Jenny Martinez was one of her favorites. Over the years, she’d become a friend, and Sierra looked forward to catching up with her during the monthly massages that she claimed saved her body and her sanity.
Quite some time ago, Jenny had told Sierra about how she’d lost her fiancé, Toby, in the 9/11 attacks on New York City and had struggled for years before landing on Gansett as the new lighthouse keeper and meeting her husband, Alex Martinez. She and Alex were the parents of a son named George and were expecting another son in the spring. Jenny, who was now in her early forties, was concerned about the high-risk pregnancy that had so far been uneventful.
As she prepared a room for Jenny’s arrival, Sierra tried to keep her mind on work and not on the handsome man who’d asked her out on the first real date she’d been on in longer than she could remember. How sad was that? Thirty-two years old, and she couldn’t recall her last real date.
Pathetic.
Would she remember how to act?
That thought had her laughing as she smoothed a hand over the sheet on the massage bed and folded the top blanket back to make an inviting presentation for Jenny. With everything in place, she returned to the reception area to wait for Jenny.
She took advantage of the brief lull to respond to an email from her bookkeeper, McKenzie, who was in hot demand by everyone who ran a business on the island.
Sierra was happy for her new friend’s success and how she’d made lemonade from lemons after the house her grandmother left her was destroyed by Hurricane Ethel. She was rebuilding the house with plans to eventually sell it since she and Jax were happily settled at Duke’s place.
Everything had fallen into place for them and several of Sierra’s other friends, including Jace, who’d come to the island hoping to have a relationship with his young sons and had fallen in love with Cindy Lawry, who was an awesome person. Even her new friend Piper was head over heels in love with Jack, the state policeman.
Love was in the air all around her, or so it seemed.
Her friends joked there was something in the water on Gansett that led to people finding forever love on a tiny island with only seven hundred year-round residents. The odds of falling in love in a small town like theirs should’ve been astronomically high. Alas, it happened all the time to other people.
Sierra had never been in love. She’d never even come close, so she wondered if she’d know it if it happened to her. That worried her. What if true love was standing right in front of her, and she failed to realize it? Or what if she found it and managed to screw it up somehow? The thought of living with that kind of regret made her shudder.
She was saved from delving too deeply into that dark thought when Jenny came in, bringing a burst of chilly air. Her smile lit up her pretty face as she fixed blonde hair that’d been messed up by the wind.
“It’s brisk out there today,” Jenny said. “I swear I saw a few flurries.”
“No! Not yet.”
“I know, it’s too soon, but I saw them.”
Sierra went around the reception desk to give her friend a quick hug. “Come in. I’m all set up for you. How’re you feeling?”
“A little better now that the nausea has finally let up. It was brutal this time around. My Georgie spoiled me with a much easier pregnancy than I’m having with this little one. Of course, I was three years younger then.”
“You’re doing great.”
“For a senior citizen, you mean.”
“Oh stop.” Sierra laughed as she led Jenny to the dimly lit room. “You know the drill. We’ll start on your side to focus on your aching back.”
“Bless you. I miss being facedown.”
“You’ll be able to do that again soon enough, my friend.”
Sierra left her to get undressed and settled and went to the tiny kitchen in the back of the space to refill her water.
When she was ready, she knocked on the door to Jenny’s room before entering.
“All set,” Jenny said.
Sierra walked in, put her water on a table and got to work making sure Jenny got the best possible massage. Some clients, like Jenny, enjoyed chatting during their treatment. Others preferred silent meditation.
“How’ve you been since I saw you last?” Jenny asked.
“Not too bad. Relieved to be winding down after another frantic season.”
“Same, girl. We’ve got Christmas tree sales and then we’re done for a couple of months.” She helped to run Martinez Lawn & Garden with Alex and his brother, Paul.
