Page 79 of Ex Marks the Spot

“So how’d you find out about the A Team’s alliance?” I ask.

“Remember how we won the Shortcut in Nepal?”

“Yeah.”

“They upgraded our room and gave us certificates for a free massage. We were heading down to the spa when Mitchell and Kennedy checked into the hotel and we overheard them. I might’ve had a really hard time tying my shoe long enough to learn the Wise Guys approached them in New Zealand.”

I pause my unstacking to look at her. “But they agreed to help eliminate them at the airport in China.”

“Exactly. And now the Wise Guys know about the plan.”

Shit.

“That’s probably why that asshole ran me over.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me. The good news is, Old Bay has doubled down on Operation: Elimination, and Kick Asspen probably will too as soon as we can talk to them. The plan is to help each other as much as possible in the next leg or two to make it harder for the A Team and the Wise Guys to stay in the race.”

“Hey, thanks again for helping us earlier. Hartley was worried about being farther back in the pack after last night’s hit-and-run, so this is a huge help.”

“Speaking of Hartley . . .”

I glance over and find her laughing at something Alexis is saying. It’s nice to see her relaxed and enjoying herself compared to the day Gianna and I worked on the mosaic challenge together—which, now that I think about it, feels like a month ago rather than last week.

It’s strange how time flies when you let go of old grudges and have a few orgasms.

As I turn my attention back to the stack of rocks, I catch Gianna staring at me with an amused smile.

“What?” I ask.

“You know exactlywhat,” she teases as we cross paths.

“I’m just sorting the world’s most annoying puzzle pieces.”

“And making ga-ga eyes at your teammate.”

Stifling a smile of my own, I return to the stack for another load. “I’m making regular eyes at everything but these damn rocks.”

She points eastward and says, “Denial is right over there if you want to go for a quick swim.”

“With this heat, I actually wouldn’t mind that if it weren’t for the crocodiles.”

“Good point. Hartley wouldn’t be happy if you lost any dangly bits.”

I cough out a strangled laugh and nearly drop the puzzle piece I’m carrying. “Did you just refer to my manhood as ‘dangly bits’?”

“Did you just refer to your manhood as your ‘manhood’?”

“I was trying to be polite, and you sound so much like my sister right now.”

“I like her already.”

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually miss her.”

“Do you see her often?”

“Yeah, she still lives in Green Valley, not far from my house. Well”—I shrug— “everything’s not far in Green Valley but you get the point.”

“Did you ever tell her the truth about your breakup?”

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