Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 80562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 403(@200wpm)___ 322(@250wpm)___ 269(@300wpm)
“You say that like it’s a threat.”
“It is. I’m threatening to make you part of this family, even if you try to run from us.”
I laugh. “I never said I wanted to run. I want this, too. I just… I guess it feels weird. It doesn’t feel like we’re giving things a natural shot because we’re obligated to be together from so many angles right now. For the B&B and my contract. To keep up the lie with our friends. To be parents for Walker. I guess I’m having trouble sorting through it all.”
“Me too,” Caroline admits. “So let’s just keep taking one step forward and see where it takes us.”
“Yeah,” I say. “I can do that.”
24
CAROLINE
The second day of wedding games looks like it will have an even bigger turnout than the first. After my gentle suggestion, Paisley appears to be more sober today.
Mia insisted on keeping as many of the games a secret from me as possible–a fact I’m still struggling with.
Today, we’re all gathered by the harbor. It’s not cold enough yet to be frozen over, but the waters here never really get warm. The game is set up on the long, gentle slope that leads to the water. It’s a beautiful place for the event, and I can tell everybody is enjoying the atmosphere as much as I am–at least I’m enjoying it when I’m not being a control freak and stressing over not being in charge of the event today.
“Relax,” Mia says, laughing a little. Her red hair is done up in twin braids that run down either side of her head. “I’ve got it all set up just like you would. Yesterday went great, didn’t it?”
“It did,” I admit.
“Then trust me to nail this, Cannonball.”
I slap her arm. “Stop calling me that.”
“Never. Now, get lined up with the other couples so I can give instructions.”
The townspeople take a break from snacking on free food and gather around us. We’re all positioned near the harbor, and obstacles like soft foam shapes and cardboard boxes are scattered around the field. I’m studying it all as I try to guess what the challenge is going to be.
Jake leans down to my side. “Any guesses?”
“Looks like an obstacle course.”
He nods, face adorably serious. “We’ll crush it. Just gotta watch out for Nolan and Jesse. But they both went out drinking last night. Probably hungover.”
I grin. “Competitive, much?”
“We’re already ahead. And I’ll be damned if we don’t prove to the whole town that we’re the best couple.”
“I’m not sure that’s the point of the games.”
“Of course it is.”
I roll my eyes, smiling as Mia gets in front of us. “Okay! Here’s the game. One couple goes at a time. You both close your eyes, and we move the obstacles around randomly. One partner gets ten seconds to look, and then you both get blindfolded. The blindfolded partner has to walk the course. The only navigation they get is from their partner, who had ten seconds to memorize the course.”
There’s a collective groan and some laughter from our fellow couples.
“That’s sadistic!” somebody calls out.
“More like hilarious,” Mia corrects, not missing a beat. “The couple who crosses the finish line fastest wins. If nobody makes it to the finish line, then the person who gets closest to the harbor wins.”
There’s probably fifty yards of downward slope between us and the harbor. The finish line is set up suspiciously close to the water. So close, in fact, that I suspect Mia is hoping somebody will wind up taking a plunge.
The water is shallow, and the entrance is beach-like, so she’d be lucky if anybody did more than plant one wrong foot in the icy water, which is probably what she’s hoping will happen. Mia, you devil.
“I can run this. You navigate?” Jake says. He’s technically asking, but he’s got his competitive pants on today and I can tell he wants to be the one to run.
“Okay. Sounds good. But don’t get yourself hurt.”
“On what? Foam and cardboard boxes? I’m a finely tuned athlete, Caroline. I’m pretty sure I can handle this.”
I pat his arm. He’s not wrong about the finely tuned part, but I don’t know how much muscle and coordination help when you’re blindfolded.
We’re near the back of the line, so we get to watch the other couples go first. They both turn around while Paisley and some other townspeople help her scramble up the obstacles. The course is relatively narrow, so there’s no way to pick a straight line without hitting any obstacles.
Mia navigates for Nolan, who does surprisingly well. He moves at a steady jogging pace, adjusting to Mia’s shouted directions like they’re sharing a brain. He finishes in thirty seconds. He also seems to judge the distance well enough to slow down just a few steps short of the harbor, keeping himself completely dry.