Once Brendan and I are secluded in this villa, AKA servants’ quarters, we look at each other with wide eyes. “Is this a joke?”
“It must be,” he says. “I mean this overall place is amazing, but this little hut—is not.”
Seconds pass by, and I’m quickly overcome with feelings of paranoia and claustrophobia. “Oh my God, we have no mode of transportation. How long was the drive to this place … like … from civilization?”
“Oh, honey, you didn’t see the quaint little town, or maybe more like a village we drove through? It was like all 1950’s with not a shred of grass longer than another. I’m pretty sure we’ve entered your type of hell.”
“I thought you checked this town out?” I snap at him.
“I did. It was super cute, but now I see it’s even cuter than I thought.”
“I can’t live here. I won’t be able to survive like this,” I tell him.
“We’re kind of stuck now,” he reminds me.
“Thanks, brainiac.” In all seriousness, I need to find an exit strategy just in case things go even more south, quicker than I could have predicted. “Do you by chance know how we get to town?”
“I saw someone riding a horse … ” Brendan says.
“Yeah, uh … no.”
“Okay, Boston doesn’t exist down here. Let go of your dirty water and smog-filled expectations, and embrace nature and purity, or whatever it’s called. We can do this Scarlett. We’re brave. We’re warriors. We’re—”
“Shut up. We’re not going to survive down here.”
“How about we just go for a walk and explore for a bit. Maybe it will make us feel better?”
“Whatever. I need food anyway,” I tell him.
“Well, why don’t you change so we can go—” he says, looking me up and down as if I’m wearing something atrocious.
“Why do I have to change?” He better not be thinking I should be dressed more like the people down here. That is not happening.
“We’re going for a walk and you have four-inch heels on. I know how you feel about skinny jeans and running shoes, so … yeah.”
“I’m fine. I walk in these shoes all the time,” I argue.
“You’re going to break your neck,” he says, “but I’m not arguing with your hangry ass anymore, so let’s go.”
I roll my eyes and grab my bag. “Let’s go, Donny Downer.”
Who would have known those would have been my famous last words before I really get this party started …
