Chapter Thirteen

Edward came out of the massage room with his last customer. “If you’re not feeling better after Christmas, come back and see me.” He handed her a bottle of cold water.

“I can’t thank you enough. That kink in my neck is gone! It’s like a miracle.” She took the water, opened it and slugged down a mouthful, then rolled her shoulders and grinned at him.

“Well, I’m glad. All you needed was a little relaxation. Massage works wonders. Beth’ll see you at the front desk.” He motioned for her to move to the front then went back to the room to ready it for the next customer.

Winston sat in his doggie bed, head on his paws. He’d been sleeping while Edward had worked on the woman. He turned up the lights in the dim room, stripped the sheet from the massage table and put on a fresh one. He checked his oils and the temperature on the heated table.

Then he sat on his rolling stool. Only ten minutes between his appointments. He rubbed his temples as the last of the neck pain he’d taken away from her dissipated. On occasion, he used his power to treat a few of his customers, but most were just normal massages.

“Winston, I swear, I can’t wait for this day to end. I feel zapped. I hate doing pinched nerves, it always leaves me with a hangover.” He reached down, opened the small refrigerator under his oil table and got out his own bottle of water. After opening it, he guzzled half of it down. Then he closed his eyes and let go of the pain. The last remnants of it floated through and out of him, passing like a gentle breeze.

He sighed and opened his eyes. Winston looked up at him and whined.

“Sorry, buddy, but as of today you’re on a diet. Jack wasn’t happy about how heavy you are these days. I think you mashed his balls last time you stepped on him.” He put his hands on his hips and cocked his head at the dog. “Can’t have you damaging the merchandise, now, can I?”

Woof.

“I know. It’s my fault, I encouraged the ladies to give you those treats. But I want you to know, I threw them out, so don’t bother begging for them.” He wagged his finger at Winston.

Woof. Woof.

“It’s for your own good.”

Woof. Woof. Woof.

“Don’t get sassy with me or you can hang out with Jack all day. And you know how boring it is at the station.”

Winston whined, got up and waddled over to Edward. He stuck his cold nose under Edward’s hand, asking for treats or a pet. Edward petted him, refusing to give in to the dog’s deep brown eyes filled with fake doggie sorrow. “Oh, no. Don’t try that look on me.”

Edward laughed. He felt better than before. Pain-free. He rolled over to his desk and checked the computer schedule to see who was next. The system showed she’d already checked in, so he finished the last few things, chose a calming ocean wave recording and dimmed the lights before he left to get the woman and bring her back. She wasn’t a regular, but any new customer would be fine. Business was good and for a small town that was amazing.

Of course, it didn’t hurt that he used his power to give most people a little burst of well-being during the massage. After all, there was no harm in that. Ever since he’d helped his grandmother pass on, he refused to use his power to heal to do anything more than ease a few aches and pains.

He never forgot her words about playing God. Where do you draw the line and when do you cross it? Sadness welled up in him when he thought of her, how much pain she’d been in with the cancer and how much he’d grieved after losing her. It had been the hardest thing he’d ever done in his entire life, and for a moment there in the hospital room at her bedside, he hadn’t thought he had the strength to let her go. For months afterward, he’d wallowed in his own pain of loss, making everyone, including Jack, miserable too.

Jack had been a trouper and kept right on loving him. He’d never stop being amazed at the depth of Jack’s love, when all of his previous lovers would have turned tail and run like a pair of cheap pantyhose.

Edward finished off the bottle of water, tossed it in the trash and left the room with Winston following, his bright pink painted nails clicking on the gleaming hardwood floors. Edward sashayed up to the front desk, letting his hips sway. His snakeskin print yoga pants clung to his legs and the tight black V-neck T-shirt fit like a second skin.

“Who’s next?” he sang out as he stepped into the front room of what had once been his grandmother’s house in the heart of Spring Lake. He’d converted it to his day spa six months ago when he and Jack moved out to her former, now Edward’s, small ranch. Jack’s old house sat empty because he couldn’t decide to sell or rent. Along with his grandmother’s houses, Edward had inherited a small fortune, some of which he’d invested in the spa. If he added his father’s inheritance which he’d get at forty, Edward was a very wealthy man.

If he hadn’t met Jack, a grounding influence in his life, Edward would have blown his money on bad boys, champagne and wild living. And he’d still have been as miserable as he’d been before falling for his Chief Sheriff.

His receptionist, Beth, smiled at him and rose from her chair at the antique desk that dominated one corner of the room. Across from it, sitting on one of the four white and brown spotted cowhide chairs, was a woman he thought he’d seen before but couldn’t place.

“This is Mrs. Eggers, Edward. She’s new and she has a gift certificate for a hot stone massage.” Beth handed him a clipboard with the woman’s details. He scanned it and glanced up at Mrs. Eggers.

“Do I know you from church?” Edward never forgot a face.

“Why yes. I’ve seen you…uh, there.” She nodded.

“Well, happy holidays! So glad you could come in. Someone must really like you to give you one of these. It’s one of our specialties.” He waved her on. “Follow me.”

Mrs. Eggers was a little hesitant. “I’ve never had a massage before.” She seemed like most of the middle-aged women around Spring Lake, trim, blonde hair done in a semi-modern style, nice sweater set and slacks, and a designer purse.

“Well, don’t worry, you’re in good hands.” He got to the room and stood aside as she crossed the threshold. “Don’t be nervous. You don’t have to get…naked.” He peered down the hall as Beth stood there, hand over her mouth. He winked at her and waited until Winston came in and went to his bed to curl up. Then he shut the door.

