“It’s a masterpiece.” Megan clapped a hand onto Grace’s shoulder. “And we have Leo to thank.”
Leo shrugged. “I didn’t work any harder than the rest of you. If there’s one thing I learned from my years in construction, it’s that nothing is built by one man alone.”
The group took a moment to enjoy their triumph in the shelter they had built together before Grace spoke up. “Hey guys, if we’re going to be bunking together, is it safe to assume we’ll vote together too?”
“‘Bunking together’ is giving this shelter a bit more credit than it’s due,” Carson replied. “Unless there’s a second level I don’t know about.”
Leo laughed. “I’m in, but I think we have a problem already.”
Megan turned and stared across the beach. The numbers. They weren’t even. By a long shot.
“Let’s get through the competition first,” Grace said. “Maybe one of us will win protection and we can sway the votes before the elimination. I like this group and I want it to stay put.”
Everyone agreed, but their conversation was interrupted by a buzzing sound. The group turned and watched as Wendy Weathersby rode onto the beach in a bright orange dune buggy.
So that’s how she’s going to get around the sand wearing those heels, Megan thought.
Wendy gestured for the group to gather around her and put on her brightest smile for the cameras. “It looks like you’ve all been busy. Wendy Weathersby has been too.”
Megan shook her head. Busy refreshing your makeup.
“Your first competition will start shortly on the other side of the medic tent. Meet me over there in a few minutes.” Wendy gingerly stepped back into the dune buggy, which spit sand at them from the back tires as it zipped away.
The group started to walk over to the medic tent to see what was in store for them. Megan pulled at her t-shirt, glad for the third time that she wasn’t wearing just the tight, low-cut sports bra and teeny shorts Molly wanted her to bring.
Andrew sidled up next to Megan, his voice startling her from her thoughts. “Let me know if you get cold tonight.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I might just be able to make a little room for you in our shelter.”
Megan narrowed her eyes. “I’m not sure the moonlight will keep your shelter any warmer than ours.”
“Maybe not, but we have body heat.” He leaned his arm against hers.
She made a face. Gross. She was hot and sweaty and so was Andrew. She didn’t want to be pressed against him. Megan wanted to duck away from the conversation and Andrew as quickly as possible, but she remembered Molly’s advice. Don’t ruffle feathers and stay under the radar. Megan gave him a tight-lipped smile and trudged around the blue tent.
Cane stood on the other side, watching the contestants entering the competition area for the first time. Instead of checking out the strategically placed logs, Megan took a bit too long watching Cane and stumbled over her own feet. She saw his eyes dart to her as she righted herself, and she gave him a sheepish grin as she fell back into step with the others.
Wendy stood on a small board that Megan bet they had set on the sand just for her shoes’ sake. “Wendy Weathersby welcomes you to the first competition on The Leftover. These competitions will be your lifeblood out here on Cove Bay Beach. Not only will the winner receive protection from elimination, but there are also prizes that go along with winning. Sometimes, I will tell you what the prizes are. Other times, they will be a surprise. I know you’re all hungry so suffice it to say the winner and two chosen friends will not have empty stomachs at the end of the day.”
Megan’s heart beat harder in her chest. She was trying to listen to Wendy, but her mind was preoccupied with the logs laying on the beach . . . and the fact that Cane’s piercing eyes were watching.
“This afternoon, you will be working on your balance. The logs around you are your paths to protection. Pretend the sand is fire—something you don’t want to touch.”
Balance-beam logs. To a normal person, that would be simple enough. Megan, a classic klutz to the highest degree, wanted to bow out before it began to save a little face. Her nerves started winding tight. This challenge would be, well, a challenge.
“The first time you walk the path might seem easy. If you put even one foot in the sand, you have to start over. Since there are only three courses available, we will run the competition in heats. The first person down the logs in each heat wins and will move on to the second part of the race. I’ll explain the next element of the competition when we get there. For now, Wendy Weathersby will choose those racing in the first heat.”
