Page 53 of Knot Your Sunshine
Four massage tables stand under a gauze-walled cabana, the white fabric billowing gently in the breeze. Four women in matching white uniforms wait beside the tables with hands folded, all framed by the majestic outline of Mauna Loa volcano in the distance.
"Are you serious?" I turn to them, mouth open.
"We're always serious about massages. Plus, you deserve this after finding your franchise applicants so quickly," Keanu says solemnly, already pulling his shirt over his head.
My brain short-circuits, and I force myself to look away before I start drooling.
I settle onto a massage table, sinking face-first into luxury. The face cradle smells like lavender and pikake.
A hot stone settles between my shoulder blades. My spine makes a sound I'm pretty sure means 'thank you' in vertebrae, tension melting away in waves.
My therapist finds knots I didn't know existed. Time becomes liquid as I relax to the sound of nature.
The wind picks up, and I can feel it's making our gauze sanctuary dance. The scent of plumeria in the air intensifies, mixing with the coconut oil being worked into my shoulders.
"Oh, by the way," I say, remembering through my massage-induced haze. "When will my applicants be contacted and onboarded by Chadwick's team?"
"He said it'll be done within 24 hours." Noa's voice carries satisfaction. "We forwarded everything over the moment you sent us the applications to expedite the process."
"I'm impressed by how quickly you handled that," I say, pleased.
"We're motivated," Josh says, and I can hear his smile.
The therapist works down my spine like she's playing a piano sonata. Each vertebra gets individual attention. My hip flexors surrender completely. Even my feet get attention, and I make an embarrassing sound that's somewhere between a moan and a whimper.
Three distinct growls rumble from the other tables.
"Sorry," Josh says quickly. "That was—"
"We apologize," Noa adds.
"Involuntary reaction," Keanu finishes.
My face burns so hot I'm grateful it's hidden in the cradle. The growls were pure alpha response, primal and appreciative, and it takes everything in me to silence the purr my omega wants to give back.
"N—No problem," I manage to reply instead, straining to keep my tone neutral.
The therapists continue their work in serene silence for another thirty minutes, systematically turning us into human pudding. When they finally step back, I can barely remember how to stand.
"Thank you," I tell my therapist, who smiles serenely and bows before all four of them glide down the path like they were never there.
We sit up slowly, wrapped in robes that feel like being embraced by clouds.
"Ready for the best part?" Keanu bounces on his toes, energy already returning.
"This wasn't the best part?" I gesture at the cabana, the view, my newly liquified spine.
"The cenote," Josh says, then catches himself. "Well, not technically a cenote. Those are in Mexico. But similar geological formation."
"It might be even better," Keanu says with a teasing smile.
"What are you talking about?" I look between them, confused but intrigued.
Noa's already heading down a different path, this one carved into dense tropical foliage. "Come see."
We follow single file on smooth stones placed just far enough apart to require attention. Birds call overhead, and a gecko darts across the path, disappearing into ferns.
A sound starts as a whisper, like water over stone, then builds with each step.