“There’s a dog in here!” Mrs. Eggers clutched her purse to her chest as she stared at Winston.

“That’s Winston. He’s my…emotional support dog. He goes everywhere with me.” He smiled down as Winston got comfortable in his doggie bed. “Now, you need to disrobe to whatever point you’re comfortable. Most of the ladies leave their undies on, but take off their bras. A few of the braver souls go all the way.” He raised his eyebrows in feigned shock. “Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to keep all your special lady bits covered by the sheet.” He pulled down the covers on the table and patted it. “Once you’re ready, just get on the table, face down, and in a few I’ll knock to see if you’re ready.”

“Oh.” She blinked at him and lowered the purse. “What sort of emotional support do you need?”

“Here in Spring Lake? All the support I can get, honey.” He winked at her and flipped his hand, camping it up a bit for her. It never ceased to amaze him at how comfortable the ladies were once they realized he was gay. Some of them needed a bit more…uh, evidence. He didn’t have many male customers, surprise, surprise. But he planned to hire a female masseuse, so that might get them in. If their wives let them.

She smiled. “Well, I suppose so.” She giggled. “So, it’s true? You and…?” She let the rest of her question hang in the air, but Edward knew what she was asking. Everyone who came in the first time did. For the first few months the spa was open, he’d figured most of the customers came just to get it straight from the horse’s mouth. Fine by him. The money was the same either way.

“Yes, Chief Whittaker and I are partners.” He batted his lashes.

“Oh my. He’s such a…manly man.” Her eyes widened.

“And don’t I know it!” Edward sang out, then he leaned in as if imparting a secret. “You know, gays come in all shapes, sizes, colors and types.” Every encounter with a person here in town had become a teaching opportunity to him. His personal mission was to make gay normal. It was the reason he’d agreed to attend church with Jack. He figured once everyone realized they knew someone gay, and they were just like everyone else, the mystery and fear would be eased and that would lead to acceptance.

“Well, of course.” She nodded. “Uh, does the dog stay while I change?”

“Don’t worry. He’s gay too!” Edward shifted from one hip to the other.

Her eyes widened even more as she giggled. “Oh, okay.”

“Now, go ahead and get ready. I’ll come back in a few minutes.” He gave her a smile and stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

He leaned on it and covered his mouth to keep from bursting out in laughter. The one about Winston being gay always cracked him up.

Down the hall, Beth sat at the desk, ringing up one of the nail salon customers. He killed time by checking into the other rooms. The kitchen and bath were the same, but he’d renovated the three bedrooms into his massage room, a nail room with four stations, and a pedicure room, complete with two state-of-the-art pedicure chairs that had temperature controlled water tubs for feet and remote-controlled massaging backs.

The day before Christmas, and half the chairs and stations were filled. Not bad. The holiday season had been good to his business. They had sold a ton of gift certificates. The hardest part was finding qualified technicians, but ever since he’d spoken at the local high school’s senior class career day about employment opportunities, several of the young women had gone on to get training, had passed their exams and been licensed to work. If business kept improving, he’d need to hire two more nail salon employees.

“Hi, Edward!” a chorus of female voices sang out as he entered the manicure room. He’d had the doors removed from both the manicure and the pedicure rooms.

“Everyone having fun?” he posed in the doorway. “Y’all looking good enough to eat, I swear.” He spun and moved on to the pedicure room, where the same thing happened. He’d discovered he was just as big a draw as the services he provided.

Time well spent, he headed back to his room and knocked on the door.

“Ready?”

“Uh, come in?” Mrs. Eggers sounded a little uptight. He’d have to do something to remedy that.

Edward entered, shut the door and adjusted the covers to expose her back. “Now, we can chat or you can close your eyes and just relax. It’s up to you. I’ll let you know with each step of the massage what I’m going to do, so there’s no surprises, okay?”

“That sounds fine.” She exhaled.

“If anything hurts, you tell me, okay? Or if the pressure is too much? I’ll start off gentle and build up.” He pumped out some oil, rubbed his hands together, and started on her back. He opened himself up to her spirit, waiting for an answer from inside her.

“Right now, I’m working on the tension spots on your back and shoulders.”

He massaged her upper back, easing her into a more intimate lower back touch and there it was. A knot of pain…he reached for it…right there…and it loosened and slipped away, passing through him to wherever it went.

She sighed, a soft exhale that told Edward she’d felt the release. “Oh my. That was…”

“I know. It just needed a bit of loosening. You’ve got some knots, but nothing bad. If you come once a month, we can work those right out of you.” He rubbed her lower back until all the tension had dissolved and moved out of her and through him.

He walked over to the small heater that held the hot stones, opened it and gathered four of them into a bowl.

“Now, I’m going to place the hot stones down your spine. Don’t worry, they won’t burn you, but they are hot.” He placed the first one between her shoulder blades. She tensed, then relaxed and he knew he could keep going.

As long as he could help people like her, people with minor aches and pains, he’d be content. Anything bigger than that was off limits. Not only for his own physical safety but for his mental sake too. He’d almost died healing Jack when he’d first met him and that had scared the hell out of him. Made him realize his power was nothing to play with.

And he never wanted to be in the situation he’d found himself in with his grandmother again. She was the reason he’d come to Spring Lake, to heal her, only to discover what she had was cancer. He’d eased her passing as best he could, because she’d made him promise he wouldn’t heal her and put himself in danger.

His power had put him in a position of having to choose to let his grandmother die or decide to go against her wishes and save her, at the expense of endangering, possibly killing himself.

Never again.