Megan was having trouble breathing. Why did the first competition target one of her biggest weaknesses?
“Tank, Leo, and Lucy, you’re up first.”
Leo’s name pierced through the growing haze of Megan’s panic, and she refocused on her surroundings. She wasn’t doing this for herself. Molly had been her initial inspiration, but now she had team members—friends, even—that she needed to support, and who would support her. She could get through this for them.
Megan joined Grace at the edge of the contestant area closest to the starting line for the competition. Grace was calling out encouraging words to Leo. Megan was nervous for her newfound friend. If their group had any shot at sticking together, they needed one of them to win. Megan watched the three contestants in the first heat line up at the logs. She crossed the fingers on one hand for Leo.
“Leftovers, ready? Go!” Wendy threw her hand down to start the race.
The logs were not nearly as sturdy as they looked. Tank went down hard as his log rolled beneath him. He got up quickly and raced back to the end of the log. Leo was making fast work down his log, but Lucy looked well-balanced and highly focused, arms out to either side. Leo hopped from one log to another until he reached the last one and it rolled, sending him flying to the sand. Megan gasped as Lucy passed Leo’s position and landed safely on the other side of the logs. She threw her arms into the air.
“Lucy wins!” Wendy shouted. “Lucy, you’ll move on to the second round. Leo, Tank, you’re out.”
Megan was sorry Leo lost, but at least he took Tank down with him. Tank hadn’t made it farther than a few steps. Maybe his size wasn’t an advantage after all.
Kat, Carson, and Nathan ran in the next heat and Carson beat them soundly. Megan was elated that someone from her group made it to the second round.
The third heat included Andrew, Grace, and Juan. Megan cupped her hands over her mouth. “Come on, Grace!” Her enthusiasm took hold as Grace got into position. When Wendy shouted for them to start, Grace nimbly took off and grabbed an early lead. The first time Juan fell off, he left his Cardinals baseball cap in the sand. He started over several times as the others made progress. He didn’t look like he was going to be a very big threat, but Andrew was right on Grace’s heels.
When the two leaders jumped onto their last log, Andrew suddenly shouted, “Watch out!”
Grace glanced over just long enough to lose her footing and slip from her beam. She shook her head and rushed back to the start. Andrew jumped to the finish as Megan stared at him, aghast. What a dirty trick!
“Andrew moves on!” Wendy cheered. “The final heat . . . Sabrina, Megan, and Danae. Ladies, take your positions.”
Megan wiped her sweaty palms on her shorts. She wanted nothing more than to get into the second round, just to beat the pants off Andrew. Even if he was the only one still wearing pants.
Megan squatted at the start line, determined to do right by Molly, Grace, and her team.
“And . . . go!” Wendy shouted.
Megan tentatively stepped onto the log and pulsed her arms through the air to get her balance. It didn’t work and the log rolled, sending her to the sand on her backside.
“Ouch!” she heard someone shout from the sidelines.
“It’s okay, Megan, get up and go again!” Grace encouraged.
Megan glanced down the course. Sabrina and Danae were on thei
r way, but the logs could roll at any time. She wasn’t going to give up. She got up and brushed herself off as she tackled the log a second time . . . and got thrown to the ground again.
Megan shook her head and rubbed her hipbone. What am I doing wrong? The logs beside her shook as Danae hit the sand. Megan saw her chance. She got up a third time and stuck the tip of her shoe out onto the log. She steadied the wood and tried not to flinch when she noticed Sabrina step into the sand before her. Her competitors were starting over!
She stepped out onto the wood beam and straightened her arms beside her. One step at a time. One foot in front of the other. That was all she could do. She looked down at the log as it wiggled. She was better off staring straight ahead and letting her body find its center. Megan focused her eyes on someone who was standing at the far end of the course behind the cameras. She was transitioning to the second log when she realized her focal point was Cane Trevino himself, standing at the end of the course behind the cameras.
