“How many times has your partner been in love?”
Eli and I answered last.
He got mine right with one. When I answered for him and flipped over a “0,” my heart cracked a little when I saw that I’d gotten it right.
In the end, Danny and Trace won, but Eli and I managed second place.
As soon as Rita announced the end of the game, Shay appeared, looking impatient as usual, waving around a clipboard.
“Alright, men, let’s go. We need interviews from all of you.”
When Eli passed me, he kept his stare fixed on the floor, refusing to look at me. I swallowed hard.
“Hey, are you okay?” Trace asked as she circled me.
“Me? I’m f-fine.” My shaky voice betrayed me.
“Some of the questions were a bit too personal, if you ask me,” Trace said.
“Whatever,” Sofia muttered. “You got basically all of them right. Clearly you and Danny knew what to talk about.”
Trace huffed in annoyance. “We were just getting to know each other, you know, because we actually like each other.”
“So it’s official, then? You two like each other?” Rachel asked.
“We do,” Trace confirmed shyly.
Rachel cast an anxious glance in my direction. This was the first time I had seen so much as a crack in her tough exterior.
“Calla, can we talk? Just the two of us. I’ll be quick.”
“Of course.” I followed her over to the giant windowed doors and we took a step outside before sitting on the couch Eli and I had sat on the other night. I pulled down on my sleeves and huddled closer to the fire.
“Look,” she breathed. “I’m so sorry about how everything went down today. I should have tried harder to talk to you about it before it happened.”
“That would have been nice,” I admitted, trying not to sound bitter.
“It’s just, I don’t even know what’s going on between Arnie and me. Trust me, he was the last guy I expected to feel anything for in this.”
“But you do?” I questioned. My desire for Arnie to be happy outweighed my desire to have him as my security blanket.
“I do.” She leaned back in her seat and groaned, covering her eyes with her hands. “What the hell is wrong with me? He’s nothing like the guys I normally go for.”
“He’s probably better,” I said.
“He’s just so sweet. And every time I talk, he listens—like,really listens. And he’s not afraid to be emotional and admit he’s been hurt in the past. I admire that. Plus, he’s like the smartest person I’ve ever met.”
“Rachel,” I stopped her. “I was just surprised today, is all. I had no idea Arnie wasn’t picking me. But I’m happy for you both, seriously.”
“Good,” Rachel said. “And it’s better this way. You and Eli are so obviously into each other.”
Her words made my heart pound as I took in the spectacular mountain views sprawled out in front of me. After a moment of silence, I turned to Rachel. “Eli and I are ridiculous, right? Like, we don’t fit at all.”
“Are we on the same show? I could cut the tension between you two with a knife,” Rachel said.
Maybe I’d felt tension, but I hadn’t realized other people had. “You seriously think so?”
“He’s always watching you like he can’t take his eyes off of you. You really haven’t noticed?”
