“We’re only here a couple more days. It’s a short honeymoon. William will want to spend time alone tomorrow.”
Perhaps.
“Well, darn. I guess since we’re going to the dance, we should get our hair done. Makeup, too.” Sarah gave a sly smile. Apparently, she didn’t do spa days halfway. “Do you own cowboy boots? Every girl needs a pair if she goes to a barn dance. I wonder if the gift shop sells them?”
“Um…” Lucy wasn’t so sure about cowboy boots.
“Girl, I’ll show you how it’s done.”
No doubt she would.
For once Sarah was quiet longer than it took to take a breath. Rebecca found a tight spot in Lucy’s arm and did a pinch and roll combination that was surprisingly uncomfortable and relaxing at the same time.
“Lucy?” Sarah asked.
“Uh-huh.” The knot of muscle relaxed under Rebecca’s brilliant hands.
“Have you two been together awhile?” Sarah continued.
“Uh…yeah.” Kind of.
“How do you keep things fresh with Will? Sexually, I mean.”
Rebecca’s hands stilled before pinching, rolling, and pressing against a new muscle Lucy had no idea existed in her arm.
“Um…” This was not what Lucy had signed up for when she agreed to the massage. “I’m not really comfortable talking about this.”
“If you can’t talk with your girlfriends, who can you talk to?”
True, but that rule was probably meant for girlfriends who had been in her life longer than five minutes.
“Will and I aren’t intimate.” Damn. Seriously, Lucy should never say the first thing that came to mind. She burrowed her face into the headrest at the end of the table.
“Ever?” Sarah sounded shocked.
“No, he and I…we…uh…the thing is…” Lucy licked her top lip. What was she supposed to say? “He’s impotent.”
Damn. That was sonotwhat she should have said. She glanced to Sarah.
“What happened?” Sarah’s Precious Moment’s eyes got huge.
“Syphilis. It was a whole thing.” Lucy swallowed and dug her forehead into the headrest of the massage table.Stop talking, stop talking, stop talking.
“Syphilis? Like what killed Al Capone?” Sarah darted her hand out across the space between their tables to squeeze Lucy’s. “I am so sorry.”
“He…uh…got treated. It was after he met me. Before. I mean before. Before he met me. The thing is…” Lucy’s pulse quick-stepped, and she tried to calm herself down with deep breaths.
“All done.” Rebecca moved the sheet back up along Lucy’s shoulders. “Take your time getting up and be sure to drink lots of water today.”
Rebecca and Sarah’s therapist made a hasty exit. Lucy lay perfectly still.
“You love him anyway, so you stuck with him. Oh, girl, you are a God’s honest blessing to that man,” Sarah said, all dreamy.
Lucy cringed. William was going to kill her. “Please, you can’t tell anyone. He’s really embarrassed about it. You have to promise.”
“Girlfriend’s honor. I’m so sorry you have it so hard. My church group will add you to our prayer chain.”
“No, no. Please, you cannot tell anyone.” Lucy bit at her bottom lip. William could not know what she’d said. Ever.
