Heaven Sent (8 page)

“Here is fine. What is the works?”

“A full hour massage, Brazilian wax and
vajazzling
.”
She winked after mentioning the later. “If you have a robe and would like to
change, that’s fine, or you can grab a few towels and meet me back here in a
minute or so. I’ll be ready then.”

“Do I want to know what
vajazzling
is?”

“
Sinclaire
seemed to think you would like the
option of having yours done. It’s all the rage for women of all ages.
Fun and flirty.
Sexy.
Your friend
mentioned you’re entering the dating scene again.”

“I’m not sure being
vajazzled
is my thing but
who knows, I may be wrong.” Mia stood slowly and took her time walking up the
stairs to her bathroom. “Ash, you okay?”

“Fine Mom, finished packing.” Ashland came out into the hall and kissed
her cheek. “I’ll call you when we get to the resort. Please get some rest. And
I’m jealous that you have a massage lady here. Tell
Sinclaire
I want one for my birthday. Thanks again for all the wonderful gifts. Merry
Christmas, love you. Tell BFA Merry Christmas too.”

“I will.” Mia kissed her daughter, glad she hadn’t heard the
vajazzling
bit, and watched her struggle with three stacked
suitcases and a makeup case down the stairs.

She grabbed her bathrobe and changed as quickly as she could. Images of
Sinclaire
with a
vajazzled
vajayjay
kept flitting through her mind. There were some
things a best friend didn’t need to know or see. In her birthday suit, covered
by the soft terrycloth material, she headed back down the stairs. The warm
ambience Ms. Meyers set up soothed her ruffled nerves. She’d never had a naked
massage or a complete wax job done. What was
Sinclaire
thinking?

“There you are. Why don’t you climb up on the table and we can get
started.”

Mia obeyed and made herself as comfortable as possible. “I hope you can
get the crazy kinks out from the wreck. I’ve been in a ton of pain off and on.”

“Well, this might take more than one visit since your body is so
traumatized. Close your eyes. I have some warmed almond oil. I’ll work over
your shoulders and down your back first, move my way down your thighs, to your
calves and feet. We’ll check your sciatic nerve and make sure it’s not out of
place. I won’t work on your neck for this visit. We’ll focus on loosening up
all your other muscles. Don’t worry a thing. Let the music sooth you.” Ms.
Meyers began moving her hands in such a comforting way Mia couldn’t stay awake.

“What a good client you are. Wake up a bit now so we can get this last
bit done and I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Hmm?”
The warm hands left her body. Mia
opened a drowsy eye. “You stopped. That was absolutely wonderful.”

“How are you feeling? Hurt anywhere?”

“Good. The meds are working and the massage really loosened me up.”

“Are you up for the wax job today or do you want to reschedule it for
when you feel better? You have time, I’m scheduled to come back and see you
three times a week for the next few months.”

“Might as well do it while all my senses are dulled right?”

Ms. Meyers chuckled. “Okay. This will take about a half hour. I’ll do
sections at a time and we’ll have you all shiny and new in no time.”

“Beats cobweb dusty.”
Mia threw an arm over
her eyes and entrusted her
vajayjay
to the masseuse.
Ten minutes, later she wanted to curse the woman to hell. Twenty minutes, she
wanted the ordeal to be over,
And
by thirty she needed
a new massage. How many nerve endings did the
mons
have? Ms. Myers moved around as if none of her patients had issues with the
works being done on them.

“
Vajazzle
?”

“Surprise me.”

If anyone told her she’d feel comfortable bared to a woman with wax and
strips, she’d have called them a liar. In her mind, she counted the ways to
kill
Sinclaire
.

“All done.
You did very well for your first time.
After a few more times you’ll be a pro. The first few times sting a bit. This
will get to a point where you won’t feel a thing just a slight tug.”

“I’ll reserve that judgment for later. And here I thought the muscle relaxers
would make me not feel a thing. What a disappointment.” She spoke while Ms.
Meyers placed the gems on her now bare
mons
.

“All done with your
vajazzle
, would you like to
see?” Ms. Meyers closed her robe, as if modesty mattered right now.

“Sure, but what I really want to know is…can I hire you for another hour
to make me fall back asleep?”

“I’m sorry, dear. I have another appointment this afternoon and I need
time to drive there. I can come back tomorrow if you need.”

Crap and damn.
“If you leave your card, I’ll give you a call.” Mia wanted to give Ms.
Meyers a tip but she helped her off the portable table and shooed her away to
the couch.

Ten minutes later, Ms. Meyers was gone and she was blessedly alone. Mia
picked up the remote and switched on the television hoping to find a
distraction. Instead she learned why Dire warned her not to tune into the news.
A raging inferno blazed in the background of the reporter giving updates on the
dangerous situation.

“Mia. Snap out of it.”

Mia blinked back into focus.
Sinclaire
stood in
front of her with a bag of food and her favorite latte. Her stomach rumbled.
She tuned out the television and kept her gaze on her best friend. “He’s in
there somewhere.”

“That’s his job. Of course he is. Let’s change the channel and eat for a
bit.” Unbidden tears flowed freely.
Hormones,
has to be, I just met him a few days ago.

“Dire is a trained professional. Trust him and his team to do their job.
They live and breathe saving as many lives as possible in any situation they’re
called to.”

“The fire is a bad one.
And on Christmas.”
Her
heart went out to the families losing their homes and belongings.

“What fire isn’t bad, Mia?”
Sinclaire
unwrapped
the sandwiches and handed her a cup of salted
caramel goodness. “Let’s eat.”

