Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115525 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
“Congratulations. I can’t say I’m surprised.” Edison’s smile was telling, as if he knew something Rayne didn’t. “What Mike wants… Mike gets.”
Rayne liked how entitled and selfish that sounded.
“You have a break coming up in a half hour, right?”
Rayne checked the time on the switchboard. It was almost ten thirty. He was so lost in his head about last night he had no clue how he was functioning at his job today. “Yeah. I usually sit outside on the lawn for a few minutes and eat my sandwich.”
“Good, I’ll join you. I wanna set up a day to invite you two over for dinner,” Edison said right as the phones rang. He patted the top of the desk in confirmation, then walked away.
“Um, okay,” Rayne muttered when Edison was around the corner. He was kind of hoping to call Mike on his short break, but he wasn’t going to tell the boss no. Instead, he picked up the phone and answered in a light, professional tone. “Thank you for calling Alfred, Dolan, Maroko, and Bickel. How may I direct your call?”
“Good morning, this is Vanessa Stahl at the Cavalier Spa and Salon. May I speak to Rayne Montgomery, please.”
Rayne’s eyes widened. He’d made sure the massage academy had his work number so when or if an assignment became available, they could reach him to finish his credit hours. He put his hand over the receiver and asked the lead receptionist, Rosemary, to cover for him.
The spa had an opening for him to complete his last thirty hours, and then he’d be a licensed massage therapist and he could hopefully get started on a career. He’d always had to put it on hold because he was working on his next big score. Bettering himself always took a back seat when it came to using sex to live a lavish lifestyle.
After the spa manager finished giving him the details, Rayne responded, “I got it. And yes, thank you so much for calling. I will be there at four.” He hung up the phone, then picked up his rose and put it back to his face after pumping his fist in the air a couple of times. Life was finally giving him a break.
“Whatever it is you’re high on, Rayne, do you have enough to share?” Mark—his other coworker—asked from the other end of the desk, where he was sorting the massive stack of mail that was delivered each day.
Hell no. What Rayne was on, he was keeping all to himself.
Rayne finished his part-time shift at the law office, then took the bus to the posh spa on Twenty-First Street at the Virginia Beach oceanfront. He called Mike to let him know about his schedule change, but he didn’t answer. Rayne sent him a quick text before he opened the doors to the spa center.
Rayne pocketed his phone before he approached the front desk to introduce himself. The two ladies behind the chest-high counter were all smiles and soft gazes as he explained why he was there and what school he was from. “I was told to ask for Vanessa Stahl when I arrived.”
“I’ll get her. I’m Tiffany, the spa reservationist. I do all of the scheduling.” She stood and flipped a lock of her auburn hair over her shoulder, gracing him with a brilliant row of white teeth. Rayne accepted her outstretched hand, but before he could say, “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” the other woman beside her snapped to attention.
“You don’t do all of the scheduling,” she corrected. “Hi, my name is Beth Cavalier. My parents own this spa and two others in Hampton Roads. I’m the concierge at this location.”
Tiffany gave Beth a sneering side-eye, then directed her gaze back toward him and turned on the high beams. “I’ll go grab Vanessa. She’s just wrapping up her last client.”
Rayne pulled his messenger bag from around his chest as he struck up a pleasant conversation with Ms. Beth, short for Bethany. If he was going to be there for the next two to three weeks, he wanted to give everyone he met a good first impression, especially her. Ms. Bethany was apparently Virginia Beach royalty. The Cavaliers were well-known property developers in the health and wellness community.
The main criteria any reputable spa looked for in a potential therapist was the instant aura they gave off. They had to be someone the client could relax around, be comfortable and personal with. Because there was nothing more intimate than a massage. That’s why Rayne had been working so hard on recentering and calming his chi. “This is a beautiful spa, Beth. It must be gratifying to work in this kind of environment.”
“Oh, it is.” She nodded, touching her neck and throat as if she was getting warm. “That’s precisely how I’d classify it.”