a trip.”
“So I’ve been told,” he said with a smile. “So...what are you getting done at the salon today? Your hair is already very beautiful.” He unexpectedly brushed his fingertips against her forehead and pushed her bangs from her eyes.
Who gave him permission to touch her?
Once she gathered herself, she said, “I’ll probably just have it shampooed and styled for the wedding. And I’m long overdue for a manicure.” She reached her hand out to show him her fingernails.
He grabbed her hand in his in order to get a better view of her tattered nails, and it felt as if a surge of electricity rushed through her. Her bare nipples strained against the fabric of her sundress. They instantly became erect, and she hoped he hadn’t noticed. There was no doubt this man’s touch did things to her body. She was definitely attracted to him, no matter how much she tried to deceive herself. The feeling reminded her of the eighth grade when Todd Valentine had grabbed her hand and leaned in for a kiss. Her heart had pounded and her stomach had done somersaults. This was ridiculous—feeling this way about a man like some silly schoolgirl.
“Your nails aren’t that bad,” Vince said as he caressed every one of her fingers with his thumb. She wondered what she would do if he placed one of her fingers into his mouth.
“So you made it.” The sound of her mother’s voice killed whatever moment she was having with Vince. “I’ve been all over this property looking for you!”
“Mother. Hi.” Sasha hopped from the barstool and gave her mother a hug. She peeked over her mother’s shoulder and noticed her father standing there, too. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Hello, sweetheart,” her father said and went in for a kiss on the cheek. “Glad you made it in safely.”
“You both know Vince, right? Derrick’s friend. Um...he’s the best man.”
“Of course,” Brian Winters reached his hand out to Vince for a firm handshake. “We’re still on for this afternoon, right?”
“Of course, sir. Looking forward to it.”
Sasha wondered what Vince and her father had planned for the afternoon.
“The girls are waiting for you in the lobby,” Charlotte Winters said, casually changing the subject. “If you don’t get going, you’ll be late for your appointment.”
She felt as if she should say something to Vince, like hope to see you later, but there was no time. Her mother nearly dragged her down the sidewalk toward the lobby.
Rubbing her fingertips across Sasha’s brow, Charlotte said, “Sasha, make sure that you do something with these eyebrows. Get them arched. And make sure that when you get your manicure that your nail polish is a neutral color. Nothing outlandish. In fact, just a French manicure would do just fine.”
“Ma, please.”
“I know you’re conservative, sweetie. You don’t really need this speech, but some of these girls just don’t know any better. Those girlfriends of Bridget’s...” Charlotte lowered her voice to a whisper, “...one of them is actually wearing a tattoo, right there on her boobs. What is this world coming to?”
“Ma, she’s young.” Sasha knew that her mother was referring to Deja. “And it’s trendy to have a tattoo there. I think it’s cute.”
“Cute? It seems slutty to me,” said Charlotte. “How is that going to look in the wedding photos? The dresses are low-cut, and...”
“Ma, no one will even see it in the photos.” She couldn’t understand why she was even having a conversation about the boobs of Bridget’s friend with her mother. She thought it more appropriate for her mother to have this conversation with the bride. Or even Deja for that matter, “Ma, I love you. We’ll talk later...when I get back. I promise.”
It wasn’t unusual for Sasha to have conversations like this with her mother. In fact, they disagreed about most things. Even if Sasha had said the sky was blue, her mother would have challenged her and sworn that it was red. If Sasha had said up, Charlotte Winters would have strongly said down. When Sasha had settled on law school and decided to follow her father’s career path, it was as if Charlotte’s hopes and dreams for her daughter were lost. She’d wanted Sasha to do something more meaningful—such as being her first daughter to marry, becoming a homemaker, and giving her some grandchildren. Those were Sasha’s duties as a daughter. Women didn’t pursue such careers. They married men who pursued those careers.
Sasha had been unable to completely please her mother. It seemed that while she couldn’t do anything right, Bridget was the one who favored her mother. She would be the first to marry, she’d be the perfect homemaker, and she’d give their mother beautiful grandchildren. Bridget had gone to college, but instead of pursuing a career in her field of accounting, she’d opened a little boutique—sold items on consignment, which barely took care of the overhead. But that was fine, because she’d managed to snag a great husband in the process. And she showed up for Sunday dinners.
After kissing her mother’s cheek, she caught up with Bridget and the rest of the bridal party. They were already climbing into the back of a black SUV when Sasha took the front passenger’s seat and secured her seat belt. The SUV made its way out of the resort’s circular drive and down the hill. As they drove down Bay Street, Sasha noticed the straw market and made a mental note to stop there on the way back. She loved the shops and fraternizing with the Bahamian women who peddled their handmade souvenirs. She loved the Bahamas.
They took a water taxi to the spa on Paradise Island, where they were greeted with glasses of wine and fresh fruit. With an herbal-scented green mask on her face, Sasha relaxed while a young Bahamian woman rubbed her feet with hot oils and another manicured her nails. She closed her eyes and savored the moment. It had been months since she’d enjoyed a manicure and pedicure. Bridget sat in the leather chair next to hers.
“Thank you for coming, Sash. It really means the world to me that you’re here,” said Bridget.
“Glad I could be here for you,” said Sasha.
“I know that it’s not the most convenient time for you, but I appreciate the sacrifice that you made.”
“Don’t sweat it,” said Sasha, closing her eyes again.
“I love you, Sasquatch,” said Bridget, using her pet name for Sasha that had stuck through the years.
They’d been close once—inseparable even. That was long before Kevin had shattered Sasha’s heart, and before she’d buried herself in her work to escape the pain. Her sister had been her best friend and confidante, but all that changed when Sasha decided to shut everyone out of her life and to make her career a priority. Nothing else mattered except passing the bar. And once she’d accomplished that, her journey from intern to junior associate was inevitable. It wasn’t long before she’d snagged a senior associate position, and in just six years, she was already being considered for partner.
Sasha hadn’t been on vacation in three years. There was never time. She barely made time for hair appointments, manicures or pedicures. More often than not, she’d stop by Ray’s in the City—one of her favorite restaurants—for takeout on her way home. She’d grab a bottle of wine and eat dinner alone in her large kitchen, with its stainless steel appliances and hardwood floors, law books scattered about in front of her. She had a knack
