Page 47 of The Roommate Remodel

I feel inside the envelope. It’s empty.

“Who is Big Mac with?” Vale asks, standing next to his twin.

“There are no names left.” I scan the group, trying to figure out what to do about this inconvenient problem.

“Except you,” Vale notes with a gleam in his eyes.

A rock settles in my gut.There’s no way I’m going with him.“I thought I’d stay back in case Alex calls.”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Leo taunts, pulling me toward the helmets. “You’re not getting out of this.”

Tate agrees with a nod. “If I have to go,youhave to go. It’s only fair.”

“Okay, Mr. Fairness Police,” I huff, a jolt of worry snaking down my spine. I’ve never been on a zip line. The thought of plunging to my death has always been enough to scare me away.

“You don’t have to pair up with me,” I tell Brax, glancing down at my list, my cheeks burning like flaming torches. I don’t want Brax to see me freak out up there. And he’d probably rather go with someone else.

“Do you have a partner?” he asks slowly.

“I can go by myself. It’s okay. Really,” I stammer.

“Why would you go by yourself?” he asks, frowning. “That’s not safe.”

“Why are you going all law and order on me?” I ask, irritated that the more I push him away, the more he clings to me like Velcro. “Are you turning into Tate now?”

“I’m more like Sheriff than Vale and Leo are. Rulesare created for a reason,” he concludes, putting his hands on his hips like he’s playing good cop. “Is it a crime to be worried about you?”

He’s right, and I hate it. The zip-line course agreed to stay open for us as long as we went in pairs. There are zip-line guides on the platforms, but they’re mostly watching to make sure we follow the safety procedures.

I play with my pen, trying to think of a way out. “You don’t want to go with me. I’ll hold you back.”

“You won’t hold me back,” he argues, moving closer to me. “I want to help you, but you have to let me first. Stop fighting me.”

This guy is good.Every excuse I make, he volleys right back to me, like a never-ending game of ping-pong.

I tilt my chin up to meet his gaze. “Trust me, Iwillhold you back. Before this is over, you’ll get frustrated and probably push me off the platform.”

He smirks. “Nice try, Jazzy.” Grabbing a helmet, he squashes it over my hair. “Strap your helmet on, partner. You’re stuck with me.”

Then he saunters off with the most aggravating grin.

That man is going to be the death of me.

As my shoes crunch on the gravel path, I wonder if there’s still time to sprain my ankle, so I don’t have to do this.

“You coming?” he asks, glancing over his shoulder, showing no mercy for me.

Brax is a few steps ahead of me, his massive strides forcing me to jog to keep up with him.

“Why are you walking so fast?” I pant, already out of breath. “It’s not a race. And we’re the last in line.”

He shoots me a challenge over his shoulder. “Thought you could keep up.”

Maybe it’s better that he walks in front of me, then we don’t have to talk to each other.

He scouts the first stop, a towering wooden structure with a platform that looks like walking the plank on a pirate ship.

“You ready to fly?” He flashes a boyish grin that sendsmy heart cartwheeling. Maybe it’s my nerves. Or because he’s way too cocky about this. At this point, I can’t tell the difference. I’m wound as tightly as a spring-loaded jack-in-the-box.

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