Chapter 177

• It still took fifteen minutes just to stroll through all the rooms and take it in. The finishes and construction were superlative. Each bedroom had a large steam shower and sauna. There was a private pool in the rear garden. We had a pool table and grand piano. There were dozens of fresh floral displays. This was unlike anything I'd ever experienced. I didn't care what we had needed to do to secure it because this was the most worthy splurge I could have possibly dreamed up.
• As was our habit at home, we gathered around the bar when we finished our gawking tour of the villa. The coke had mostly worn off, but I was flying on adrenaline. It was just past two o'clock Vegas time. Jess had brought our lone suitcase into the room and laid it on the floor. She unzipped it, and I was surprised to find none of the clothes we had packed.
• "It's going to be hard to go to a nice dinner wearing these clothes," I joked.