“Oh.” I mean, clearly, I am too. So, how could I judge.
Finally, he turns to me. “What will you do?”
I shrug. Honestly? My brain is still calibrating, trying to figure out how any of this is real. Because, right now, I’m stood next to a world-famous popstar I’ve been cyber-stalking for the last forty-eight hours and my luxury cruise, that was meant to be repairing my mental health, is but a dot in the distance.
Did I pass out? Did I slip and hit my head as I ran through the cobbled streets?
“I’m sorry,” I finally manage to choke out. “I’m trying to…” I just wave my hands at the general situation, hoping he’ll catch on.
He smiles. “I understand. This…” He waves his hands the same way as I did. “…is super inconvenient.”
“Yes.” And embarrassing. Probably expensive too.
“I’m Gus by the way,” he says, holding out his hand to me.
I give him a look. “Yeah. I know who you are.” It feels like a confession.
He tilts his head, curiously. “Hmm. I didn’t think you did.”
“Oh.” I blink rapidly. “Well, I didn’t before… when…” Oh, this is mortifying again. How wonderful. He grins, a sparkle in his eye that tells me he now knows I’ve researched him.Walked right into that one, Sara! “What I mean is…”
Ugh. I can’t talk myself out of this one.
Thankfully he rescues me.“I only introduced myself because I was hoping you’d give me your name.”
I click my fingers. That makes sense. Hopefully it won’t take long for me to revert to being a normal person with mature communication skills, instead of this sweaty, socially inept, horridly embarrassed and fumbling version of me.
“You mean you don’t know whoI am?” I say, pretending to be mock offended.
He laughs. “Should I?”
“Wow.” I shake my head. “Rude.”
He waits for me to answer his original question, brow raised. I blow out a breath, brush down my dress and reset.
I hold my hand out like he did. He takes it in his large, warm hand, squeezing firmly as I say, “Hello, Gus. My name is Sara. Nice to meet you. Even if it is, once again, in unfortunate circumstances.”
He schools his face to play along. “Nice to meet you too, Sara. Like myself, I see you are lost in a foreign city.”
“Ah, I can see why you would think that. But I’m actually not lost at all. I am, in fact, stranded.”
“Quite right. Me too. Tell me, Sara, what do you plan on doing to correct this situation? Because I myself,” he says, pointing at his chest, “am probably going to walk to the next city.”
I laugh, shaking my head and planting my hands on my hips. “Why are we talking like this?”
“I have no idea. You started it.”
I probably did. I’m being supremely awkward. “Good point. But sorry, did you just say you’re planning onwalkingto Dubrovnik?”
“I did say that.”
I nod as if that’s a very sensible thing to say but end up frowning in confusion. “Why, exactly?”
He raises his hands like it’s obvious. “I love an adventure. And I have no money.”
“So, you arenota wealthy popstar?”
“No. I mean, yes. But I have no moneyonme.”
