had to go. She followed me down to the back of the mess hall and wrapped her arms around me.
She was hot, sure. After the cocktease I’d been through with Penny, I wanted release. She gave me those puppy-dog eyes that said, Take me. “You know, there’s a place over there we could be alone.”
I didn’t follow where she pointed.
She tried to kiss me, but I pulled away. “Come on. Stop it.”
“Why? We’re not really married. You like that fake wife of yours? Is that it?”
I shoved her aside, gritting my teeth. “Cameras,” I muttered.
But there were other reasons. First, I was married to Penny. Even if it was a fucking sham, even if she hated me, I’d meant what I said. We were each other’s first and best alliance. I didn’t need anything or anyone to interfere with that.
I spent the next hour trying to get sober. Now I’m sitting on a bench outside the cabin where Penny’s sleeping, watching Will Wang giving Ace and Marta their marching orders for the next leg of the journey. Because they found their key first, they get to start out before us.
In a few more hours, when it’s our time, we’ll get to leave.
A little while later, the door opens behind me and Penny pokes her head out. She sees me, pulls her hood over her head, and stomps past me to the mess hall.
Fuck. She’s still mad.
It won’t be good if we have to complete another challenge still pissed at each other.
I push off the bench and go after her. “Hey. What’s the problem?”
“You,” she mutters, throwing open the door and stalking inside.
She gets in the line and grabs a tray, then starts loading it up with fruit, cottage cheese, eggs. I follow, doing the same. “And why am I on your shit list today?”
She whirls to me, about to unleash, then looks around for the cameras. “Where were you?” she whispers.
“What do you mean? You didn’t—”
“Oh my god. Were you . . . drinking?” she says incredulously. “You smell like a brewery! Are you drunk now?”
“No. I had a few drinks. I’m—”
“You’re disgusting.”
“What? You don’t—”
“No. I don’t. I don’t drink myself silly. I don’t smoke. And I don’t do any of the things that you seem to find appealing. That’s why you disgust me.”
I let out a low laugh. “You didn’t look so disgusted last night when you were sneaking looks at my thingy.”
Her jaw drops. Her face reddens as her eyes scan to the camera that’s filming close by. Instead of answering, she storms past me, shoving into me and upending my tray. Fruit scatters everywhere. She doesn’t stick around to help clean it up.
Ten minutes later, I go out to the eating area. The remaining contestants who haven’t yet left are talking together at one table. But Penny is sitting all by herself, reading her French poetry shit. I push my tray on the table. She slowly raises her head and scowls at me.
I sit down across from her. “Look,” I say in a low voice. “There are cameras all over us. Can you just pretend to be civil to me?”
She ignores me.
“Today’s a new day. Can’t we forget about what happened yesterday?”
Nothing.
“Come on. I still want to win this, and I know you do too. We can’t do that if we’re pissed at each other.” I offer her my hand. “Truce?”
She eyes it warily and then shakes just the tips of my fingers. “Fine. But only because I want to win.”
“Fine.” I glance down at my tray, then start to shovel eggs and toast into my mouth. “You psyched for today?”
She shrugs. “I guess.”
“Why aren’t you sitting with the others?”
She looks at them for a moment and hitches her shoulder. “I’m not social.”
“So what are you trying to say?” I ask, bringing my coffee to my lips. “I’ve got the strength game, the cunning game, the intelligence game, and the stamina game . . . and now you want me to have the social game too?”
She looks up at me, and I see the scowl starting to form.
“Kidding,” I finish quickly. “Geez. I thought if you slept well, you wouldn’t wake up on the bitch side of the bed.”
Her fingers tighten on her fork. I think she may be thinking of launching it at me. Instead, she smiles. “I think I would like you so much better if we didn’t talk. Even better, go away.”
I hold up my hands in surrender. I know when I’m beaten. I