“It sounds like you’re counting on everyone else to make deals to save you.”
I frowned, a bit irritated by that assumption. “Not at all. I’m playing this game, but part of my strategy is to let others take the heat at the beginning. Right now, Jendan and Brodie are the stars of the show. I’ll carry my end when it’s time. It’s just not time right now.”
“Any enemies in the house?”
“I don’t know if I have enemies as much as there are people that I don’t totally trust. And by that, I mean everyone. Casper and Marla are the most paranoid, though. If I had to choose who I trust the least, I’d pick those two…which makes it real interesting considering that I’m allied with one of them.”
“What about Jayme and Fido? They have Power this week. How do you feel about them?”
“I’m marginally fine with Jayme because Brodie says we can trust her. I haven’t really had a chance to talk to Fido all that much one-on-one, so I’m hoping he goes along with whatever Jayme wants.”
“You think she’s leading that team?”
I laughed. “She is totally leading that team. Fido’s a nice guy, but Jayme runs right over him.”
“And what about your team? Who’s in charge of the Brodie-Kandis alliance?”
I paused. That was a very good question.
~~ * ~~
“So,” Jendan said, rubbing suntan lotion on his shoulders before laying down on his beach-towel. His voice was low. “I don’t want you to panic, but I have heard about a plan this week.”
I looked over at Jendan, my head propped on my hands as I tanned my back. It was a lazy day in the house. The smokers were all hanging out near the couches and listening to Marla tell another story about her kids. Sunnie and Jayme and Brodie were in the kitchen, baking (and flirting). Jendan and I had the pool all to ourselves, and we’d swam a little and were now laying out to catch some sun. “What sort of plan this week?”
He glanced at the door to make sure no one was heading our way and then looked back at me. “Jayme’s putting you and Brodie up on the block.”
Well, shit. “She is? But what about the Mickey thing?” How was it that they voted out Mickey because he was creeping on me, only to turn around and want to vote out either myself or Brodie? I thought everyone liked my partner.
Jendan nodded. “They told Marla that the plan is to put you two up on the block. They won’t put me and Marla up, and they said they can control Sunnie and Casper. That leaves you and Brodie on the outs, and the plan is to keep Brodie.”
My eyes widened. I sat up. “Wait, I’m the target? Not Brodie?” Shit. Maybe everyone liked my partner too much.
“Calm down,” Jendan said, glancing around. “And lay back down.”
I did so, though I wanted to drum my feet—or go swim a lap—out of nerves. I settled for twirling a lock of my long hair, over and over again. “So tell me about this plan. Why me? What did I do to them?”
“It’s not you specifically. It’s that they don’t trust the two of you together. Too sneaky. And everyone’s suspicious of a house romance.”
I sputtered. “House romance? Are you serious?”
“Sunnie, Marla, and Jayme all think there’s something going on between you and Brodie.”
“There’s not!”
Jendan turned on his side and gave me a suspicious look. “You’d tell me if there was, right? Because it affects how I vote, too.”
“I swear, we are not sleeping together.” I made an X motion over my chest, a simulation of ‘cross my heart.’ “He’s just my partner.”
“Yeah, but you guys are pretty tight. You have to admit that’s true. And he pushed that last vote hard because he wanted to protect you from Mickey.” Jendan tilted his head, studying me. “And I saw him coming out of your shower, nak*d.”
Damn. He’d seen that? I twirled the lock of hair harder, the coil around my finger getting tighter and tighter. “He just did that so we could talk.”
“Uh huh. Naked?”
“So we could talk privately,” I amended.
“And I ask again, nak*d?”
“It wasn’t my idea.” But it sounded lame even as I said it. “We’re not together. Honest. I really like Brodie—he’s impossible not to like. But I saw The World Races and how he sucked face with Tesla and ditched Katy as soon as he had the chance. So do I like the guy? Yeah. Do I trust him not to throw me over? Not in the slightest.”
“As long as you promise to tell me if it changes…”
I gave Jendan a fierce look. “Of course. I would tell you if we were together, okay? You’ve had my back this entire time. I’m not about to screw you and lie to you.”
After a moment, he nodded. “That’s what I thought, too. But the other girls aren’t buying it. They think that you’re playing Brodie—and me — to secure your place.”
The lock of hair I was winding around my finger was so tight it made my finger throb. “Oh they do, do they? I guess they didn’t point out that both Jayme and Sunnie are totally content to play kissy-face with Brodie at every chance they get? But I guess that’s fine? Because I’m friends with you, too, I’m the house ho?”
Jendan chuckled low and laid on his back, throwing an arm over his eyes to shield them from the sun. “Well, my guess is that’s why they want to keep him and not you.”
This was ridiculous. “So I’m going out the door because they think I’m a tramp.”
“Not necessarily a ho,” Jendan said. “They need a target this week, and since they love Brodie, it falls on you.”
I released my hair and let it unwind, thinking.
