I’ll start with thinking it: Adam Sandoval is perfect for me. And I might ... maybe ... be falling for him.
I lost the bet.
I lost the bet,I repeat in my head, letting the words sink in. The craziest part isn’t that I found someone who’s good enough for me. It’s that I might’ve found someone who is too good for me. No one needs to know, though. I’ll find evidence of the sasquatch—a footprint, a clump of hair,anything—and this whole thing can be done. I’ll win, and Adam and I can stop living in hiding. No more committees, public scrutiny, or secrets.
I have another sasquatch tour scheduled for tomorrow. I have to find something. The more time passes, the more I wonder what I saw out in those trees that night. I’ve rewatched the short video. I’ve revisited the location. You’d think there would be one single footprint in the mud, but there’s nothing. Ifeel crazy. The crème brûlée tumbles around in my stomach, and I drop my spoon, frowning out the window.
Adam’s warm hand finds mine, and he draws my attention back to him. “What’s on your mind?”
“Bigfoot.” I can’t even say the word without cringing.
The floor vibrates under my shoes, and Adam takes a deep breath. I’m sure he doesn’t want to talk about this, but his face gives nothing away.
Am I crazy? I don’t think so. I have plenty of evidence that I’m sane: I have a degree. I’m a high school teacher. I have friends and family who would tell me if I’ve lost my mind—and they have, I realize with another cringe. They’re so desperate for me to see that I’ve lost it, they’re literally betting against me. I suspect my brothers are dodging my calls. My dad is supportive, I remember, clinging to the thought like a life preserver. My dad doesn’t think I’m crazy.
I stifle a heavy sigh. This train of thought is awfully unpleasant for what is supposed to be a romantic train ride. I need to shake this off.
“Hmm.” Adam’s eyebrows draw together while he takes me in. Then the corner of his mouth turns up in a gentle smile. “Let’s get your mind off that guy.” He holds out a hand.
Threading my fingers through his, I ask without thinking, “Who?”
“Bigfoot?” Adam looks concerned as he pulls me to my feet.
That’s right. He doesn’t know my mind went from Bigfoot to a minor identity crisis that quickly. He leads me into the aisle where a few pairs of senior citizens are slow dancing.
“What are we doing?” I whisper in a rush.
Before he answers, he pulls my hand around his waist and settles it in place on his side. His arm curls around me, dragging me against him. Then he takes my other hand, using it to move us in a tight circle. “We’re dancing,” he murmurs against myhair. “And I’m making you think about something other than Bigfoot.Anything.”
The pleading in his voice makes me snicker. I run my fingers over the ironed fabric at his side. I love seeing Adam all cleaned up like this, but it puts a thought into my head that makes me fight another laugh. “You know, you kind of have a Bigfoot thing going on.”
He coughs, and his neck reddens against his crisp white collar. It takes a few seconds before he can respond. “What?”
I don’t know how I’ve never thought of this before. “Yeah.” I smooth my hand down his side. “Think about it. You live in the woods. You keep to yourself. Plus, you’re so ...” How do I phrase this in a way that doesn’t make him sound like a swamp monster?
“Mysterious?” He fills in. “Please say mysterious.”
“Well, yeah.” We sway closer, and the train car feels like a bubble around us. I never want to leave this bubble. “But you’re also so ... big and hairy.”
Adam laughs, and the rich, deep sound of it fills our bubble.
I went straight to Swamp Monster, didn’t I? “I just ... I mean—”
“It’s okay.” He straightens, making my eyes level with his Adam’s apple. “I’m tall. I get it.”
“Don’t forget hairy,” I tease, resting my cheek against his shoulder while he leads us in a circle.
His hand moves to my back, and he rubs a slow line between my shoulder blades. “I shaved for this,” his voice rumbles beneath my cheek.
“I take it back,” I say with a drowsy laugh. Adam is so warm and cozy I could fall asleep here. I give in, lowering my eyelids while we sway. “I can admit when I’m wrong,” I lie.
His hand is still sliding up and down my back as he leads us for a few quiet minutes. Then his voice breaks into my half-dreaming thoughts. “Stevie?”
“Hmm?”
“I don’t want to hide us.”
I feel the words against my cheek as much as I hear them. “I don’t either.” I can’t wait for this stupid bet to end so I can just be with Adam. We’re so close.
