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Stella’s heart warmed. She knew Avery’s mom was a touchy subject, and to have her bring her up willingly was a big deal, even in a small quip like that.
“As you can see, I would probably burn under that same bulb,” Stella joked, holding out her pale but heavily freckled arms. “So, spill the tea. How was your date with Quinn?”
Avery blew a breath that rustled the hair hanging loose on her forehead. “I was terrified at first, to be honest. When I won the challenge, I probably should have thought more about where we were going, but I got tunnel vision and couldn’t pull back.”
“What were you scared of?” Stella asked, reaching for the glass of water she’d set down for them.
“Horses. I’ve never ridden one. I feared that it would get spooked by a snake and rear up. I imagined myself tumbling off this giant beast and breaking my arm.” Avery cradled her left hand to her stomach. “I was sweating bullets when we arrived. It’s hard to look capable when I’m cowering near the fence, hyperventilating.”
Stella knew the show would play the footage of her trying to get on the horse. “Well, if it’s any constellation, your capability card is safe. I’m not sure many people would know you were having such troubles.” That was a lie; they both knew it.
Wiping an imaginary towel across her face, Avery grinned. “Phew. That’s a relief.”
“So besides wrestling a fear to the ground, how did the rest of the date go?” Stella gripped the side of her chair. She didn’t want to hear about how it went, but stuck between a professional wall and personal hell, she froze with a plastic smile, hoping it didn’t come off as pained as it felt on her face.
Avery studied her for a moment. It felt like all her secrets were on display under the scrutiny of a microscope. It felt like hours, but in reality, it was only a few beats before Avery shook off whatever she’d seen and smiled. “It was great. The food and company were excellent. I think I misjudged Quinn in the beginning. I pegged her for some brainless jock who needed to spruce up her life. But she’s not that at all. She’s great.”
Stella swiped her hair to the side, pulling herself together. “That’s wonderful. I’m glad you made the most of your time together.” She tried not to think of the kiss she’d witnessed earlier but knew she needed to mention it. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she continued. “And you know you can’t leave here without dishing on that kiss.” She tried to act like a playful friend, but inside was a tidal wave of nausea.
Avery touched her lip. “It was…soft,” she said after a moment.
Turning to the camera to hide from the look Avery was giving, Stella cleared her throat. “Now we’ll call Quinn in here to see how she enjoyed her time with Avery.” Turning back to Avery, she reached over and squeezed her knee. “Have a good night, and see you in the morning.”
Avery left the room. Stella kept poised, waiting for Quinn to show up. She had work to do, and damn it, she would complete this show even if it killed her.
Stella crawled into bed after completing her before-bed ritual. Ten minutes ago, she’d been dreaming of getting in this position, but now that she was cuddled up with her huggin’ pillow, the darkness and quiet pressed into her.
On a loop, her mind played over the night. All she wanted was to slip into blissful sleep. Groaning when she heard a knock at her door, she debated staying quiet. Snuggling further into her blankets, she slapped the bed when there was another knock, followed by, “Stella, I know you’re not asleep yet. It’s only been five minutes since I heard the water when you brushed your teeth.” A louder knock followed Quinn’s words.
Knowing she was on the end of a losing battle, Stella sat up, twisting the knob to turn on the lamp. “Come in if you must,” Stella growled with more heat behind the words than she meant.
“You know we have a standing date to go over the day,” Quinn said happily as she set a steaming mug of tea on Stella’s bedside table before settling on the lounge chair near the window. “That’s sleepy time tea. I don’t know how you can drink that stuff. I’ll stick to my hot cocoa. I’m still wired after the outing and thought you might want something to aid your relaxation.” Quinn blew on her mug before setting it aside. “Too hot,” she added, looking out the window.
Stella was at a loss. They had their professional interview already, so she knew the date had gone well. Or at least that’s what Quinn wanted to say for the cameras. However, right now, she was looking younger than her twenty-nine years. “Thanks, Quinn,” Stella finally said. “For the tea,” she added. “Are you okay?”
Quinn didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she continued to look out the window. The moon was out, but Stella wasn’t sure she could see anything past the lamp's glare in the window. “I’m okay. That outing was harder than I expected. Avery really surprised me.” She played with the handle of the mug.
Unsure of what to say, Stella kept quiet. It was dangerous territory talking about Avery. The delicate balance felt razor-thin and just as sharp. She was definitely not an impartial viewer in this case.
“I’m finding myself hoping she’ll win next week too, but I know that’s not possible since the rules state she has to sit out. Fairness and all that bullshit, blah, blah.” Quinn’s eyes sparkled teasingly.
“Well, you wouldn’t get a chance to meet other people if the strong competitors kept winning all the time,” Stella said pragmatically. Facts were safe. She could stick with the facts.
“Her lips are out of this world.” Quinn grinned.
Stella shook her head and ignored the tingle on her own lips, remembering the power Avery’s kiss held. Stella reached over for a sip of cooled-off tea and turned off the lights. “It’s time for bed. Night, Quinn.”
Taking her exit, Quinn gracefully lifted herself off the chair and padded out the door. Her sigh as she closed the door echoed in Stella’s ears for a long while before she could drift asleep.
She was dreaming of roasting marshmallows over a campfire when a loud, piercing alarm blasted Stella awake. Disoriented, she sprang from the bed, looking for her phone. She’d only slept for a few hours. She turned around in the room, trying to blink the fog from her brain. Wrinkling her nose, she couldn’t figure out why the smell of campfire smoke from her dream wouldn’t dissipate.
A scream from downstairs cleared the last of the confusion. She ran to Quinn’s room, pounding on the door. “Get your ass up! FIRE!”
Chapter 7
Fire
Avery sprang out of bed, the blaring alarm ringing in her ears making it hard to think. She ran to Riley’s side, shaking awake the notoriously deep sleeper. “Come on, Riley, get up. Something’s going on.”