Megan would analyze this to death later, but for now, she needed him to stay put. She could hear the other women gaining on her. She quickened her pace and narrowed her focus. It was just her and the log . . . and Cane. You are the log. Become one with the log. She felt silly, but the mantra and her focal point seemed to be working.
Before she realized it, she set her foot in the sand on the other side of the course, just seconds before Danae hit the end of her log.
“In our closest finish yet, Megan wins!” Wendy hollered. “Since four contestants remain, we’ll run heats of two people each. Lucy and Megan will go first, then Andrew and Carson.”
Megan’s moment of elation turned back to focus as she nodded at Lucy. The young girl looked like she was still in high school, though she claimed to be a senior in college. She could probably stand on the back of a chair for an hour without so much as bobbling. But Megan was mature and had life experience behind her. Perhaps she could take her.
“This time, you will carry a bucket of water in each hand.” Wendy announced. “If you spill the water, you have to run to the bay and refill it. Ladies, grab your buckets.”
Megan and Lucy picked up buckets near Wendy’s board and filled them in the bay side by side.
“Good luck,” Lucy said as they approached the starting log.
“You too,” Megan returned. At least it seemed like she didn’t have to worry about Lucy being a bad sport like Andrew.
“Ready? And go!” Wendy shouted.
Megan put her toe on the first log and wobbled. She could see Lucy a few steps ahead of her already. She raised the buckets on either side to get balanced. She swayed first one direction, then the other. Her eyes searched the horizon. Where was Cane? She needed to find her center. As soon as he stepped into view and clapped and cheered with the rest of them, Megan stopped weaving on her log and started stepping forward.
“Water hazard!” Wendy shrieked. “Lucy, you spilled—return to the bay!”
Megan’s pulse quickened. If she could keep it together, she could get through this heat. She kept her eyes fixed on Cane and her breathing steady, even as her legs wobbled beneath her.
When she got to the other side of the log course, she couldn’t believe it. Not a drop of water had spilled from her bucket and Lucy was an entire log back.
“Slow and steady wins the race,” Wendy announced. “Andrew and Carson, you’re up next.”
Megan fell into Grace’s embrace and celebrated the fact that she was moving on in the competition, against all odds. If the other contestants knew what a klutz she was in regular life, they’d be astounded with what she’d accomplished. Megan searched for Cane around the group, and when their eyes met, she gave him a slight nod. He nodded in return. She didn’t know if he understood she was thanking him for his help, but she planned to do so in person later.
She returned her attention to the competition and watched Andrew crush Carson soundly. She had high hopes that the PE teacher would triumph over the insurance salesman in a suit, but to no avail. It was down to two . . . her and Andrew.
“The buckets were easy enough, but what if you had to carry something bigger . . . something heavier across those logs?” Wendy asked. “Choose another contestant. You will be carrying them across the logs.”
Megan’s eyes widened. She had to carry a person? She immediately turned to Grace, the smallest in the bunch. “Do you mind?” She hated to ask.
“I’d love to be in the winning race!” Grace gave her a high five and moved to the log course to get into position.
Andrew chose Kat and picked her up like they were a honeymooning couple. Megan had Grace jump onto her piggyback-style. Grace didn’t weigh much, but she was still way more than Megan was used to having on her back. She took a deep breath and hunched over.
“The final race of the first competition. Ready, Leftovers? Go!” Wendy stomped on her board.
Megan stuck her toe out onto the log for a third time, realizing what was different this time around. She couldn’t lift her head up far enough to see Cane.
Her ankle rolled off the log and Grace’s leg hit the sand. “It’s okay,” Grace said. “Let’s go again. They could fall.”
Megan rushed to the start and Grace jumped onto her back again. Megan got a few more steps this time, but she still couldn’t spot Cane and the result was the same. The duo ended up back at the start three times before Andrew and Kat crossed the finish line.
