Page 185 of Risking the Pucking Defense

“Oh, wow, that’s impressive,” I breathe as Bea drives toward the most incredible building.

“I’ve wanted to come here for so long,” she explains. “I just needed the right excuse. It’s been voted the best spa in LA. The reviews are insane.”

“And you managed to get us in at the last minute?” I ask, in awe.

“Me? Oh, hell no. No one cares about me. I just run a little salon downtown. Your boyfriend, though, is powerful enough to pull some strings.”

I ignore the tingles that her calling him my boyfriend causes. We haven’t had those conversations yet, even though we’re living like a committed couple. I think he’s aware that making things official might be enough to send me running. I’d like to think it wouldn’t, but I understand why he might be cautious.

“Hayden did this?”

Bea laughs. “In case you hadn’t noticed, that boy is obsessed with you. I don’t think there’s anything he wouldn’t do for you.”

“Shit,” I breathe, tucking my hair behind my ears for something to do.

“He called me after discovering that we all missed your birthday. He wanted help planning something. When I suggested this place, I didn’t think it would actually happen, but…” She gestures to our current view.

“How much did this cost him?”

“Probably best you don’t ask questions you don’t want to learn the answers to.”

We sit in silence for a moment, just soaking up our surroundings.

“You ready to get in there and relax?”

“I can’t remember the last time I really did that,” I confess.

“I think that might be why he chose this.”

“Yeah,” I muse. “I think he knows me better than I realize.”

“Well, he’s been watching and obsessing over you for a year now.”

I shake my head, a smile playing on my lips.

“But before we can get in there. We need to get me out of this car. You push from behind, and I reckon we can manage it without a crane,” she deadpans.

52

HAILEE

The bubbles in the mimosa explode against my tongue before I lower my glass to the table beside me and let out a loud sigh.

“Feeling good?” Bea asks, turning to look at me from where she’s lying on the lounger beside me.

She looks incredibly beautiful in her bikini with her perfectly round bump fully on display.

With her permission, I sent more than a few pictures of her to Rett, which he’s very much enjoying, and if the giggles that have come out of her whenever she gets a message are anything to go by, I think she’s loving teasing him mercilessly too.

“So good,” I breathe.

We’ve had the full works this morning. Facials, full-body scrubs, massages, manicures, and pedicures. My skin is softer than I’ve ever known before, and I’m actually relaxing. It’s hard not to with surroundings like these. Everything is so elegant and beautiful, and the sound of the waterfall cascading into the pool before us is the perfect soundtrack.

There are other people milling around, but they’ve paid us no attention as we’ve lapped up all the luxury.

“Same,” she agrees. “Hayden did good, huh?”

My chest tightens at the thought of him planning all of this for me.