“I can’t.” She flicked a glance back at the television for a glimpse of
him, just one. With each passing moment he didn’t come on screen her panic rose
tenfold. “Where is he?”

Sinclaire
sat next to her and pulled her into a
tight hug. Mia laid her head on her shoulder.

“This is not the same. Don’t go there and let this chance for a good man
go to waste. Promise me.”

“Damn right it’s not the same. At least with deployment there was the
worry without a visual in my face. I can’t escape the local news and I can’t
turn the damn thing off wondering if seeing him on television is the last time
I’ll see him alive. It’s too soon for me. I can’t do this thing with Dire and
risk everything. I don’t want to be widowed again.”

“Seeing wedding bells already?”

“No, but the end result of a good relationship is marriage. He has made
me want things I have no control over. Can you see me being the significant
other to a fireman? After all I’ve been through?” Mia swiped the moisture from
her eyes.

“Yes. You were a military wife for twelve years. You banded wives
together and girlfriends when Connor was deployed. You consoled widows, parents
and other family members, even a few mistresses. You can handle chaos. You can
handle
Dire’s
calling. With your years of experience,
this is a cakewalk. Look at it this way, instead of months of
deployment,
you’ll have a chance to have a relationship with
only days of separation to get used to.”

Mia snorted and took a bite of the sandwich. “That is entirely too much
credit you’ve given me. War isn’t advertised. Having Dire here while I was
hurting made me feel better. The numbness is gone and now suddenly, I want it
back. I don’t want the harsh reality in my face.”

“But you want him. You know he’s a package deal, like you and Ashland. Give
me the remote.”

“
Sinclaire
—” Mia pressed the box into her hand.
“I don’t like you right now.” Even though she sounded petulant, she couldn’t
get a grasp on the emotions rolling through her, compartmentalize them.

“Imagine if we liked each other all the time, we’d be boring friends. Now
tell me about your
vajayjay
vajazzle
.”

“You are so weird. I don’t even want to know why you set that up. I mean,
well, it’s a given. You do know that I shave on the regular. Were you expecting
bush?”

“No, of course not, just wanted you fresh in case…”

“Want to see?”

“Of course, I showed you my piercing so…it’s only right you give me a
preview.”

“So wrong on so many levels.
Don’t try any funny
business.”

“Oh my God woman, just show me already. We’ve already been through the
lesbian stage in life. No worries.”

Mia set her food down on the coffee table and undid the belt on her robe.

“Wow she is definitely inventive.”

“I know, right. I took a look in the mirror and had to look again. Thank
you for the massage, and oddly for this. I feel like a total new woman.”

“I knew I should’ve bought you a vibrator for Christmas last year.”
Sinclaire
resumed eating and Mia followed suit.

“Would’ve been a waste of your money.
I’ve never used one of those and after Connor, whose face would I have
gotten off to?”
Dire’s
face came to mind, bringing a
warm flush to her cheeks.

“Some hot dude from television.
Porn on the internet.
No wait, I forgot you don’t watch porn.”
Sinclaire
waggled her eyes.

“Why are you always so hot to trot?” Mia couldn’t keep up with
Sinclaire’s
little pink book.
“Wild
woman.”
She envied
Sinclaire’s
comfort with
her sexuality, whereas she was more private.
Except for that
one time in college.
She pulled out the envelope tucked in her robe
pocket,
she’d placed
Sinclaire’s
present
there earlier so she wouldn’t have to get up.
“For you.”

Her best friend tore the flap open.
“
Ohhh
.
You naughty woman.
Did you actually go in the store to get this?”

“Ha. Not. Internet ordering is the way to go.” Mia took a sip of her
latte. “Enjoy.”

“You know I will. Thanks, there’s a new toy I’ve wanted for some time.
This will do perfectly.”

“Maybe you should get a good man and keep him around.” Mia thought her
suggestion had merit. Her friend’s commitment issues rivaled her own, yet she
wasn’t a widow.

“I’m thinking about getting back into the market after seeing the sparks
fly between you and Dire. He has a couple of hot single guys I wouldn’t mind
trying on.”

Mia laughed. “They’re not a comfortable pair of shoes to decide between.
I wonder—”

Sinclaire’s
expression stopped her sentence from
being voiced. In her mind, she worried if Dire and his team were okay.

“Hey, we were doing
good
. Stop obsessing over
something you have no control over. What did Connor used to say to you?
Remember?”

“No worries. He’d see me on the other side if the worst happened.”

“He prepared you to be okay without him, not to spend the rest of your
life without someone else to love. Let him give you the strength to allow
yourself some happiness.”

“The danger is so high.”

“Wasn’t the danger higher when he pulled you out of that car? Think about
this. He’s been a firefighter for years and out of the many lives he saved, he
picked you. You picked each other or fate stuck you together. You know I’m all
about signs and that is one heck of a neon blinker.”

If
Sinclaire
started spouting about cosmic
energies and the universe she’d lose it. Mia didn’t want to hear about how
perfect Dire was for her or the rightness of them she felt down in the marrow
of her bones.

“You watch too much television or read too many books to believe in all
of that. I have Ashland to think about, maybe Dire and I should be friends.”

“I call bullshit. You could no more be
just
friends with him, than he with you. Better yet, I dare you to
say that to him and see what his response is. Do you honestly think you could
be around him on his days off or see him with another woman and not want to
strike her dead?”
Sinclaire
polished off her food and
sat back, arms crossed.