You all are so lucky you don’t have brothers,” Shelby says.
“Um,” Cassie chimes in.
“Older brothers, I should say. Jackson has decided to interrogate every man who comes within five feet of me.”
“Just let him walk in on you having sex, it’ll stunt his curiosity real fast,” Ruby says.
“That’s so gross it just might work.”
“Okay, so humor me,” Avery says, taking a huge sip of wine—the champagne was only the start of the day. I’ve managed to avoid direct scrutiny all day. The girls have been cool with letting me lead the boy trashing discussion, but I have a feeling this is the end of that trend. “What did the sexy bastard do now?”
I’m still picking out colors, wine in hand. I take a big gulp of wine. Up to this point, I had been stingy with the details and heavy on the men evisceration.
“It’s therapeutic to let it out,” Ruby says when I waver, ready to tell him about that toddler with blond hair and blue eyes who looked so much like Cash.
“He’s giving money away to people,” I say, unable to go for the full truth.
“Like his tips?” Cassie asks.
“Try from his trust fund.” I take a big gulp of wine and continue. “It’s well over eight figures.” I know this because before my facial, I looked up Cash on a few databases Briggs, Meyers, & Associates use. He’s loaded, and his father’s loaded. And the money is about as legit as Tanner Jakes’ career.
Ruby looks up from her manicure, “Care to run that by me again? The guys are all loaded, but if he’s holding out.”
I pull out my phone and toss it to Shelby so she and Ruby can look at it.
“Holy shit,” Shelby practically screams, startling the woman working on her toes. “Sorry. Are you kidding me? Well, that settles it. I will have to give him major hell for this. The boys have been worried about him in that apartment for years. All this time, and he’s the heir to a fucking fortune.”
“Asshole in the making,” Ruby agrees.
Cassie and Avery are more reserved. While Ruby and Shelby will burn hot in two seconds flat, the other two girls are willing to give the information more than a litmus test.
“And did he ever make you pay for something? Because clearly this isn’t just about the size of his wallet.”
“His wallet is fine,” I say.
“That’s not what I—” Cassie starts a glare already aimed in my direction.