The Engagement Game

by Talia Hunter

  9

  They were lined up on the beach in front of a covered table. All eight of the contestants were in a row, with Timmy in front of them. They were waiting patiently for the camera crew to finish getting set up for the shot, and Carin had no idea what was under the two tablecloths that covered the table. The crew had been very sneaky about setting it up.

  All the contestants were eyeing the table curiously, but she noticed that Benchpress couldn’t stop staring down the beach at the shelter she and Jake had made, and she had to keep biting her lips together to keep from laughing at his sour expression. Built facing into the trees for extra protection from any sea breezes that could spring up, their shelter was the Taj Mahal of lean-tos. She and Jake had spent all afternoon building it, and even though Carin had blisters on her palms, she had to admit it had been worth it.

  Jake had even made them a bed of leaves that looked positively cozy. In fact, if she could now have a swim, a mai-tai, and a plate of creamy fettucine before turning in for the night, it might be almost as good as staying at the resort.

  “Ready to shoot?” asked Bozier in a loud voice. “Okay, let’s roll.”

  Timmy stepped in front of the line of the contestants. “It’s time for your next Labor of Love,” he said in his ‘on camera’ voice. “In honor of our new arrivals, we’re going to play a game that three of the couples have already played. When you first arrived, you answered questions to win the essentials you needed to survive Love’s Labors. This time, only Jake and Carin will be competing for those essentials.”

  He drew one of the tablecloths off the table, leaving half of it still covered by the other cloth. The items he uncovered were a fishing line, cooking tools, a flashlight, matches, packets of food, and a bunch of bananas.

  “Jake and Carin, here are the items you will be playing for.” He held up one finger. “But there’s a catch. You must earn these items by correctly answering a series of questions about your fiancé.”

  Carin felt her smile falter. The interviews from yesterday. They’d been questioned separately and been asked a million questions. Now Timmy was going to use the information to quiz her about Jake. Some of the questions had gotten intensely personal, but the psychologist had grilled her for so long, she’d ended up confessing things she wouldn’t normally have shared.

  Had they asked Jake the same kinds of things? She could only pray she knew him well enough to pass the test. What if she got asked something embarrassingly intimate like, ‘Is he circumcised’? Maybe she should have taken a peek, just in case.

  Timmy looked at the other contestants. “The rest of you won these essential items weeks ago. So here is what you will be playing for. Food that, until now, you’ve only dreamed of.” He whipped the remaining tablecloth off the table.

  All the contestants gasped. The wolf couple actually took a couple of steps forward, seemingly unable to hold themselves back.

  Carin swallowed, her mouth flooding with saliva. The table was covered with cakes and sweet pastries. They looked delicious, if a little melted under the tropical sun. But if the food looked good to her, how tempting must it be for the other competitors, whose lack of body fat indicated they’d been hungry for weeks?

  “Sam and Sally, you get to start,” said Timmy. “And remember, the team that gives the most correct answers will win this challenge.” He gave a wide, practised smile. “Sally, you’ll win a chocolate-covered donut if you answer this question correctly. What is the name of the first pet Sam ever owned?”

  Sally’s face fell. “I don’t know,” she wailed.

  Timmy shook his head with mock sadness. “Then this chocolate donut is forfeit.” He picked it up between forefinger and thumb, held it up for them to admire, then dropped it onto the sand.

  Sally let out a moan. The other contestants looked just as horrified. Carin thought the Wolves looked hungry enough to eat the donut anyway, though the melted chocolate was now thickly coated with sand.

  Carin glanced up to the nearest camera and tried to smirk, as any self-respecting fallen angel would. It wasn’t easy when Sally looked so pitiful, but she managed a small one. And forced it a little wider when she saw Bozier’s gaze settle on her.

  In spite of challenges like this one, coming here had been a fantastic idea. Bozier had already singled her out, giving her some one-on-one advice on how to play up to the cameras. Even if he didn’t hand her the fallen angel role, surely she’d have an edge when another juicy part came up for grabs.

