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Chapter Seven
Well, this is weird.
Here I was sat on this British Airways plane all on my own. Even when I travelled for work, I’d have someone with me—Harrison, Robyn or a group of journalists. So the idea of flying solo today was definitely pushing me out of my comfort zone.
The reality of the trip was starting to dawn on me. I was on a plane by myself. I would be staying in accommodation that wasn’t five-star, with a group of three other strangers that I’d never spoken to or met in my life. And I had to live with them for four whole days.
What if we didn’t get on? What would we even talk about? What if I just wanted to sit in silence, but I had to listen to them droning on about some mind-numbing subject I had no interest in, or I was forced to engage in dull small talk?
Come on. Think positively. If I just approached it in the same way I would attending a networking event, I’d be fine. Then again, after being in the industry for so long, it was rare for me not to know most people at one of our dos or not to have things in common with them, so this wasn’t quite the same…
Where’s that drinks trolley? Do you think they’ll serve G&T on a 7.30 a.m. flight?
It was now 11 a.m.,and I’d landed safely in Pisa. Our driver would apparently be meeting us here at the arrivals gate at 11.30 a.m. local time as we were all arriving on different flights but would be collected together and then taken to our villa.
As I stood against the back wall opposite the airport exit/entrance doors, I felt a flutter of butterflies in my stomach. I’d never been on a blind date before, but I was guessing it felt a lot like this.
I scanned the people around me, wondering whether anyone else here would be living with me for the next four days. I stared at a slim blonde lady.Is it you?Then a tall man with short wavy hair.Are you staying with me?Was it that couple over there by the leather shop? This was driving me crazy. I wasn’t used to not being in control.
Actually, was I even in the right place? They did say arrivals, didn’t they, and not outside? I fished the paperwork out of my plain black canvas bag and read over the meeting instructions:
Itinerary
Saturday 9th April
Benvenuti! Welcome to Tuscany!
Our transfer driver will meet you in arrivals at Pisa Airport at 11.30 a.m. As we have guests arriving from different flights, a transfer at 12.30 will allow everyone to be transferred together. Our driver will be holding a sign that says ‘Taste Holidays’.
Good. I was in the right place, then. I just needed to look out for the guy with the sign.
I did another scan of the area.Oooh, hello. I hope you are coming to live with me…
Stood near the exit was a hot guy with beautiful olive skin, dark hair and the cutest, tightest little bum (wellof courseI was watching him as he turned around). I wouldn’t be averse to the idea ofhimbeing one of my fellow housemates. Nor would I object to indulging in a wild holiday romance with such a fine specimen. Mm-mmm.
Reality check. I couldn’t see any luggage with him, and he looked Italian, so doubtful he’d be coming on a cookery holiday when he could just learn from his mama.
Aaaaargggh. I just wanted to know where everyone was! Well, depended onwhothey were of course. These butterflies were still there, and now I was hot. As well as my dark blue jeans and white Converse, I had on a rose-pink cashmere jumper. It wasn’t particularly warm, hence why I’d thought knitwear would be appropriate, but now I was thinking I should have worn a thinner coat, like my Burberry trench. Then again, the trademark checked lining would be instantly recognisable as designer, and I didn’t want to look flashy. This dark grey wool Armani coat was much more subtle.
It was 11.29 a.m. One minute away from the official meeting time.Is everyone here? The suspense is too much…
Ha-ha! It was 12 p.m., and the cute guy that I hoped would be one of my housemates was actually our driver. He just held up the ‘Taste Holidays’ sign. Half an hour late in doing so, I might add. Didn’t he realise that there was a control freak in the building, desperate to know who she was going to be living with? The guy with the wavy hair was also part of the group, I reckoned, as he looked like he was heading over to the driver now. Well, at least that’s one person I knew was coming.
Next, I spotted a cool woman who I guessed was in her early sixties, with a trendy silver bob and vibrant green jeans, heading over to the meeting point. She looked lovely.
You know what? Screw all this worrying. Remember MAP point number 7?I’d promised that I would embrace things. So that’s exactly what I was going to do. Whoever the guests were, whatever they were like, I was just going to make the most of this trip.
I headed over to the group and as I did, a second lady with striking green eyes and longish blonde hair joined us, completing our foursome.
Mr Cute Bum (he told us his name, but I was too busy ogling to remember) signalled to us to follow him to the people carrier. He might look divine, but he seemed a little moody. Oh well. No holiday romance for me this time.
I climbed into the back seat right in the corner, and the others followed behind me. Time to get my PR networking hat on and embrace the situation.
‘Hi, everyone,’ I said warmly. ‘I’m Sophia, lovely to meet you.’
Introductions swiftly followed. There was Grace, the cool-looking lady with the stunning grey hair, who was sixty-five and from Australia; Francesca from Berkshire, a nurse and happily married mother of two sons, one who was a teacher, and the other was travelling around Asia, who’d booked the trip to celebrate her forty-ninth birthday. Then the honorary male was Daniel, an engineer from Kent who would also be celebrating his forty-first birthday during the trip.
From the second we started talking, it was clear that I had been worrying for no reason. They all seemed adorable. We chatted so much that the journey time to the villa flew by. Before we knew it, we were surrounded by beautiful vineyards, admiring the expansive grounds of the place we’d be calling home for the next four days.