“Andrew! You have protection from tonight’s elimination!” Wendy screeched.
“You made it to the last race,” Grace encouraged. “Way to go!”
“Better luck next time,” Andrew called from the other side of the logs.
Megan sighed, her emotions in conflict. She was proud she had made it through more heats than she expected but disappointed she couldn’t follow through one more time when it really mattered. Was it really Cane that got her that far? Staring into those remarkable eyes and watching his curly hair wave in the breeze seemed to have an effect on her center of balance. If that was the case, she was in a whole heap of trouble—trouble of an entirely different kind.
Chapter Eleven
It was hard for Cane to watch Andrew choose two fellow contestants and sequester themselves down the beach with sandwiches. He knew what hunger pangs were like, but he could always grab a sandwich. He didn’t envy that the remaining contestants could not. They were going to have to figure out a way to feed themselves fast or it would be a long nine days.
Cane went back to his tent and closed the flap. His own sandwich awaited and he certainly wasn’t going to eat it out in the open where the hungry contestants might see him. When he was done, he inventoried his supplies. Again. If no one got hurt, there wasn’t much for him to do other than watch the game progress.
Mike stuck his head through the tent’s door. “I put an order of silence on the contestants again. We only have so many crew members and it’s easier to give them all a break at once. No one can talk for the next hour. If anyone needs medical attention, they can talk to you, of course. But they are not to speak to each other. If you see anyone out of order, let me know.”
Cane saluted the producer. “10-4, good buddy. Over and out.”
Mike frowned and his head disappeared outside the tent.
Those on the show had gotten through their first competition and reward. They were probably dying to strategize and talk about the elimination that night. On the other hand, they were likely exhausted as well. The hour break might give them a chance to rest and return to the game with a new perspective.
Cane didn’t want to observe the contestants for fear he might catch someone cheating. He didn’t want to tattle on anyone and get them kicked from the game. He’d stay in his tent and do a little light reading. He picked up a textbook on updated medical procedures and opened the cover. He had to take tests every two years to retain his certification and it was necessary to stay up on the latest.
He had just turned to the first page when a fist
came through the tent flap.
“Oops,” a voice on the other side called. “Sorry, I was trying to knock.”
Cane chuckled and closed his book. “Come on in, Megan.” He stood to greet her.
Megan parted the flaps and ducked her head unnecessarily as she stepped into the tent. “Nice digs,” she said as she looked around.
Cane shot a look at the cot in the corner of the tent and the small tray where he ate. “Thanks. It sure beats what you guys have out there.”
Megan shrugged, eyes going over the organized medical supplies. “We’ll see after tonight. The lean-to seems pretty sturdy, all things considered.”
“Everything okay?” Cane asked. “Do you need anything?” He frowned and looked for external injuries.
Megan blushed and looked down. “Oh no, sorry. Mike said we could talk to you but not each other. Everyone seems to be meditating or sleeping and I’m not into either.”
“You’re not into sleeping?” Cane raised one eyebrow.
She looked up at him earnestly, the bright lights in the tent making her eyes sparkle. “I am. I mean, I love nothing more than a good nap. I just can’t relax right now.”
Cane smiled. She still didn’t meet his eyes half the time, but she already seemed different than their first encounter at KETO. More confident, perhaps? He wondered how she’d come across to the other contestants thus far. “What’s up?” He gestured to his cot and Megan sat down.
“I just wanted to thank you.” She was looking right into his eyes.
“For?” Cane sat in the lawn chair next to his supplies.
“Helping me in the competition.”
“I’m sorry.” Cane stroked his chin. “I’m not sure what I did.”
Megan examined her feet. “Oh, yes, I suppose that would be confusing. I guess I was using you as my focal point. It might have seemed as if I was staring at you . . . and I was. I was just looking for something to center my focus and you happened to be in the way.”
The Leftover Page 7