Me: Nothing is wrong, really, but all the neighbors are single men ...
Gracie: Jackpot! How many are there? Are they hot? Have you met all of them? OMG I need photos!
Me: They’re smoking hot, but, Gracie, I think I’m the first woman they’ve talked to in a long time ...
Gracie: Huh? How do you know?
Me: They’re foaming at the mouth when they walk by. One even brought me a rose. Something is off about this place.
Gracie: Hold up ... one brought you a rose? This is bad. Ash, stay where you are. I’m coming to save you. ::rolls eyes::
Awesome. She thinks I’m losing my mind. Maybe I am losing my mind. Maybe, they’re all just super friendly and are offering a warm welcome to the neighborhood.
If only I could convince myself this is the case.
Chapter 6
I don’t knowif the guys got the hint or what, but the doorbell rings and knocking seemed to have ceased for the moment.
I’m just going to tell all of them I’m not interested and to go bark up another tree. The last thing I want or need right now is a bunch of men banging on my door. While I realize this is something I might have dreamed of a few years ago while partying every night, my current focus is strictly on finding a job and ingraining myself into the real world. Relationships must come second.
I tear open the envelope the mailman awkwardly handed me, finding an invitation that says:
Welcome to Bachelor Place
Tonight, on The Bachelor Beach deck, join us for a welcoming party at our weekly bonfire. Be prepared to eat, drink, and fall in love.
Um. Bachelor Place, The Bachelor Beach? I stroll over to the refrigerator where Bradley left our address. My gaze catches on the printed words from the invitation, but then I easily match the words to the address on the hanging note. “1 Bachelor Place, Bachelor Beach - Tybee Island, Georgia.”
I pull my phone back out of my pocket, hitting Bradley’s name again. The rings come in succession, one, two, three, four, then voicemail, and beep.
“I am going to hurt you, Bradley.” I hang up, knowing there are going to be many more of these voicemails coming his way unless he picks up and explains to me what the hell he was thinking.
The twins cascade from the stairs as if they’re sauntering down a catwalk. “We’re going out for a bite to eat. Want to come?”
Shocked they invited me, my instinct is to reject them, but this may be a window of opportunity to find out what they know, and why the doorbell doesn’t seem to be ringing for them.
“Sure, yeah, I’ll go with you. Is there a place to eat within walking distance?” None of us have a car yet, or not that I’m aware.
“There’s a place,” one of them says.
The moment we step outside, I stop and take in my surroundings. This place is beautiful, and the layout of the villas makes the inset development look like a small paradise. However, it all seems staged, so I can’t help but wonder if people are living inside any of these homes.
“What do you know about this little development?” I ask them, trying to sound casual.
They stop walking and turn around in sync.
“Didn’t Bradley explain everything to you?” I wish they would wear name tags.
“He told me there was a social study going on here.”
“So, you know what the deal is then?” I’m being quizzed.
“Well, yes and no.” No, I have no freaking clue what the deal is. I didn’t even know these kinds of studies existed. Who would sign up for this crap?
“Basically, they shoved fifteen men into a small community and left them without any on-site female interaction for six months. If the men worked outside of the development, they were allowed to converse with women on a strictly professional level, but it was ensured that they did not break any of the study’s rules. If they work remotely from within the development, it was easier to monitor the flow of incoming guests. When a man leaves the property, they are monitored. Females were not allowed within Bachelor Place until this week.”
“Why?” I follow.