  Timmy turned to Sam. “Your turn.”

  Sally and Sam managed to answer the next few questions. With each correct answer, Timmy moved a treat from the table to a box with their name on it. But he didn’t give them the box, even when their turn was over. No doubt Bozier wanted to film the tortured looks on their faces for as long as possible. They’d have to stand in the sun and watch the chocolate melt for however long it took for all the teams to answer questions about each other.

  Carin glanced at Jake. His lips were a tight line and his body was tense. When he met her gaze, she could read his distaste for this challenge. And she had to admit, it did seem a little sadistic.

  It was the Wolves turn next, then the Bodybuilders. Finally, when there were no more cakes left on the table, Timmy turned to Carin and Jake. “Now it’s your turn. Are you ready?” he asked. “Carin, when Jake was thirteen, he played a prank on his brother, trying to get him to eat something unpleasant. Can you tell me what Jake wanted his brother to eat?”

  To buy some time, Carin pretended to have to think about it. It was obvious Timmy expected a short, one-word response, like the other teams had given. But Carin wasn’t about to waste a good storytelling opportunity while the limelight was on her and Bozier was watching.

  “Jake was furious with Hendrix,” she said in a dramatic voice. “Hendrix had done something mean. Brother stuff, you know? And Jake came up with the most diabolical, evil, revenge plot ever.” She lowered her tone, leaning forward, as though letting her audience into a secret. “Jake asked all the kids in our class to shake their heads over a container so he could collect their dandruff. Greasy hair, dirty hair, bits of scalp. He got it all. A thick layer of the stuff. It was the most revolting thing you can imagine.” Face screwed up and lip curled, she mimed touching something disgusting.

  “You see, Hendrix was going through a phase where he loved salt. He always added lots of salt to his meal, and nobody else in the family ever did. So before dinner that day, Jake tipped most of the salt out of the salt shaker and poured in the dandruff instead.”

  Timmy’s expression changed into a heavily-botoxed version of a grimace. Exactly the reaction she’d been going for. Carin scanned all the contestants faces, making sure she had their attention and judging exactly how long to draw out her pause to create maximum suspense.

  “I stayed at Jake’s place, and when we sat down for dinner, Jake and I couldn’t look at each other for fear of cracking up.” She wrinkled her nose, giving her audience a rueful look. “I’d eaten at his place a million times, but this was the first time the salt shaker wasn’t on the table when we sat down. At first Jake and I didn’t want to mention it in case we made Hendrix suspicious, so we started eating the stew his mother had cooked, pretending everything was normal. We kept waiting for him to remember the salt and get the shaker. But he didn’t.” Carin shook her head with mock regret, loving the rapt attention of her audience. Storytelling didn’t get any better than this.

  “Finally, Jake couldn’t stand it any longer. He put down his fork and asked Hendrix if he wanted salt. And you know what his brother said?”

  “What?” asked Timmy.

  “Hendrix said…” She paused for effect. “He couldn’t have salt, because there was none left. Jake’s mother had used it all up when she’d seasoned the meal we were eating.”

  Carin grabbed her stomach with both hands and pretended she was puking. Timmy laughed, and so did the crew. Carin’s gaze flicked to Bozier. When she saw he was chuckling
, she barely stopped herself launching into her victory dance. Not so forgettable now, was she?

  “Great story,” said Timmy. “You’ve won a fishing line.” He took it off the table and put it into a box with their name on it.

  Carin puffed her breath out as though relieved to get the prize, though Bozier’s laughter had been her real prize.

  “Jake, you’re playing for a box of matches.” Timmy turned to him, still smiling. “What does Carin like to do when she’s stuck in traffic?”

  Jake folded his arms over his chest. “She winds the window down and sings Let It Go from Frozen at the top of her lungs, trying to get the drivers around her to sing along.”

  “Well done.” Timmy dropped the matches into the box. “Carin, you’re playing for a cooking pot. What food makes Jake gag?”

