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The one-percent exception was bathroom time. I knew that from my first season a year ago. It was a little bit crazy too, taking a shower while knowing that a small team of people were waiting just outside for you.
The door opened. Hayden smiled and pulled me in.
“We’ve uh, got company,” I said.
“Of course we do,” grunted Reese. He was sitting cross-legged on one of the beds with a half-finished game of solitaire laid out before him. “What’s up Travis? Hey Danny.”
The two cameramen who’d followed me into the hotel room acknowledged the guys with warm smiles. A round of hand-shaking began, followed by back-claps.
“How’s the little one?” asked Hayden. “Isabella, right?”
“Bella’s great,” Danny smiled, beaming with fatherly pride. “She went from crawling straight to tearing ass all around the house. We can barely keep up with her.”
“I hear that happens,” Hayden chuckled. “She’ll be good practice for you, when you have to keep up with us.”
Quickly the cameraman fell back into his silent role of filming us rather than interacting with us. Still, it was nice to see them being treated as friends and even comrades by the guys. During our entire stint on the Race last year, my original teammates and I pretty much avoided breaking that fourth wall.
“How are you feeling?”
The question came from Hayden, along with a brotherly hug. It felt strange, not having his hand slide over my ass. Usually that was his first move, as he pulled me in for a tickle or a kiss or both.
“Pretty well spent,” I replied, hyperaware of the cameras again. “I’m glad we have tonight off though.”
“And half of tomorrow,” added Reese. “I’m looking forward to a giant Hawaiian breakfast.”
We’d landed eight hours ago, and the Race had begun again almost immediately. After completing a group challenge during which we had to bike through the streets of Honolulu, we split up to complete four different tasks in four different locations. I ended up with the anchor task of running five miles, before collecting the pieces I needed to build my way up to the final platform, and the golden bell.
The whole thing had seemed way harder than anything we did the first time around.
“Brooke?” Devin murmured.
“Yes, my love?” I teased.
“Gotta talk to you.”
He pulled me outside, onto the room’s tiny balcony. The view was gorgeous, the breeze warm and amazing. Except for the camera that followed us outside like a fifth wheel, it reminded me of being back in Mo’orea again.
“We need to talk about what you did today.”
“You want to shower me with praise, telling me how awesome I was?” I grinned. “Go ahead. I’ll bask in it.”
“No. Not that part.”
Devin’s voice was way too grim and serious for him to be congratulating me on my performance. My smile faded.
“I’m talking more about you giving hints to our competition,” he said grimly.
“The Banshees?”
“Yeah.”
“That was nothing,” I shrugged. “One girl helping another girl out, that’s all.”
“Without your help she wouldn’t have found the piece,” said Devin. “The Banshees would’ve been eliminated.”
“So? In that case I made us an ally.”
“No,” Devin shook his head. “What you did was keep a really good team from being sent home. Instead, abadteam got eliminated.”
