Page 55 of The Holiday Games

It’s impossible.

And I have to go.

“Can you pull over, please?” I murmur, reaching for my purse on the seat beside me. “Can you pull the car over? I need to get out.”

“What’s happening?” Kayla asks, her voice tight and urgent on the other end of the line. “Caroline? Are you okay? Caroline, I?—”

“I’ll call you later,” I say, ending the call and shoving my cell into my bag with shaking hands. I reach for the door handle as the car slows at the next intersection, but Grace lunges across my lap, covering my hand with hers.

“No, you can’t,” she says. “Please! We need to get to the spa and inside as quickly as possible. Before the rest of the contestants arrive.”

I turn to her with a frown. “The rest of the contestants? They’re coming to the spa, too? But I thought?—”

“The losers’ challenge is a laundry challenge. They’re going to be cleaning all the linens and towels at the spa while you’re getting treated,” Grace says in a rush. “At least that was the plan before, but Ainsley’s doing her best to find something for them to do that won’t put you all in such close contact. Not until she’s investigated the claims Jenna made this morning, anyway.”

My frown digs deeper into my already aching forehead. “What? What’s she done now? I was serious yesterday. If she continues to stalk me on the dark web, I’m hiring an attorney to deal with her.”

“She wasn’t on the dark web,” Grace says, easing back into her seat as the light changes and the car lurches forward again, moving steadily up Madison Avenue. “She found a video on social media. She swears she wasn’t looking for dirt on you this time, that she was just scrolling holiday in New York posts and…there you were.”

“And there I was doing what?” My eyes widen, my patience thinner than it would normally be. I have real problems to deal with, problems that have the potential to turn an innocent child’s life upside down. I don’t have time for Jenna’s petty nonsense.

Grace’s lips peel away from her teeth in a combination smile-wince. “There you were…under the mistletoe with the producer of the show? And he was kissing your forehead in a super romantic way?”

My stomach locks up again and the blood drains from my face. “On the ferry?”

Grace nods miserably. “Yeah. A sorority girl posted it on her feed. It doesn’t look good. Jenna’s threatening to sue for breach of contract.” She lifts her hands, fingers spread wide. “I mean, I don’t think Leo would cheat to help you win. I’ve only workedwith him once, but he doesn’t seem like that kind of guy. It’s just?—”

“He isn’t,” I assure her. “And he hasn’t. We just… We tried to be friends, but from the moment we met, it was just like we were meant to be more.” I shrug and shake my head, fighting tears. “But it doesn’t matter now. It’s over. It’s all over.”

“Don’t cry,” Grace says, fumbling a tissue from her giant production assistant bag of tricks. “Oh please, don’t. Your face will get all puffy and we won’t be able to shoot for hours. Everything isn’t over! Ainsley’s a genius in a crisis. She’ll find a way to calm things down and get Jenna off your back. We just need to keep our heads down, get through today, and I’m sure things will look better tomorrow.”

“No, you don’t understand, I can’t…” I trail off, my pulse picking up as the driver slows in front of the Madison Spa and Suites, where the rest of the cast is already gathered outside, dressed in pale green scrubs under their coats and scarves.

Ainsley is there too, and appears to be trying to herd the others into a large van parked in front of us, but it’s too late.

They’ve already spotted me.

As I emerge from the car, all three of my fellow contestants turn my way. None of them look pleased, but Millie’s wounded expression hits the hardest. She looks so disappointed, so betrayed, like I’ve proven to her that girl power isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

I step forward, compelled to make things right.

But before I can speak, Jenna thrusts an accusing finger my way and shouts, “There you are, you cheating sack of shit. I knew it! People like you are all the same. You act like sugar wouldn’t melt in your mouth. Meanwhile, you’re sharpening your knife, ready to stab it into the closest back as soon as you get the chance.”

“That’s not what happened,” I say. “If you’ll just let me?—”

“Let you explain?” Jenna cuts in, still shouting loud enough that we’re starting to attract a crowd of curious onlookers. “Explain what? That you and the producer have been dating months? Years? Tell me, Goody, did you cook up this plan to put money in your own pockets together or was it all your idea?”

My chin rears back in shock. “What? No! I never?—”

“Let’s get inside,” Grace says, touching a hand to my arm. To Jenna she says, “We’re investigating the situation. I promise, we’re taking this very seriously. If there’s any sign that the competition has been compromised, we’ll?—”

“I don’t trust your investigation,” Jenna cuts in.

“Me, either,” Eduardo adds, sending another arrow sailing into my chest. “I want a neutral third party to look into this. Someone without skin in the game.”

“Please,” I say, resisting Grace’s attempts to draw me toward the spa’s door. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Neither did Leo. Yes, we’ve developed feelings for each other, but I just met him a few days ago! And he didn’t tell me anything about the competition in advance or try to help me win in any way. I swear to you.”

“Bullshit,” Jenna seethes. “I don’t believe a word that comes out of your lying mouth.”

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