Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 106798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
“And now that I know you thought of yourself as my pimp, I’m feeling a little less enthusiastic about being your employee.”
Leah giggles and turns toward me. “Live it up tonight. We might die tomorrow.”
My eyes widen as I curl my lips inward and hum. “I didn’t know death was on our itinerary.”
“I’ve been told the descent into the Mulu airport is a little … heart-thumping. It was that or the boat ride up the river through the snake-infested jungles. And just for the record … if I were here by myself, I’d choose the boat. So don’t say I never do anything for you.” She winks.
I’m not sure if I should be insulted that she thinks I can’t handle snakes or grateful because … I can’t handle snakes!
If I’m going to die abroad, what better place than Gunung Mulu National Park.
Caves.
Vertical cliffs.
Gorges.
And yes … snakes.
Don’t even bring me home. Find an ancient burial site and add me to the count.
“Did Leon and Andre invite us or did you invite them?”
Her glossed lips twist to the side. “I’m not sure, maybe a bit of both. It just came up in conversation while you were in the shower.”
Leon and Andre are staying at the hostel as well. Cousins from France who speak fairly good English. Not that it matters because Leah manages to speak a little bit of every language we’ve encountered thus far.
“But if you decide to cheat on your husband again, just know that I’m a little partial to Andre.”
“Funny. But you can have both. And for the record, my husband wants me to cheat on him. He wants me to find his replacement.”
Leah’s smile takes a dive into a pouty frown. “That’s heartbreaking.”
“It’s not heartbreaking. It’s life. Let’s go.”
We end up enjoying our night out with Andre and Leon. Their family owns a bakery in Bordeaux. Andre’s area of expertise is cake decorating and Leon’s is making sure the books balance every month.
“We should visit Bordeaux on our European leg,” Leah suggests the second we drop our purses on the floor and collapse onto our beds after dinner.
“Think so?” I say with a little apprehension, wondering when that European leg will be? Before or after we make a return trip to the US?
“Definitely,” she mumbles in a sleepy voice.
“Okay,” I whisper.
Tuesday dinner turns into Friday dinner with Leon and Andre, where we tell them all about our exhilarating trip to Gunung Mulu National Park.
Saturday brunch.
Sunday breakfast.
And we’ve officially made new friends for life in Leon and Andre. It’s the upside to staying at hostels. Less privacy equals more friendships. Sunday night we go out to celebrate Leon’s birthday.
“No more.” I shake my head when Andre orders another round of shots. I’ve had my limit.
“Last one, love. I promise.” Andre gives me his irresistible wink, and I cave and take the shot.
While we close down the bar, my phone lights up with a call from Zach —his handsome face on my screen.
“Zach is calling.” I stand to find a place less noisy.
“Who’s Zach?” Leon asks.
Leah giggles. “Her husband.”
I have just enough alcohol in me to not be upset with her. After all, who are Leon and Andre going to tell? Zach's family? The IRS? “We haven’t consummated the marriage.” I roll my eyes, leaving Andre and Leon with Leah and another round of shots while I weave my way through the crowd to the stairs of the swanky rooftop bar. “Hello?” It’s hard to hear. “Just a sec …”
On the main level, the music’s loud and the lights are a technicolor of madness for my head. “Can you hear me?”
“Emersyn?”
“I’m at a bar,” I yell. “I’m going to step outside,” I say, shouldering past people in small groups, people dancing, couples groping each other.
My head.
“Emersyn?”
“Just a …” I feel a little nauseous and dizzy—major vertigo.
Then … nothing.
“Hey, Em.” Leah comes into view.
“What happened?” I wince as I try to lift my head.
Something beeps behind me. I’m in the hospital.
“You had a seizure…” she squeezes my hand “…at the bar last night.” She frowns and I know what she’s thinking. This is the reason she shouldn’t have hired me.
“My head.” I reach for it.
“You needed a few stitches. Your head hit something when you went down. No concussion, thankfully. Don’t worry, the nurse said your hair will grow back in that area. You might have to opt for a ponytail or a hat. You can totally pull it off.”
“Great,” I mumble. “Leah … I’m …”
She shakes her head. “It’s too late. We’re sisters now. I can be upset that you didn’t tell me sooner, but then I might not have hired you, and that would have been tragic.”
Tears fill my eyes.
“Listen …” She cringes. “While I was freaking out after I realized the commotion below the rooftop bar was my friend having a seizure, Andre retrieved your phone from the floor and Zach was still on the line. So …”