Page 30 of The American

“No.” She shrugged. “Everything is a disaster. But tonight isn’t about that. You’re right. Tonight is about playing a part, and honestly, having a little fun.”

He nodded, hesitantly. “Can we…talk about things…soon?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I don’t know.” She didn’t know if she could trust him. Would he be honest with her? “I mean we can, of course. Later.” He could talk. She didn’t have to believe him.

He settled back in his spot and seemed more relaxed. “So, are you going to tell me what we are doing tonight?”

“No way, not yet.” She loved having the upper hand. “But remember, you said you were perfectly comfortable doing things you’d never done before.”

His eyes brightened. “That’s right.”

“Well, prepare yourself for a night full of things I’m pretty certain you have never done before.”

“Awesome!” Thad eyed her in appreciation. “You really know how to plan an amazing date.”

“Ha! You don’t even know what we are doing yet.”

“No, but your opening is enough. I’m always open for new experiences and rarely find them.”

She believed that. With money at your disposal and a whole country at your feet. The man lived on a Mediterranean Island.

They pulled into a nondescript junkyard.

Teams of cars raced in after them, people pouring out with their cameras already flashing. The sun was a warm glow on the horizon and the poignant smell of sour garbage lingered when the breeze hit just right.

“Um, Sage?”

“This, Thad Valdez, is our first challenge.”

His eyes lit. And he eyed the area with new interest.

A large van with flashing lights and camera equipment on the roof pulled in, honking people out of the way.

Then a man in camo and a group of six other people joined them. He waved to the crowd, obviously enjoying the attention way too much. “We don’t usually get this much coverage. I’ll have to thank you later.”

Then he turned to Thad and Sage and gestured that four of the others join them. “You six are my challengers for the evening.”

Thad reached for Sage’s hand and squeezed it. Cameras flashed from all directions. His whisper sent happy shivers across her shoulder blades. “Good call, Sage.”

The man introduced everyone to each other and then his team laid out a table, complete with tablecloth, beautiful cutlery, and all the settings in a matter of moments. They placed a covered dish in the center.

Sage swallowed twice. She hadn’t been considering that some of the challenges would be uncomfortable for her as well.

The men brought old barrels from the junkyard and each contestant took a seat.

The other challengers were difficult to read, and quiet. Sage wondered where all these people came from. Then the dish cover lifted and she forgot everything else.

In the center of the plate a massive pile of wiggling writhing worms made their way off the plate and looked so altogether disgusting that Sage fought back a drive heave.

Thad chuckled under his breath. “I can take this one.”

She opened her mouth, then promptly shut it. “You sure?”

He nodded. “I’ve had worse.”

So relieved she could kiss him even though he might be blackmailing her and ruining her career, she squeezed his hand.

The man said, “Okay, one of you gets to have a good meal before we begin. You decide which of the pair eats a worm.”

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