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Phoebe claps her hands and breaks the spell I’m under. “Good. Meet me back here in one hour, and we will have the camera crew ready to follow you to your date. Remember, all of our livelihoods depend on this going well.”
No pressure.
In silence, we ride in the back seat of the town car as we roll through the streets of the city toward Climb Nashville. At least I know what to do because my brother and I have climbed there a few times, thank goodness. Pryce’s greenish tint tells me this is the last place he wants to be.
Without thinking too much about it, I cover his clenched hand with mine and say, “It will be fun. Trust me.”
He harrumphs. “I think I would rather have done anything instead of this.”
“Relax. It could have been a hot-air balloon ride.”
Pryce covers his mouth with a hand and says, “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“This is good pre-date footage,” the cameraman says from the front passenger seat.
Pryce snaps to attention. “I didn’t know you were filming already.”
“We like to start without the couple knowing. It gives us some realistic footage.”
I blow out a breath, thankful we didn’t slip up and say something that could bring down this entire facade. “And it couldn’t get more realistic than this. Right, Prycey Wicey?”
He cocks an eyebrow, then we both break out in fits of laughter. “Whatever you say, Small Frye.”
With a sneer, I add, “Not cool.”
Pryce pinches my cheek and says in a girly voice, “Isn’t this super fun?”
The car comes to an abrupt halt, and when the door opens, the manager of the facility escorts us inside. The climbing coach explains the different climbing options and hams it up for the camera. Pryce stares at the 60-foot wall with notches sticking out for footholds. He swallows, making his Adam’s apple bob like he has a rock stuck in his throat. “I take it you’ve done this before.”
With the camera in my face, I nod. “A few times. It’s fun with the right person.”
“Show me the ropes.” His smile fades. “There are ropes, right?”
The climbing coach points to the wall in front of us. “We are going to climb by what we call bouldering. It’s a beginner level V0 wall. You’ll have a great time.”
“So, no rope?”
I roll my eyes. “No, and don’t worry. We’re only climbing this wall.” I point to the fifteen-foot wall.
He gulps. “Only.” He mocks me, then adds, “It’s like swimming. If it’s ten feet or twenty feet, they are both over my head. This… only fifteen-foot wall will be like falling from a roof.”
“Then, don’t fall. You’ll be fine with the cushy pad to fall on.” I jump on the pad to show him how squishy it is.
He gulps.
I hold out my hands and help him to a standing position. Even with a terrified expression, he’s still as handsome as ever. He could make a sloth look good.
“I’ll go first.” While I start my ascent, I choose the footings carefully. Even though I could have made it to the top, I fake a slip and start my calculated fall back to the mat. Right before I hit the ground, Pryce catches me, and I let out a squeak.
“I gotcha.” He holds me tightly around my shoulders and behind my knees.
“Thanks.” I really didn’t mean for my voice to sound airy, but I did not expect him to catch me, and I certainly didn’t think he would hold on for this long. “Er, you might want to put me down now,” I whisper in his ear.
He drops his arm from behind my knees to let me catch my balance on the thick mat before he releases me completely. “See? It’s fun even if you fall. Maybe I’ll catch you.” I wink then inwardly cringe at how silly that came out.
Pryce chuckles as he walks toward the wall like he is being forced to walk the plank.
I give him a thumbs-up. “You can do it.”
