Ryann’s feet were soaking in a warm bath of bubbling Epsom-salt water. Her chair was reclined almost entirely, and she was wearing nothing but a thick terry-cloth robe, an avocado face mask, and cucumber slices on her eyes. Soft instrumental music was coming from a nearby speaker, and the attendants and massage therapists quietly bustled about the room, while she, Stuart, two of Jai’s sisters, and Stuart’s mom were pampered before their final wedding styling at the salon. Jai’s other sisters and his mom were at a different spa, both men having decided to keep up the tradition of not seeing each other the day of until the wedding. Maddie had laughed when Ryann had asked her if she was going to be there with him today, but Ryann really thought she’d missed out. This was great.

She hadn’t realized she needed this, but she did. After Maddie dropped her off at the hotel early yesterday morning, she’d had to work all day—on the phone, on videoconferences, on her computer—until late last night. Maddie had driven over from campus for a quick lunch between classes, but otherwise they hadn’t really seen each other since she spent the night at her place Sunday. She had never longed for anyone like this, and certainly not after just a day apart. They still hadn’t talked about the fact that she was leaving tomorrow, but she kept telling herself they had time enough for that tonight after the reception.

This morning she and Stuart had argued, part of which included whether she should get her hair blown out for today. But now, lying here almost comatose, she didn’t care one bit. Maybe having her hair wild, like he wanted, wasn’t such a bad thing. The straightening process was hardly fun, and after her massage and the mimosas, she didn’t want to put herself through anything unpleasant. In fact, if she could keep feeling like this the rest of the day, it might be the most pleasurable wedding experience she’d ever had.

She heard someone clear their throat near her, and then her chair began to gently rise on its silent hydraulics. She pulled the cucumbers off her eyes and blinked, somewhat dazed and blind despite the soft, candle-like lighting. Jos was on her left, Stuart on her right, his mother in the chair to his right. All three were in similar states of confused wakefulness. Janet, also here with them, was in another room getting a massage.

Ryann leaned over to squeeze Stuart’s hand. “How you doing?”

He smiled. “Better than this morning.” When he’d shown up at her hotel, he’d been a wreck, pale and rumpled, having had a poor night’s sleep. That, more than anything, had likely caused his snappishness with her earlier.

He grimaced. “I’m sorry I said you were being stupid about your hair.”