But giving in to despair was truly a luxury, particularly for someone without money, so I rubbed my eyes, took a deep breath and stood up again. It would only get done if I did it, was my motto. If I needed to figure out public transit from this location, then that’s what I would have to do, no matter how much that would suck.
It only took a few minutes to finish putting my things away in the closet and bathroom. Below the double porcelain sinks were cabinets where one side was virtually empty, so I stuck my makeup bag and blow dryer in with a few other odds and ends. I walked back through to the living room and took a deep breath, looking around to see where it was I would be staying for a few days.
The condo had a great open floor plan encompassing both dining and entertainment. The kitchen was all stainless steel, with granite counters that had veins of blue and gray running throughout. Tiles on the backsplash behind the stove picked up the blue color, while the entire flooring throughout the condo was the same beautiful hardwood. A rustic wooden table sat on a light-colored throw rug that had an intricate pattern of blue threads running through it, and of course, the large sofa with the soft brown, buttery leather faced that gigantic entertainment center that took up most of the north-facing wall. To top it off, another amazing view of the ocean could be seen out of a set of sliding glass doors that led to the balcony.
I decided to investigate.
The blue undulating waves continuously rolled toward the shore. The soothing view mixed with the fresh salty breeze, and I was able to relax somewhat, considering there was still a guy who wanted to kill me. I was able to forget about all that briefly, watching the activity taking place just two floors down.
The boardwalk in Venice was always packed with a combination of tourists and bohemian personalities, but it was particularly true in the summertime. People were three and four deep, gathered around outdoor shops that lined the beach selling all variety of things, from tie-dyed T-shirts and berets in reggae colors to music, incense, jewelry and art. A man in all-silver clothing and body paint danced robotically to loud funk music from an old-style ghetto blaster for tips, while another man did on-the-spot caricatures of patrons in chalk and pastels.
Bermuda shorts—wearing, souvenir-toting foreigners with digital cameras had a good time watching and taking pictures, while in the distance, hundreds lined the beaches, laying out in next-to-nothing bikinis to catch that perfect shade of seasonal bronze on their skin. Occasionally, mixed in with the coconut tanning oil was the smell of reefer.
Ryder and Sy owned the second and third floors of the three-story building I was in. The first floor, however, was one of the permanent businesses on the boardwalk. It was a little French-inspired coffee shop, and if smell was anything to go by, it was probably delicious, which reminded me that I was definitely ready for some food. My stomach had begun growling sometime after twelve in the afternoon, and it was now almost two. In the excitement of the morning, I’d forgotten to eat.
I did, briefly, think about poking through the fridge, but PTSD kept me from actually doing it. People say things like “Make yourself at home,” but really, it’s easier said than done. I had my hand slapped too many times by my aunt or grandmother on a number of occasions as a child, because I dared to “make myself at home” when I lived with them. I’d always had to ask permission first.
So you could understand why, even though I was totally starving, I would never go into Ryder’s fridge, particularly after he acted like he couldn’t get away from me fast enough. Honestly, this was likely not going to work out. Maybe I could call my cousin and see if she had any familial feelings toward me. At least enough that I could hang with her until this problem got resolved.
But I was starving! I needed to go out and get something.
Unsure of what to do and unwilling to be helpless and reliant, I figured it wouldn’t take long to run downstairs to the little restaurant. In fact, I could be helpful and properly appreciative of the protection and support Ryder and Sy were providing by getting us all sandwiches and coffees. I could just leave a note or something.