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“I do want to ask. Am I learning that the key to capturing ADHD Kevin’s heart isn’t sex? It’s board games? Being willing to play five YEARS worth of board games is the special magic sauce?” Erin said in disbelief.
“How about we worry less about future board games and more about not getting crushed by Vanessa and Nikki’s killer instincts?” Theo reminded her.
“Come on!” Luna called to them. “We have two officers versus theirs. I’m not getting stomped.”
Team Water huddled up for a short planning session. Having seen the kids at summer camp using the detergent bottles on each other, Erin explained they didn’t have as much range as a water gun but would be easier to aim than the flour.
They didn’t cover much more than that, because Vanessa called out that Team Flour was ready.
Everyone lined up on opposite sides of the yard; Noah stood off to the side to start the game via a high-pitched whistle.
Despite whatever Vanessa had tried to mastermind, the first round had both teams running away from each other. This resulted in essentially a tie, with no one even trying to hit the other side. If each round continued like that, the game could go on for eternity, even longer than the Campaign for North Africa.
Erin had no intention of letting that occur, so they had another quick huddle with a new plan.
The second round went differently, because Aiden and Theo tried a pincher movement on Kevin. He responded by slide tackling his attackers. They covered him with water without getting hit by his flour.
Vanessa and Nikki swooped in from behind, ambushing the two victorious opponents mid-celebration.
Except Luna sneak attacked back, dousing Nikki and narrowly missing Vanessa.
The third round had each side evenly matched, with four on each team, and dissolved into one melee with their refilled water and flour. Erin and Luna hadn’t intended it to occur that way. They intended to corner the easy-going Solari, but they were counterattacked by everyone on Team Flour. The ensuing fracasleft Vanessa, Erin, and Williams as the last people standing.
Erin was on her own for the fourth round. Her team shouted encouragement from the sideline as Luna tried to wash the flour off them with the hose.
Noah’s face said he wished he could at least say something to her.
“Don’t worry, ref. I’ve got this,” Erin reassured him.
“I know you do.”
She was totally lying because there was no way in hell she could outrun Vanessa in a yard which resembled a soccer field enough to negate most of Erin’s dodging skills from years of basketball.
When the whistle blew, she didn’t run toward the finish line. She ran toward the trees near her teammates at the midway point.
Williams and Vanessa hesitated. The smart move was to let Erin go and both of them head to the finish. They’d score two points unopposed to Erin’s one. However, the game didn’t end until she was out.
If they finished her off now, their victory would be secure.
They were too far away for Erin to hear their whispered conversation. Williams issued a command, and Vanessa ran to the finish line alone.
So, this was how it would go down.
Erin versus Williams.
His reach exceeded hers by at least a foot, but he had the disadvantage of difficult to aim flour.
And Erin already knew he wasn’t good at dodging and weaving. Noah had told her Williams had been a terrible basketball player, and Williams had refused to even take part in any basketball games or practices.
Both teams were shrieking at them as Williams closed in on her, his eyes flickering between her and the trees she was using as cover.
For a few minutes, they played a game of keep-away, maneuvering around the trees.
He bared his teeth at her, daring her to pass him.
She executed a spin around the nearest tree, coming up on his weaker left side, and squeezed her bottle.
Crap. Missed.