  “Dandruff.” She grinned when Timmy laughed. “Actually, it’s pineapple. But don’t tell his neighbor. He pretends to eat her upside-down cake so as not to hurt her feelings. Luckily she doesn’t see too well, so she doesn’t notice when he feeds his piece to her dog.”

  “That’s right, Carin. Jake, for a flashlight, can you name the celebrity who Carin most admires?”

  Carin had to hide a smug smile. Of course Jake knew the answer – he even called her Skeeter. The wild-haired, freckled character in The Help had hair the right color, and freckles just a little lighter than Carin’s. It could almost be her starring in the movie, instead of Emma Stone. As a kid, Carin had spent years washing her face with lemon juice and sour milk, trying to lighten them. But if Emma could rock freckles, why not her? Of course, Emma didn’t have acne scars to deal with, but Carin could cover hers with concealer. She could only pray they didn’t find the tube she’d smuggled to the beach with her.

  “Emma Stone,” said Jake at once.

  “Correct. Now, Carin, you’re playing for the kitchen tools. Can you tell me what achievement Jake is most proud of?”

  Carin looked at Jake, her mind racing. She knew the answer to this question. Or rather, she knew what Jake would most likely have told them when they asked.

  But that wasn’t the answer she wanted to give. At least, not right away.

  She gave a deep sigh, stretching out a dramatic silence while she considered the best place to start the story she wanted to tell. “Not many kids know what they want to do for a living,” she said at last. “Jake did. He always wanted to be an architect like his dad. But when his father got sick and Jake had to drop out of architecture school and take over running the business, he didn’t complain. Not once.”

  She pressed her palms together and lowered her forehead to her fingertips for a moment, as though in awe of his selflessness.

  “Jake’s father ran a small, four-man operation. Jake turned it into a business that hires fifty people. He’s worked hard, and I’m proud of what he’s done. I’d like to answer the question by saying Jake’s most proud of the business he’s built. But I know that’s not it.”

  Jake was frowning at her with his mouth twisted. He looked uncomfortable with the spotlight and she felt a twinge of guilt for taking advantage of the situation and telling stories about him instead of just answering the question.

  “Jake’s most proud of the structures he’s made with his hands. The incredible treehouse that all but took over his backyard when he was a kid, and the houses he worked on with his father. And look at our shelter.” She motioned to it. “A work of art. He’ll have to add it to the list.”

  Timmy nodded. “That’s correct. Jake, now it’s your turn, and you’re playing for a packet of rice. What was the worst moment of Carin’s life?”

  She drew in her breath, thinking of the terrifying pains in her chest when she’d had her first panic attack. That was the moment Jake was likely to think of, as he’d been almost as scared as she was.

  But that wasn’t a moment she’d wanted to mention in yesterday’s interview.

  “When one of the little girls she told stories to in the hospital died,” Jake said softly, sympathy in his voice. “There have been a few that have hit her hard. But one in particular…” He broke off and shook his head.

  Carin blinked. Jake knew her better than she’d realized.

  “Well done, Jake. Now, Carin, if you answer this question correctly, you’ll win a bag of oatmeal. Can you tell me the name of Jake’s favorite teacher?”

  “Yes, I believe I can.” Carin fought the urge to rub her hands with glee. Whomever had thought up these questions couldn’t have given her better opportunities to entertain her audience. “This particular teacher taught math, and Jake found it easy. When he was interested in the lesson, he was a good student. When he got bored, his teachers were in trouble. This one time, he—”

  Jake cleared his throat so loudly, her gaze jerked to him. His expression was strained.

  She closed her mouth on what she was going to say, though she was dying to share the story of how he’d pranked their teacher by hiding a recorder under her seat during assembly. His timing had been perfect, and the fart soundtrack had started playing just as the hall had fallen silent. But it had backfired when their teacher hadn’t simply found the recorder and switched it off. Instead, she’d flushed bright red and rushed out of the hall. Jake’s face had instantly fallen. Later, when his friends had tried to congratulate him, he’d hunched his shoulders, shaken his head, and walked away from them.

