Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26260 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 88(@300wpm)
I never made it onto the show, but they sent me the sweatshirt as a consolation prize with my rejection letter. Although, I do wish I’d made it, if only to meet Gordon Ramsay.
He’s as close to a crush as I’ve ever had.
“Have fun.” Natalie rolls down her window and waves. “Send pictures. I want to see you in that new bikini on the beach or in a pool relaxing.”
I spin on the toe of my black work clog, waving over my head as the skycap finishes loading my four stuffed suitcases on the cart, and we head toward the terminal doors.
In four hours, I’ll be in San Phillipe, and I’ll probably be the only one of my friends who won’t be relaxing.
Ten hours and one migraine later, I’ve thrown my luggage in my room, changed out of my dirty feeling travel clothes and punched the down button on the elevator. After packing what felt like nearly everything I own, somehow, I managed to bring one pair of shoes outside of my clunky work shoes.
Flip-flops.
And they don’t even match.
My connecting flight was delayed by four hours in a tiny airport with no restaurant or bar and air conditioning that needed some recharging.
When I landed, my phone was full of messages from my friends who went to town for a fabulous dinner at Ethos. Besides being tired and cranky in general, I’m extra salty I missed the meal because that restaurant is one of the reasons we picked San Phillipe for this trip. Instead, I ate corn nuts and beef jerky from the duty-free store before settling into a stuffy cab and heading for the hotel.
I take a deep, shaky breath as the elevator dings and the doors whoosh open. Stepping inside, I’m relieved to see it’s empty, because making small talk or eye contact with a stranger right now seems like an epic feat.
Goosebumps rise on my skin in the cool air conditioning, and I consider going back to my room and snuggling into the huge white robe in the bathroom after a bubble bath and room service.
But, I’m here for some fun and adventure, so I sally forward wearing my new bikini and lacy black cover up. Natalie helped me pick them out after seeing my sad three-year-old chlorine faded boy shorts and swim t-shirt combo.
I’ve never had a bikini before and especially not one that is no more than two sets of varying-size beige triangles, held together with matching shoelaces.
But she said, go big or go home, and something about less is more. She loves her cliches, even when they make almost no sense, but I love her anyway. She’s the sister I never thought I’d have.
My hair is tangled in a messy bun and the bit of makeup I threw on this morning has long worn off. I did manage a new swipe of deodorant along with what should have been a spritz of my favorite perfume before heading out of my room and down the hall.
Instead, the little sprayer on my perfume bottle malfunctioned and delivered a firehose gush that dripped down my neck, soaking into the fabric of my bathing suit and cover-up before I could grab a towel and mop up the excess.
I’m sure I smell like I bathed in the stuff, but there’s no time for a shower, so off I go.
The elevator dings with each floor as the metal box vibrates under my feet and I find myself humming along to the generic instrumental music piping in from the speaker in the ceiling.
As the numbers descend into single digits, my text notification goes off.
I dig my phone from my backpack, leaning a shoulder against the cool wall of the elevator as I read the incoming texts from our group chat.
Ruby: Where are you? We’re all half in the bag already. GET DOWN HERE! We’re at the swim up bar.
Me: I know, you told me. I’m on the elevator now.
Harold: There some prime cuts of beef down here. I got first dibs. 🍆
Me: Have at it. I’ve got all the prime beef I need back at the restaurant.
The restaurant. God, I should have called my chef de cuisine when I landed to see how the night went. He would have been awake. Restaurant people never sleep, but I was trying to relax.
All relaxing is doing for me is making me anxious.
Ruby: Prime beef and some juicy looking sausages too. I’ll order you a Strong Island. It’s like a Long Island but…STRONGER!
Harold: I’m on my thrid allm bready.
Me: It’s okay, I don’t really want a drink.
Ruby: Get down here.
Harold: Order her too. to. 2. TWO.
The elevator settles with a soft bump and a ding on the main floor. The doors swoosh open, and I look at the sign in front of me with arrows and directions to the different parts of the hotel. I hear music and happy voices as I follow the arrow that indicates the Party Pool & Swim-Up Bar. As the voices get louder, I remember Tor’s commentary on my friends, and I’m honestly a bit relieved this trip is only two nights and the first one is already partially over.