I watched her eyes grow huge as realization dawned on her and then wished I had rather kept my mouth shut as she flayed about trying to get out of the mud as fast as possible. I got hit in the jaw, solar plexus, and barely managed to cover my still tender man bits with my hands as she pulled herself out of the mud. She stood up and flicked mud off herself into the pool. I suddenly realized we had an audience. About fifteen pairs of eyes were standing gaping at the scene before them.
“Um,” I said to Carla, “don’t look now but we seem to have an audience.”
Carla’s head shot up and spun toward the door. I burst out laughing. She looked ridiculous with her face all chocolate brown with mud. Only her eyes had white circles sticking out where she’d wiped the mud off. Cakes of the stuff were clogged in her hair and it drenched her dress.
Carla looked from the gaping crowd back to where I was still propped up on my elbows in the mud laughing. Her eyes narrowed. Her chest started to rise and fall a little faster. I could see fury was still hitting the lava overflow point.
“I quit!” Carla said through gritted teeth. “You win.” She sneered at me before she looked back at Hayley and Drew who I could see had gone from gaping shock to trying not to laugh. “I can’t work with him.” She pointed toward me without even looking at me before storming out of the room pushing past everyone and ignoring Hayley calling for her to stop. “I quit!” She shouted over her shoulder
The crowd followed Carla and Hayley out of the mud room.
“Damon,” Drew looked at me exasperated. “What have you done?”
“I just wanted to give you a relaxing day,” I defended my actions. “I overheard Carla organizing a bird watching day for the ladies today so I thought I couldn’t let this spa reservation go to waste.” It was not a lie. I had heard Carla organizing bird watching for the older ladies who were not comfortable at the spa. “You know how hard it is to get in here.”
“Carla is pretty pissed this time,” Drew gave me a clean towel he’d got from the assistant who had also hurried after Carla.
“You had better get out of the mud and go make sure Carla doesn’t leave,” Hayley stormed back into the room, not caring I was butt naked in a mud bath, “if she leaves, so help me Damon...” She threatened me.
“This was just a misunderstanding, sweetheart,” Drew tried to smooth things over for me.
“It always is with Damon,” Hayley gave me a warning glare. “You don’t have long. Carla got a cab and is heading back to the hotel to go pack right now.” With that, Hayley stormed out of the room calling to Drew over her shoulder. “The bus for the ice rink leaves in five minutes.”
“I’d better go,” Drew’s eyes lit up. “we’re going to…”
“I heard,” I said, knowing Hayley’s invitation didn’t include me. “I have to go and stop her maid of honor from leaving.
Well, this was another one of my tactics that had backfired on me. Now I had to once again apologize to Carla. This was beginning to become a daily habit.
***
“Carla,” I knocked at her door. Not the adjoining door between our room, but her front door. “I know you’re in there. Please let me come in so I can apologize and talk.”
“Go away, Satan,” Carla yelled through the door. “I’m busy trying to get mud out of my hair, eyes, and nose.”
“I’m sorry,” I called through the door. “Please, don’t quit. I promise to behave from this point forward.”
“I don’t believe you,” Carla yelled back through the door.
“Please open the door,” I sighed. “I have those chocolates with the hazelnut centers you like.”
The door opened and I sucked in my breath. The fresh smell of her soap and shampoo hit me like a ton of bricks. Her face was devoid of makeup and she was wrapped in a fluffy robe while her pretty feet with red nail varnish were barefoot.
“Thank you for the chocolates,” Carla reached out and took the box. “I’ve already told Hayley I retract my quitting from being her maid of honor.”
“Oh,” I look at Carla in surprise. “She never told me.”
“Why would she?” Carol asked me. “Now, if you’ll excuse me I have a lot to do.”
“Sure,” I gave Carla a smile. “I’m glad you’re staying.” I told her before leaving.
CHAPTER 17
Carla
I reluctantly accepted Damon’s apology for stealing the women’s spa day and for ruining yet another one of my dresses. As I’d resumed my maid of honor duties, I had to meet with Hayley who had some last-minute requests for the party. Today was going to be a quiet day where everyone did what they wanted as tonight was the bachelor and bachelorette party. But now it looked like I had to forgo my manicure and facial as I was going to have to do some last-minute arrangements.