  Although Jake regretted the whole incident, it made for a hilarious story. If she omitted the bad part, she could have her audience in stitches. But their friendship came first, darn it.

  “His teacher was Miss Vassic.” She had to force her lips to close after she said the words. Giving such a short answer to the question was almost physically painful, but the tension easing from Jake’s expression was her reward.

  “Very good, Carin.” Timmy smiled. “The oatmeal is yours. You each have one more question to answer. Jake, if you answer your question right, you’ll win a bunch of bananas. Carin, you’ll be playing for a bag of peanuts. And if you both answer correctly, you’ll win this challenge.”

  Carin looked longingly at the nuts and fruit. If they didn’t win them, they’d have to spend the next few days living on nothing but oatmeal, rice and fish.

  “Ready, Jake?” Timmy waited for him to nod before going on. “What animal is Carin most afraid of?”

  Yes! Carin put her hands behind her back so she wouldn’t be tempted to pump her fist. Jake knew all about her fear of sharks.

  “I’m going to pass,” said Jake.

  Carin felt her mouth drop open. What the—?

  Jake met her gaze. He raised his eyebrows, and suddenly she got it. They were supposed to lose all the challenges so they’d be eliminated. He probably wanted her to get the next question wrong too.

  Timmy held the bananas up, then dropped them onto the sand. It didn’t have nearly as much theatrical flair as when he’d dropped the pastries.

  “Carin, here’s your final question. If you win this one, you’ll get the nuts. You’ll also be tied for first place in this challenge.” Timmy drew in a breath. “If Jake could have just one wish granted, anything he wanted, what would he wish for?”

  Carin looked into the camera, imagining how many people would be watching this moment when the show was broadcast. Thousands, at least. Maybe millions. It was an easy question. She didn’t want to pretend to not know the answer. Besides, doing well in the second challenge wasn’t so bad, was it? There’d be lots of other challenges to lose.

  She gave the smile she’d practiced so many times in the mirror, lifting her chin and making her eyes crease just enough in the corners to make her smile look genuine.

  “He’d make his father well again.”

  She was certain it was the right answer. Even knowing all he’d done to Jake’s mother, it was all but impossible to dislike his father. Jake and Hendrix had always idolized him. His illness had hit them hard.

  “Well done.” Timmy put the peanuts into their box. “Your correct answer
puts you first equal in the leader board. This is shaping up to be a very interesting competition indeed.”

  Carin could feel Jake’s eyes on her, but kept her gaze focused on the camera and the smile fixed on her face. This was her chance to shine, and surely Jake would understand. Maybe she was asking a lot, but if there was one thing those questions had demonstrated, it was that they’d always been able to depend on each other, no matter what.

  She could only hope he’d see it the same way.

  10

  Jake accepted the box filled with the supplies he and Carin had won and held it under one arm. There was no shade on the beach and sweat trickled down his back. He was fed up with the show, Timmy’s questions, the leers Bozier had been giving Carin … the whole damn thing.

  He wanted nothing more than to take the box back to the shelter they’d built, where the cameras couldn’t follow. But Carin was still smiling for the cameras, playing whatever part she was playing. Carin the storyteller. Carin the TV star. Carin the competitor. Or was it Carin the fallen angel? The only thing he knew for sure was how important this was to her. So for her sake, he stayed where he was.

  At least most of the cameras were now focused on the other contestants crouching over their boxes, devouring the sweet prizes they’d won. Although they’d had no lunch and he and Carin hadn’t had the opportunity to win anything sweet, Jake couldn’t begrudge the other contestants a single morsel of food. With any luck, they’d lose that desperate, haunted look that had been making him feel guilty about joining the show.

  Carin edged a little closer to him. “Guess they were hungry,” she murmured. She gave him a nervous smile that was obviously a silent apology for not losing the last challenge. One thing about their long friendship, they’d got pretty good at wordless communication. Which was why he’d needed to develop a way to hide his emotions from her.