Page 66 of Fierce-Dane

19

HUGE CONNECTION

“I’ve got an appointment with Sloane,” Dane said ten days later.

“Your name?” the woman asked. He’d never seen her before. Not that it mattered. He’d only been here two other times and he’d been warned that the employees were waiting for him.

“Dane Grey,” he said.

The woman’s eyes lit right up. “Ohhhhh, we’ve been waiting for you. Everyone wanted to be working, but there are only myself and a few others left. I’m Colleen.”

“Nice to meet you,” he said, putting his hand out.

“I’ll text Sloane and let her know you’re here, but if you don’t mind, I need to let everyone else know too. Those that can come up front will be here fast.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “Whatever floats your boat.”

She laughed and rushed away to a room off to the side. He heard some voices but not the words and then four women came rushing out.

Didn’t they have clients or something? Did they just leave them undressed in a room?

“Hi,” the first one said. “I’m Elle. I heard about you first. I’m friends with Nicole who waited on you at the cafe next door.”

She was a nail tech, he knew that since Sloane had told him and she rushed right back after he shook her hand.

The next had the same smock on so he assumed the same when she said her name was Taylor.

“I can tell by the look on your face you think we’ve abandoned our clients,” the next said. “Which we kind of did, but ours have product sitting on their faces. I’m Kaitlyn and this is Tessa.”

He shook hands with them too.

“You can all go back to your clients now.”

He turned and saw Sloane standing there.

“They introduced themselves quickly,” he said.

“He’s nice and sweet standing up for us,” Tessa said. “We are going.”

He watched the two ladies go back down the hall quickly, laughing and whispering quietly.

“Sorry about that,” Sloane said. “I’ve got two other employees doing massages or you’d get hit hard.”

“I guess I never realized how busy it was in here when I came.”

“We try to keep everyone separated and not waiting long. By seven thirty there are normally only a few people left and finishing up.”

“I should try to come earlier,” he said.

He looked at his watch. It was a little after six. Since Sloane had no one else scheduled after him, she’d told him he could show up anytime and she’d work around it. He wanted to be here at six and that was the time of his appointment but he’d gotten behind with his patients.

“It’s fine,” she said. “You know that.”

He followed her back down the hall and into the room he always used.

“Is this the only room you do massages in?”

“This is my room,” she said. “Yes. We’ve got three massage rooms here and each has their own. I’ve thought of hiring another part-time person who could work when the others aren’t and share their rooms.”

---