“You guys ready?” Ethan said, standing from the table.
“Brewery number two, here we come,” Ryan said, also standing.
“Hang on a sec.” Mark reached for his phone, which was buzzing in his pocket. “Hello?”
“Mark, so glad I caught you. Gordon McDermott here, and I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
Jess had outbid them after all.Mark didn’t feel nearly as disappointed about that as he ought to. “That so?”
“A third party has come into play,” Gordon said.
Mark snapped to attention. “A third party?”
“A developer out of Asheville toured the property this morning. They’re looking to build vacation condos, and their offer was more than competitive.” He rattled off a number so high that Mark knew he and the guys had no hope of matching it.
And to think he’d worried about crushing Jess’s dreams. Now he, Ryan, and Ethan had lost the land too.
***
Jessica massaged the muscles in Emma’s neck, trying to ignore the shooting pain snaking down her right arm all the way into her fingers. If it had been her left, she might have thought she was having a heart attack, but no…this felt more like a pinched nerve or something. And it was annoying as hell.
After getting the all clear from her doctor that she was no longer contagious, she’d returned to work yesterday, but truly, she still felt like crap. She was so exhausted she could barely make it through the whole day on her feet. Her left knee was still sore and a little bit swollen. And now she had this nerve pain in her arm.
It was all she could do not to scream in frustration.
Because she didnothave time for this. It was eleven thirty Saturday morning, and she was midway through the wedding party’s spa treatment. Stifling a groan, she focused on Emma’s massage, making sure her friend achieved complete relaxation here on Jessica’s table.
When she’d finished, Emma let out a happy sigh. “It’s a bummer I can’t soak in the hot tubs with everyone else because I’m pregnant, but I think this was just as great. Thanks, Jess.”
“Absolutely,” Jessica said with a smile. “I’ll leave you to get dressed, and then we’ll get you guys all set up for your manis and pedis.”
“Sounds good.”
Jessica left the room while Emma got dressed, forcing herself not to limp. She walked to the larger of their treatment rooms, where they often hosted bridal parties and other groups to make sure everything was in place for Gabby and her guests. Four pedicure chairs were ready for the bride-to-be, her mother, and her two bridesmaids, each adorned with a pink satin goodie bag containing essential oils, lotion, and other gifts for the women to take with them, compliments of the spa.
After making sure everything was ready, Jessica went down the hall to the staff room. She grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen from the cabinet and shook two pills onto her palm. Usually, she preferred holistic remedies to medicinal, but right now, her whole body ached, and she had work to do, dammit.Screw you, flu. I don’t have time for this shit.
Dana poked her head in the room. “You all right?”
“Fine,” Jessica answered automatically.
“I just wanted to let you know we had a cancellation at two. Tourists decided to head home a day early. So you could totally clear out of here after we finish with the bridal party.”
Oh, thank goodness.“Thanks, Dana. I think I’ll do that. That way I won’t be cutting it so close to get ready for the wedding myself.”
“We got your back, Jess.”
“You’re the best.”
With a wave, her assistant manager left her alone in the break room. Jessica washed the ibuprofen down with a glass of mineral water, bolstered by the knowledge that she got to go home soon. Hopefully a quick nap would revitalize her enough to have fun at Gabby and Ethan’s wedding.
Since slowing down for a few minutes seemed to have only made her more aware of her aches and pains, she put down her glass and headed out to greet the bridal party as they made their way into the treatment room for their manis and pedis.
“Is it selfish of me to claim you for myself, Jessica?” Gabby asked with a wide smile. “But I have to assume you’re the best, and Iamthe bride after all.”
“She’s all yours,” Emma told her. “You’re the only one having close-up photos of your hands taken today.” In her yellow knit dress, only the slightest hint of a baby bump showed.
“Besides, you called dibs on me on your own wedding day, if I remember correctly.” Jessica gave Emma a friendly nudge, and her friend beamed.
