Page 34 of No Such Thing as Serendipity
Annie chuckled. “This is gonna be fun having the two of you as housemates. Why don’t ya all go set your stuff in a room? Then you can join me for an iced tea.”
“Sounds good,” I said.
“Don’t mind my stuff piled in the common area.”
“You didn’t choose a room yet?” I asked.
“Nope. I’ll choose from whatever’s left. Let the universe decide where I belong.”
“Serendipity,” Emma practically shouted.
“Exactly,” Annie said.
I groaned. “Damn it. I’m going to be so outnumbered.”
A puzzled expression crossed Annie’s face, so Emma launched into the story of how we ended up at Blissful Breeze and why I wasn’t allowed to make any of my own decisions.
After Emma finished, Annie shook her head with a huge smile on her face. “This just keeps getting better and better.”
CHAPTER 11
By evening, our otherthree housemates had arrived, while those from other villas continued straggling in. Vera had come by with a load of firewood and taken orders for pizza. Apparently, we were eating around the firepit tonight.
“Yippee,” I said to the mirror as I took in my sour expression.
I’d wanted to stay in my room and settle in, but Emma had vetoed it. Since I’d agreed to let her make all the decisions, here I stood in the room, not of my choosing, getting ready for a party I didn’t want to attend.
Why had I agreed to this?I remembered. My life was a shit show, and this was supposed to cure me or at least relax me.
When we entered the villa, I’d headed to the back, searching for a secluded room. Without a word, Emma tapped me on the shoulder and pointed toward the front of the villa. I looked like Linus dragging his blanket as I pulled my carry-on to the room right off the common area. At least, she’d taken the one next tome, but still, why did she want to torture me? I’d been a good sister.
I sighed, knowing she wasn’t punishing me. She’d tell me she was doing this for my own good. I finished drying my hair and stashed the blow dryer under the sink. The bathroom was tiny, with only a shower, toilet, and small vanity. While the size mortified me, Emma had been gleeful we had our own private baths.
Jesus.Do some retreats expect guests to share a bathroom? I turned from the mirror and walked, naked, into my bedroom, which was also tiny and rundown. Only two of the four drawers in my IKEA knockoff dresser opened without a struggle. One stuck and had to be finagled open, while the other lacked a support bar and dangled precariously when open. I’d put my undergarments in it just in case it tumbled to the floor.
I glared at the outfit I’d laid out on my bed. Emma hadn’t bought me a single business suit. Okay, maybe this wasn’t the place for business attire, but at least, she could have selected khakis or high-end workout gear like Lululemon or Athleta. I’d even settle for Nike or Adidas. Instead, Emma had proclaimed she’d found all the clothes at Kohl’s—on discount.
Ugh.I picked up the discount pair of jeans and slid them on. They fit like a glove. Of course they did since Emma was practically the same size as me, albeit less muscular. I’d selected a simple black V-neck shirt, but now I questioned my choice. Maybe I should throw on one of the many T-shirts she’d purchased since I only had a few of the nicer V-necks.
With a sigh, I refolded the shirt and pulled out a tee with a silly cartoon character on it. Some blue thing with a mouthful of teeth and big pink ears. It resembled a dog, kinda, more like an alien.
I reached for my phone. Emma allowed me to keep it, as long as I didn’t do business while we were here. I’d intentionally notasked her to define business, so I could feign ignorance if she caught me doing something she didn’t approve of.
Madison must have a store with more suitable clothing. I pressed my thumb against the phone but then slammed it on the dresser. Emma wouldn’t go for that. I could call the whole thing off, but not on the first day. I needed to play along for a while, or it would crush Emma.
When I emerged from my room, the others were gathered in the kitchen area.
“Glad you could join us,” Annie said when she saw me. “I thought we were gonna have to drag you out.”
Emma moved up beside me and put her arm over my shoulders. “The others are waiting. Come on.”
I considered digging in my heels and not letting her pull me to the large table that filled one side of the room. The spacious expanse served as both a dining room and kitchen. Its simple design featured white appliances, faux marble, and dark wood cabinets. The color scheme looked more suited to the nineties than today.
“Pizza won’t be delivered for an hour. Should we retire to the common area and get acquainted or stay here?” Emma asked.
I knew I had no say, so I kept quiet.
I couldn’t remember the women’s names, but I thought of them as the hippie, the sad sack, and the hot tight ass. Emma would kick me if she knew I’d already labeled them.
