“I don’t think anyone cares what my hands look like,” I say. I don’t think most people even notice me.
“You’d be surprised what the paparazzi will zoom in on for clicks. Trust me on this, babe.”
Zoe grabs my arm and pulls me out of the booth and down the hall. Even in her heels she can walk faster than I can, and I am struggling to keep up. Maybe because she’s dragging me. Maybe because going to a nail salon is the last thing I want to do right now. Or ever.
“You know, Zoe, I’m not really a manicure kind of girl.”
“Don’t worry. We can change that. I have Avery’s card. We’ll get you a full package.”
“I don’t really want to change that.”
Zoe laughs. A feathery, high pitched, bored laugh. “Babe, it’s not about what you want. You’re married to a Hardin. It’s all about face now. Speaking of face, when’s the last time you had a facial?”
“Also, never.”
Zoe makes a sound like she’s going to faint and starts walking even faster. “One full blown glow-up coming right up.”
I plant my sneakers on the floor and yank us to a halt. “Listen, Zoe. I appreciate it. But I’m not really a glow-up kind of girl. I’m just a songwriter.”
“A songwriter who is married to Callum and works for Hardin Records. I hate to break it to you babe, but it doesn’t really matter what kind of girl youwere.It matters what kind of girl youare now.And that girl is going to be in a lot of photos and reels. I promise I’m doing you a favor.”
“And I promise you that nails aren’t my thing. They make playing the guitar a little tricky.”
“Right…” she says, clearly having no idea what I’m talking about. “Fine. No nails. But we are definitely getting massages, facials and tans.”
“Massages, no facials and a swim in the hotel pool. It has a waterslide!”
Zoe looks mortified. “Massages, facials and cocktails by the pool. No slide.”
“Deal.”
With that, I silently say goodbye to my quiet studio.
“But first! Brunch!” she says, and I shrug. I could eat.
After a later breakfast of pancakes for me and fruit salad with egg whites for her (not to mention a literal pitcher of mimosas), we head to the hotel spa for facials and massages.
“I can’t believe you only drank half a mimosa,” Zoe says through barely moving lips (because her face is caked in some kind of green mud, complete with cucumbers on her eyes. I can’t say anything though because I look the same. And you know what? I kind of don’t hate it.
“It upset my stomach a little,” I admit. “I’m not sure why.”
Recently, my stomach hasn’t taken kindly to a lot of things, alcohol being at the top of that list. I’ve always had an issue with food when I’m stressed. Either I eat too much or nothing at all.
Those pancakes hit the spot though…
After the facials, we roll right into full body massages and oh…my…God.
“I don’t know how I’ve never done this before,” I mumble as the masseuse digs deep into my shoulders.
“I get one once a week. It’s hard work being with Avery.”
“I bet,” I say, my filter gone. I’ve only been around him a handful of times but I’m not a fan.
“You know, I do think he’s the hotter twin. No offense. But I think you got the sweeter brother. Avery is always so grumpy.”
I think about that. They are extremely different. Enough so that I am surprised Hiram hasn’t just handed the keys to thecompany to Callum straight up. But I suppose with them being twins it’s more complicated than that.
Honestly, Avery has always kind of given me bad vibes. Callum is different. He’s got a softer side, but I don’t think he lets most people see it. I mean I have seen ALL of him, not an inch spared, and I still only get the smallest hints of that. But it’s in there. Passionate. Musical. Intuitive.
