was
feeling the sting of Tesla's lack of attention, but he didn't seem
to be bothered.
In fact, he was leaning in to my chair. He
whispered, "Kissy and Rusty came in ninth, so they’re out."
I couldn't say I was surprised to hear that,
since the Rednecks hadn’t proven themselves to be particularly good
with the challenges. I was, however, surprised by the shiver that
rocked through me at his breath against my ear. I squirmed in my
chair and counted heads of the other contestants, loitering in the
lobby. "Who does that leave?"
"Just Myrna and Fred, I think." Liam glanced
around the room and nodded. "Yep. Just them."
"The two easiest teams," I mused. "It's going
to get a lot harder after this. Who do you think will go next?"
He considered the others, then leaned in
close to me again to whisper his response. "Depends on the kind of
challenge. If it's a water challenge, I say Wendi and Rick, because
Wendi's not athletic and Rick doesn't have the musculature."
The mother and son team. I could see
that.
"If it's something athletic…maybe Steffi and
Cristi. They don't run as fast as the others."
"And if it's an eating challenge?" I asked
lightly.
"Then we'll win," he said. "If you do it,
anyhow. If it's me, be prepared for the Loser Lodge."
"Sensitive stomach?"
He gave a small laugh. "Would you believe me
if I said that my failure at that challenge had more to do with
memories of a bad sushi experience than anything else?"
I chuckled. "I believe it. I don't think I
can ever eat fish again after that challenge. And it wasn't even
fish. It just smelled like it."
“It was a nightmare.”
“I’m shocked – you’re not a big fan of the
raw, blubbery insides of marine wildlife?”
"Don't remind me," he said, clutching at his
stomach as if in pain. "I'm still getting acid reflux
flashbacks."
I laughed again, just as someone thumped into
the chair next to me. It was Abby, with Dean hovering over her
shoulder.
Liam immediately went quiet, glancing over at
me.
Abby leaned in, a twinkle in her eye, and
whispered, "How much money do you have?"
"Why?" I asked warily, glancing over at my
partner. His face was a mask of indifference. Gone was the easy
smile he'd worn, and I felt like our hard-won truce had just
disappeared into smoke. Which kind of sucked.
"Because," Abby said, and then leaned in,
glancing around at the crowded lobby. Her voice lowered. "Dean
worked his magic and got us a discount on a room that was
vacated."
I sucked in a breath, staring up in wonder at
Dean. He winked at me, all cocky and pleased with himself. "I
pulled a few strings, might have signed a few autographs, things
like that."
Oh, that was right. Dean was a big shot
Olympian swimmer. Five medals or something like that. I looked over
at Liam in excitement. "You're famous too - maybe you can squeeze
us a discount?"
His mouth twitched and he shook his head.
"Tesla, maybe. Everyone recognizes her. Me, I'm just the guitarist.
Without her at my side, I'm anonymous."
Abby waved a hand impatiently. "We don't need
another discount. They're willing to give us the room for half
price as long as we're out by seven am."
I glanced at my watch. We had a twelve hour
rest break between the time we'd arrived and the time we received
our next clue. "We got here at five," I told her.
"We got here at three thirty," Abby said. "So
that's perfect."
"And that means we only have to pay about a
hundred and ten or so…fifty five apiece if we split it between two
teams."
I looked over at Liam.
He shrugged.
"Hot showers," Abby cajoled. "Pillows.
Someplace to sleep that's not an airport floor."
It was so incredibly tempting. I bit my lip,
and then stole a glance at Liam again. "What do you want to do?" It
would be half of our money, but we'd also be well rested and well
showered. It was worth it to me, but this was a partnership, and
that partnership meant that we'd have to agree.
Something Brodie and I had sucked at.
Liam noticed my hesitation. "It'll
feeling the sting of Tesla's lack of attention, but he didn't seem
to be bothered.
In fact, he was leaning in to my chair. He
whispered, "Kissy and Rusty came in ninth, so they’re out."
I couldn't say I was surprised to hear that,
since the Rednecks hadn’t proven themselves to be particularly good
with the challenges. I was, however, surprised by the shiver that
rocked through me at his breath against my ear. I squirmed in my
chair and counted heads of the other contestants, loitering in the
lobby. "Who does that leave?"
"Just Myrna and Fred, I think." Liam glanced
around the room and nodded. "Yep. Just them."
"The two easiest teams," I mused. "It's going
to get a lot harder after this. Who do you think will go next?"
He considered the others, then leaned in
close to me again to whisper his response. "Depends on the kind of
challenge. If it's a water challenge, I say Wendi and Rick, because
Wendi's not athletic and Rick doesn't have the musculature."
The mother and son team. I could see
that.
"If it's something athletic…maybe Steffi and
Cristi. They don't run as fast as the others."
"And if it's an eating challenge?" I asked
lightly.
"Then we'll win," he said. "If you do it,
anyhow. If it's me, be prepared for the Loser Lodge."
"Sensitive stomach?"
He gave a small laugh. "Would you believe me
if I said that my failure at that challenge had more to do with
memories of a bad sushi experience than anything else?"
I chuckled. "I believe it. I don't think I
can ever eat fish again after that challenge. And it wasn't even
fish. It just smelled like it."
“It was a nightmare.”
“I’m shocked – you’re not a big fan of the
raw, blubbery insides of marine wildlife?”
"Don't remind me," he said, clutching at his
stomach as if in pain. "I'm still getting acid reflux
flashbacks."
I laughed again, just as someone thumped into
the chair next to me. It was Abby, with Dean hovering over her
shoulder.
Liam immediately went quiet, glancing over at
me.
Abby leaned in, a twinkle in her eye, and
whispered, "How much money do you have?"
"Why?" I asked warily, glancing over at my
partner. His face was a mask of indifference. Gone was the easy
smile he'd worn, and I felt like our hard-won truce had just
disappeared into smoke. Which kind of sucked.
"Because," Abby said, and then leaned in,
glancing around at the crowded lobby. Her voice lowered. "Dean
worked his magic and got us a discount on a room that was
vacated."
I sucked in a breath, staring up in wonder at
Dean. He winked at me, all cocky and pleased with himself. "I
pulled a few strings, might have signed a few autographs, things
like that."
Oh, that was right. Dean was a big shot
Olympian swimmer. Five medals or something like that. I looked over
at Liam in excitement. "You're famous too - maybe you can squeeze
us a discount?"
His mouth twitched and he shook his head.
"Tesla, maybe. Everyone recognizes her. Me, I'm just the guitarist.
Without her at my side, I'm anonymous."
Abby waved a hand impatiently. "We don't need
another discount. They're willing to give us the room for half
price as long as we're out by seven am."
I glanced at my watch. We had a twelve hour
rest break between the time we'd arrived and the time we received
our next clue. "We got here at five," I told her.
"We got here at three thirty," Abby said. "So
that's perfect."
"And that means we only have to pay about a
hundred and ten or so…fifty five apiece if we split it between two
teams."
I looked over at Liam.
He shrugged.
"Hot showers," Abby cajoled. "Pillows.
Someplace to sleep that's not an airport floor."
It was so incredibly tempting. I bit my lip,
and then stole a glance at Liam again. "What do you want to do?" It
would be half of our money, but we'd also be well rested and well
showered. It was worth it to me, but this was a partnership, and
that partnership meant that we'd have to agree.
Something Brodie and I had sucked at.
Liam noticed my hesitation. "It'll
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