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Katie
Elation.It is pure elation I am feeling as we leave The Painted Plate. Not only do I have a cool new plate that Leslie gave us for free in exchange for the advertising we’re about to give her store, but she agreed to participate in the scavenger hunt app and offer a ‘buy one, get one free’ incentive to anyone who shows up. “That was awesome. If we keep this up, I am positive we will beat out the other competition.”
“You might be right,” Derek says with a small nod as he unlocks the car, “but then what? We’re still competing with each other.”
Like a popped balloon, my elation vanishes. Why does he have to be such a buzzkill? “Let’s worry about that when we get there, okay? We still have to find more amazing places to add to the app. Speaking of which, let’s just walk and see what we find.”
“That’s not going to be the fastest way,” he begins, but I cut him off.
“No, but we might miss something if we don’t. Just this street, okay?”
A sigh that could shake an entire room escapes his mouth, but he nods and locks the car again. Then we set off down the street.
“Oh, that would be perfect,” I say, pointing to a building on the right. “An escape room is the perfect draw for tourists.”
“What is an escape room?” he asks, the color draining from his face.
“Seriously? Do you watch the news? Escape rooms are all the rage. It’s a room with puzzles and clues that you have to figure out in order to escape.”
“So they lock you in a room?”
His reaction is puzzling. I would have thought he would enjoy puzzles, but he looks like he’d rather sit through a Spice Girls concert. “Yeah, hence the escape part.”
“What if you don’t succeed?” His voice sounds pinched, and he pulls at his collar as he speaks as if it’s trying to strangle him.
I shrug. “It’s usually a timed thing, so if you don’t figure it out in the allotted time, then they kick you out of the room with a better-luck-next-time pat on the back.”
The color returns to his face. “So, there’s no real danger involved?”
My lips press together as I realize he really thought he might get locked in a room. “No, there’s no danger.” Suddenly his behavior in the elevator makes more sense. He must be claustrophobic. “Let’s see what their hours are.”
The escape room is closed, but I take a picture of the hours and the phone number so I can contact them later. It may not make it on Derek’s list, but it’s certainly making it on mine. The next few shops are clothing boutiques and while they’re cute, I’m not sure they would be good for the app, but the next store is a gold mine.
“Come on, we have to go in,” I say, grabbing Derek’s arm.
He looks down at my hand, and I return it to my side. Okay, he doesn’t like to be touched. Or at least not by me. Got it.
“No, thank you,” he says, shaking his head.
“This is exactly what they’re looking for. How many places like this do you think exist?”
“Not many and for good reason.” The look on his face isn’t quite one of disgust, but it’s close.
“You’ve left me no choice then,” I say, grabbing the eight ball from my bag. “Should we go inside?” I ask before flipping it over. ‘Most Likely’ floats into the screen. “That looks like a yes.”
“Technically, most likely is not a yes,” Derek protests. “It’s subjunctive.”
Man, he sounds a lot like Piper sometimes. Maybe I should try to get them together. After this promotion, that is. “Well, it’s a lot closer than a no, so come on.”
Reluctantly, he follows me into the store. My eyes widen at the vast array of costumes and then at the woman wearing a cowboy hat and a fringed vest who pops up from behind the counter as we enter. Her blonde hair hangs in two braids over her shoulders. “Welcome to Picture Perfect. I’m Marlene. Do you guys know what era you would like your photo to be from?” I don’t know if she’s from the south, but her accent is pretty convincing.
My mind is reeling as I scan the offerings. There was a booth like this at a fair I went to once in high school, but the options were pretty limited - western, Victorian, caveman - but this place is like a costume cornucopia. She seems to have something from every era. I see flapper dresses and zoot suits, chaps and saloon girl outfits, poodle skirts and bell bottoms. “I have no idea.” I turn to Derek. “What do you think?”
A look of pure disgust is on Derek’s face. “I’m not putting any of this on. I don’t know where it’s been or who’s been in it.”
“We do a thorough cleaning of every outfit after each shoot,” Marlene says, “and if it makes you feel better, we haven’t had a customer in days, so it’s almost like they’re brand new.”
“Come on, Derek, she needs the customers and our app could help her out. Be a sport?” I refrain from tugging on his arm after the incident outside, but I do bat my lashes, hoping I can channel Belle and her southern charm.
