Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
I wish I were kidding.
On day two, I found someone to cut up the tree and take it away to be repurposed into firewood and mulch, then the battle with the rental company and the insurance started. After spending two full days making endless calls and getting nowhere, I had to just resign myself to the fact that if this was ever going to get taken care of, with me not being held liable for damaging property and getting charged for a brand new car, I needed Luca and his undertaker-level scary lawyer to help.
They did.
I don’t know how it was accomplished, but magic was done. The car rental place sent a flat deck tow truck to retrieve the smushed vehicle, and I received an email basically stating that I was good to go. About half an hour after that, I received a second email from the property owners saying they were reimbursing me for what I’d paid to stay there, apologizing for the near-death experience, and begging me not to leave a bad review on the booking website.
Stonewell is actually a pretty kickass guy.
The interior of this bus is fancier than anything I could have ever imagined. It’s like being in a moving club with wheels, which I guess puts the party in the name.
The seats are black quilted leather, and they loop around all three sides, illuminated by strip lighting that changes colors. The windows are blacked out from the exterior but tinted from the inside, and they are also trimmed with mood lighting that matches the stuff on the floor and the crazy patterns on the roof. It comes complete with a large TV mounted on the back, a full bar in the middle, and a killer sound system.
Luca has punk music playing, but at a manageable level. We can talk over it if we want.
Since he picked me up from the cabin fifteen minutes ago, neither of us has said anything past giving each other polite greetings. It’s not awkward, but barely.
He’s sitting on one side of the bus, and I’m on the other. We’re across from each other, just a few feet away in reality, but he might as well be in New York, and I might as well be in Ohio already for all the distance it feels like there is between us.
He’s a little bit shy, probably up in his head. And so am I. I’m wearing the last clean thing I brought, which is a black dress with cap sleeves and lace along the bodice. It gives badass princess, but it also passes the goth vibe check that I was supposed to be playing into. I went lighter than normal with my makeup, but I’ve been enjoying experimenting and wasn’t ready to give up the thick winged liner, chiseled contouring, or bright red lipstick. I never wear any makeup when I’m at home since I work in the bakery most days. Uniforms and hairnets are an absolute must, while fake nails and anything that could fall into the food are right up there on my dad’s shitlist of prohibited items.
I’ve loved expressing myself with fashion and makeup in a way that I’ve never been able to or been brave enough to do before.
Luca is a masterpiece. I got bold yesterday when he called me to discuss our travel arrangements, and I might have jokingly told him to wear something awesome. He didn’t disappoint. His red plaid blazer with the sleeves cut off and pinned back on, sporting rips and tears all over the place and patches sewn on, is a new level of someone, come pick me up off the floor, please. His ripped-up black skinny jeans are adorned with chains, and they end in black riding boots. He also slicked his hair back and put on eyeliner. He looks like a legit rockstar.
My ovaries aren’t taking it well.
Maybe the problem is they’re taking it too well and enjoying this far, far more than they should. My vagina and nipples long to get in on the action, partying it up on this bus.
Half of me wonders why I ever told Luca to dress this way, while the other half wonders why I’m wondering why I shouldn’t have.
The fact that we shouldn’t find each other attractive is up for negotiation. I think. What he said at the cottage wasn’t a hard no.
He almost kissed me.
And he put my finger in his mouth and sucked on it.
My only complaint about that whole visit was Adam’s timing. I guess.
And the fact that the tree fell over and crushed my rental like a tin can, which caused a lot of chaos.
But yeah…
The bus is way too quiet, and I can’t take it anymore.
I stand up cautiously, making sure I have some semblance of balance in the moving vehicle before I make my way to the bar in the middle. It’s got its own blue illumination. Pulling open the door at the bottom, I find it fully stocked with bottles of water and one bottle of champagne.