As if they knew we were talking about them, the back door opened and Sunnie came streaking out, racing into the yard in a bikini top and shorts. She squealed loudly, chased by Brodie, who had a water gun in hand. Both Jendan and I turned to watch as he caught Sunnie by her waist. She giggled, flailing in a way that rubbed her br**sts against him, and they continued to wrestle until Brodie tossed her over his shoulder. With a wink at me, he went to the back door with the celebutante over his shoulder.
“That’s some strategy,” Jendan said. “Wish I’d thought of it.”
“You did,” I said. “But you chose to ally with me instead, and I’m not doing as good with the flirting as I hoped. Too bad for you.”
“Maybe you should try harder,” he said with a smile.
“I’ll kick you if you try to toss me over your shoulder,” I said in a warning voice and watched Sunnie and my partner go inside, trying not to frown as Brodie’s hands moved over Sunnie’s bare back. Her br**sts were pushed up against his shoulder, and her red hair was spilling everywhere. Sunnie was pretty, and bouncy. Brodie flirted with her constantly. It shouldn’t have bothered me, but the sight of their playfulness was sticking in my craw. I was his partner.
It was a business arrangement, I reminded myself. We were both after the money. He was just flirting so he could get ahead…or so he’d told me. Was it just a line? I honestly had no idea.
“Well, you have me,” Jendan said. “You know you have me, but it won’t be enough to keep you safe this week. So unless you have a plan, I’m going to have to vote with the house so I don’t stick my neck out for nothing.”
“I’ll think of something. I just need a bigger target than me, right?”
“Right.”
I considered my options. Jayme wouldn’t put her team up on the block. Marla and Jendan sounded like they were in tight with them. Nor did I want them on the block, unless I could guarantee that Marla left and Jendan stayed. Considering Marla was the house mom and everyone loved her? That wouldn’t be happening anytime soon.
That left Sunnie and Casper or me and Brodie. I needed to find a way to target Sunnie or Casper and get the big red X off of my back, or I’d be the next one evicted. “I’ll see what I can do,” I told Jendan. “I’ve still got a few days to scramble.”
He nodded. “Scramble hard, because you and me to the end is part of my game plan, and I don’t want that to change.”
Mine, too.
~~ * ~~
I didn’t share my concerns with Brodie. He was a lot of things, but he wasn’t good at flying below the radar. Once he found out that the others were gunning for me, he’d start trying to work everyone to save me, and they’d all be aware of what he was doing again…which would mean I’d be going home for sure.
There was always the chance that Brodie would find out that they were all going to vote for me…and that he’d sell me out to save his own hide. I didn’t trust Brodie Short not to try and save his own skin when it came down to him or me.
It was best for both of us if I kept things quiet. It’d give me time to figure things out and quietly maneuver myself into a stronger position before anyone knew I was aware that there was a target on my back.
I still hadn’t thought of a plan hours later when the intercom came on. I was in the attic room with Marla and Jendan, burning sage. Marla had sworn she’d heard footsteps last night, and she had insisted that they smudge the room to try and get rid of evil spirits. Jendan had told us it was a common practice among mediums (something he’d found out in a film he’d been in) and that you burned a bundle of sage just enough to make it smoke and then waved it around all corners of the room.
I’d been all too glad to assist, just in case they talked strategy.
We all looked up as the intercom chimed twice in a row. “House Guests, it’s time for the reward challenge. Please head to the main living area to receive your costumes and then proceed to the challenge area outside.”
I blew out the smoking bundle of sage I held. “Did I just hear the word ‘costumes?’”
Marla groaned. “I’m afraid you did. That’s not good.”
Jendan grinned at us and blew out his sage bundle and then waved it through the air to make sure it was out. “I thought girls liked to dress up for special occasions.”
“Ha ha,” said Marla. “Very funny.”
When we got downstairs, everyone groaned at the sight of the six costumes laid out. They were big, ugly blob costumes covered with leaves and made of a spongy material. No one would look cute in that. Still, we laughed as we dressed up and groaned again when we were each handed leafy crowns to put in our hair.
“What do you suppose these are supposed to be?” Jayme asked, wrinkling her nose at the sight of the potato-shaped costume.
“A jolly green giant of some kind?” Fido guessed, and we laughed. Waddling in the overstuffed green costumes, we headed out to the challenge area.
Jayme waited for us there, with Fido at her side. She held a card to read out to us, and pointed us to the starting line. We lined up, and I eyed the challenge area with interest.
I had to give the crew of the House Guests TV show credit. I hadn’t even realized that they’d been out in the back yard, working on the challenge area. It was completely transformed. There was a leafy green vine that served as a starting line, with six mats for each of us to stand on, spaced out. Beyond that, the challenge area had been transformed into a swampy obstacle course. Vines dangled from prop trees on the sidelines, and fog machines made a thick mist roll through the area. Lily pads decorated scummy green water, and a series of rocks, fallen trees, and other items created an obstacle course we’d have to wade through to get to the other side. On the far end stood a blow-up doll in a tiger-print dress and fake blonde hair tied to a pole. Cute.