“Tall muscular women.”
“Okay, I didn’t know you were?—”
I give her a sister’s smack. “I think I was being followed.”
“By a taller, muscular woman.”
“No, women. Multiple.”
“Like a gang?”
“No, they had earpieces. Like in the movies, like security guards do at concerts.”
“And why would they be going after you?”
“I didn’t say they were after me. I don’t know, Wren. I’m?—”
“Sleep-deprived, and if I know you, you’ve been workingtoo hard and not eating. Or maybe it has something to do with one of your hot bosses? I don’t know?”
“You’re right. Are you ready to get going? See what there is to see?” I put my bag on the dresser.
“You bought something? That’s a miracle.”
“Nothing really, just a toy.” I pull out the mushrooms. I’m a little embarrassed to show them. Every dollar or euro counts. But they do bring me joy and will be a good reminder of the time I’ve had here.
“Oh, they’re cute. That’s a fun souvenir to remind you of that painting, the one above your desk.” She takes one in each hand.
“That’s what I thought.”
Wren sinks onto the velvet sofa. “There’s no reason your hot bosses would want to keep an eye on you, Raine? Is there?”
“No, why would they?” I say with a laugh and swallow down the impulse to snatch the mushrooms out of her hand.
“I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking you.”
“Nope, no reason. Let’s get going.”
We saunter down the quaint streets, wandering in and out of all kinds of tiny specialty shops. I slow in front of a chocolatier, reading the sign. “There’s a tour that starts in ten minutes.”
“Let’s do it!” Wren links arms with me, and we step into the shop.
Heaven—this is definitely what heaven smells like.
There’s a group of people standing at the back of the shop and a few clerks in the front. “Look around,” says Wren. “I’ll get our tickets.”
“I have a job now, I can?—”
“You wouldn’t take any money from me for school. Youcan at least let me pick up the chocolate tour that I know there would be zero chance of you taking without me here.”
“Okay, okay. Thank you.” I smile at her while she buys our tickets. I peruse the shop case while Wren pays.
“We have perfect timing. This is their deluxe tour. Instead of just showing us how they make things in the back room, they take us via van to their cottage factory on the outskirts of town. They only do this tour once a month, and I got the last two spots.” Wren hands me a golden ticket. “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory?” She laughs. “This is fun. Seeing you, going on adventures. It’s like we always talked about as kids.”
“Yeah, well, you’ve got the adventure part taken care of.”
Wren wraps her arm around my shoulder. “You’re on a pretty neat adventure yourself right now.”
“I suppose that’s true.”
