Chapter 10: Warm Welcomes?

Woken abruptly by the blaring alarm, I groggily blinked my eyes open, only to be greeted by a sight that was far from what I expected. Confusion washed over me as I stared up at a plain and rather unappealing ceiling. That's when it hit me like a ton of bricks—I wasn't in the comfort of my city penthouse but stuck in the Hicksville motel.

A groan escaped me as I grabbed my phone, finding out it was already 9:00. 

"OH MY GOD!" I exclaimed.

Panic set in, and I hurried to the bathroom, desperate to freshen up and get my act together. But as I caught sight of my reflection, I let out a blood-curdling scream.

My once perfectly applied mascara, lipstick, and makeup were now a smudgy disaster, giving me the appearance of a tragic clown. Even worse, my hair was a wild mess, looking like I'd been caught in a tornado.

I stared at the reflection, aghast at the sight, and muttered a series of expletives under my breath. This was definitely not the glamorous wake-up call I was used to.

"Arghhh!"

With a grumble, I washed my face with just water, not trusting a single soap molecule on that dingy motel sink. Half an hour later—yes, thirty agonizing minutes later—I dared to glance at the mirror again.

Gone were the remnants of my once-flawless makeup, and forget about lipstick—I had neither the patience nor the energy. My usually vibrant blue eyes were now filled with exhaustion, making me look like a panda. Thank the heavens for my naturally pink lips—I could at least count on them.

Attempting to tame the lion's mane that was my hair, I resorted to a vigorous finger-combing session, which surprisingly turned out somewhat presentable. Still clad in yesterday's attire, I strategically wrapped Gab's jacket around my waist to conceal the pesky slit in my skirt, grabbed my killer Louboutin pink heels, and slung my bag over my shoulder.

Sliding on my sunglasses with an air of nonchalance, I grabbed my hat and sauntered out of my room. Exiting the elevator, I strutted my way to the reception desk, ready to drop off that room key like a mic after a killer performance. Surprisingly, a new face greeted me with all the politeness in the world. 

"Hey there, I'm returning this," I chirped, pointing at the key.

She nodded and took the key, offering up the sweetest smile. Then, curiosity got the best of me, and I casually asked, "So, where's the other lady who usually works here?"

"Oh, she's around only on Mondays and Wednesdays," the new receptionist answered, her tone as sweet as candy.

"Interesting. By any chance, did someone check into the presidential suite yesterday?" 

She shook her head. "Nope, no one checked into the presidential suite yesterday, none ever used it for a long time" she replied, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

I thanked her and headed out, the wheels in my head spinning faster. Something was definitely fishy about that woman. Outside, flames of anger licked at my insides. That woman from yesterday definitely had it in for me—why else would she lie like that? But I managed to reel in my emotions not letting my day get ruined by that woman

"Well, whatever, she's just a normal hater" I murmured to myself.

Taking a deep breath, I surveyed the scene, noting the bustling activity in the nearby stores. Hicksville seemed to come alive in the morning light, and curious glances from the locals didn't escape my notice.

Just as I was about to make my exit, a black ranger pulled up in front of me. To my surprise, Luke hopped out in a gray hoodie with sleepy eyes.

"Luke?" I asked, confused. "Why are you here?"

"Good morning Ms. Scarlet" he yawned, grinning at me. "Sir Gabri—I mean Sir Gab send me here to fetch you"

He opened the car door for me with a polite flourish. Baffled, I couldn't help but ask, "Why'd Gab send you?"

His response was matter-of-fact, "Gab knew you were stranded without wheels, and he wanted to make sure you got around."

"Um.....okay" I whispered, holding back the smile at the thoughtful move. 

I hopped into the back seat of the car, and Luke just let out this huge sigh. I shot him a "what's that about" look but didn't say anything. As we rolled along, I couldn't hold back my curiosity.

"Hey, did he fix my car?" I threw the question his way.

He nodded with a simple "Yes."

Soon enough, we pulled up at the repair shop. But what greeted me was unexpected—there were folks of all ages milling about, gathered around Gab. Their eyes were all glued to my car.

Luke wasted no time in flinging my car door wide open, practically ushering me out. Stepping onto the scene, I immediately sensed all eyes on me. The whole crowd seemed fixated, giving off these warm and welcoming vibes that felt a bit overwhelming. I managed a nervous and awkward smile, not exactly used to being the center of attention without taking my morning coffee. 

Before I knew it, a few women from the group made a beeline for me, extending their hands in greeting. They were all smiles, shaking my hand and offering their warm welcomes to their town. It was nice and all, but I couldn't help feeling a tad bit out of place surrounded by all the sudden hospitality.

"Welcome to our town!," one of the women chimed in, her voice brimming with cheer.

"Oh, thank you!" I replied, trying my best to match their energy. It seems like all of them were morning people.

Another woman added, "We've heard so much about you!"

I chuckled nervously, feeling a blush creeping up my cheeks. "Really? Well, hope it's been good!"

"Absolutely!" they replied.

As the welcomes continued pouring in, I found myself at a loss for words, but I made an effort to maintain a polite conversation. I honestly don't have the energy to match their energetic morning. 

Suddenly, Gab piped up, "Alright, folks, don't make her nervous. Scatter, scatter!" He gestured for me to follow him inside the shop, and with a hesitant shrug, I did but without bidding goodbye to the crowd. 

"Okay, what's that all about? I didn't expect they would greet me that warmly knowing that you don't have billboards of me around here" I narrowed my eyes at him despite my sunglasses, glancing back at the already scattering crowd outside.

He seemed to think for a moment but after I expected some explanation, he just gave me a shrug. "Good stuff. I can't blame them for being curious as to who is the owner of that flashy car—"

"Pinky" I corrected. "Its name is Pinky and it is not flashy! She is just pretty"

Pinky

An amused smirk graced his face, "She?"

"Well, duh, you didn't expect me to pertain to my car as 'he' right?"

"Of course" he replied but he was obviously suppressing himself and not smiling. He motioned towards a new sofa. "Please, take a seat," he said.

I eyed the plush piece of furniture. "Did you change this?" I asked, genuinely surprised.

"Yeah, Luke told me you don't do sofas with holes. Figured it was time for an upgrade," he explained, a sly grin playing on his lips. "Didn't realize how worn out the old ones were until he mentioned it."