Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
A few minutes later, Vee and Hal caught up to us. Each of them held two colorful frozen drinks in plastic containers shaped like the Eiffel Tower. Counting the straws jutting from the top, they were easily two feet tall.
Vee asked us, “Which one do you want? There’s Blue Raspberry, Margarita, Pina Colada, or Strawberry Daiquiri.” I didn’t understand what a “Blue Raspberry” could possibly be. It wasn’t the name of a cocktail, or a thing that occurred in nature.
Embry selected the bright red daiquiri, and I asked for the margarita, which turned out to be the neon green one. Then I asked, “How much do I owe you?”
“It’s our treat,” Vee said. “Least we could do after you brought us all the way to Vegas.”
“Vee and I want to hit the slots.” Hal gestured to the right with a tip of his head. “You two should join us.”
“Actually, I think we’re going to keep exploring. Good luck, though. I hope you win a lot of money. Oh, and here are your plastic key thingies, in case you can’t find us later.”
Embry handed over the key cards and recited the room number before our two groups went off in opposite directions. I took a cautious sip from my giant cup when Embry asked what I thought of the drink, and I told him it reminded me of a faintly boozy convenience store slushie. He nodded at that and said, “I think that’s what they were going for.”
After a while, we came across a shop that was meant to resemble a Parisian boulangerie. Embry gasped and ran over to the pastry case, and when I joined him he gushed, “Look at all the pretty colors! I wish I knew how to make macarons. I’ve tried, but they never turn out right.”
“I’ll show you how to make them when we get home. There are a couple of tricks to it, but once you get the technique down, they’re actually pretty simple.” I selected a rectangular box of macarons in a rainbow of colors and handed the cashier some money.
Embry turned to me with wide eyes. “You know how to make those? For real?”
“Sure. I had to take several pastry courses when I was in culinary school, and this is one of the first things we were taught. I always thought they were fun to make.”
When I handed him the box, he looked surprised. “For me?” I nodded, and he said, “Thank you, Bryson.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Would it be okay if we ate these now? I’m really hungry.”
“Of course, but didn’t you have lunch before we left San Francisco?”
“No. I was too nervous to eat before our flight.”
“Let me buy you a meal.” We’d passed at least five restaurants on our walk around the edge of the casino.
“This is all I want for now.”
We took a seat at a table outside the bakery, under a fake tree with teardrop lights on it that were meant to resemble rain. Embry raised the lid on the box and frowned. “I hate to mess up the rainbow, but I also really want a cookie. I guess I’ll eat the green one, since that’s my least favorite color.” He carefully split the cookie down the middle and gave me half. I tried to tell him he should have all of it, but he insisted. Then he took a tiny bite and murmured, “It’s delicious. I thought it’d be lime, but it’s not. Do you know what flavor it is?”
I ate my half and told him, “It’s pistachio. That’s actually the flavor I always bought myself at my neighborhood bakery when I was living in Paris.”
“Oh, wow. How long did you live there?”
“For seven months, right after culinary school. I got to train in two fantastic restaurants.”
“Do you speak French?”
“I’m a little rusty, but yeah. I studied it in school, and I also learned a bit from my French relatives. We stayed with them a few times when I was growing up.”
He murmured, “Paris must be incredible,” and ate another morsel of the cookie.
“Have you thought about visiting?”
I was surprised by the wistfulness in his voice. “No, because it’s something I know I can’t have. When I told you I’ve always been broke, I meant it. Even though seeing Paris would be a dream come true, it’s always been way out of my reach.”
He met my gaze and added, “I’m not complaining, though. I believe in focusing on all the good things in my life, instead of feeling sad about what I don’t have.”
“Maybe you can take a trip with some of the money you’ll get at the end of this.”
“As tempting as that is, and as amazing as it would be to see Paris, I need to be smart with that money. If I use it to launch the business I told you about and manage to make it a success, it’ll be a way to take care of myself for years to come.”