Page 97 of Trip Me Up

The sooner I get up there, the sooner I can leave.

I pulled my hand out of the protection of Niall’s elbow and put one spindly shoe on the lowest step. Then the other. At the top, the distance to the podium stretched into one of those mirrored hallways in a funhouse. I lurched toward it.

The presenter smiled and held out the glass trophy. “It’s all right, dear. Just hold on to the podium, say, ‘Thank you,’ and get off. We all hate giving speeches. Almost as much as we hate listening to them.”

I nodded. Something was already in my hand, and I set it on the stage to accept the heavy trophy.

Hugging that slippery glass statuette that poked me in the boob, I was powerless when my bag tipped over and Bilbo Baggins skittered across the stage, almost as desperate as I was to escape the heat of the spotlight.

I hefted the trophy onto the podium, but the damn thing slid down, down, down the slanted surface. People at the table closest to the front gasped.

I caught it just before it crashed to the floor. The sharp part at the top, one of the planet’s rings, sliced into my thumb. Leaving the trophy still wobbling on the stage, I took a step toward the other side, following Bilbo Baggins. Just behind the curtain, the Wall scooped up Bilbo Baggins in one hand and held him by the scruff like a kitten. Narrowing his eyes, he nodded at me.Finish your speech. I’ll deal with you after.

Shit. I sucked the blood off my thumb.

The part of the audience close enough to witness what had happened laughed. Whispers rippled toward the back of the room.

So much for a quiet exit.

My hands and feet had gone numb, and my blood had turned to freon, chilling me from the inside. Shuffling around the menacing trophy, I stepped to the podium. I gripped the edges with both hands and stared out over the audience.

I could tell the truth right now.I could leave the prize there, tell them I didn’t deserve it. That I’d fooled them all. That I was sorry. It was so late in the game now, Heidi wouldn’t bother suing me. When she heard about the win, she’d schedule the announcement.

The low lights glinted off Niall’s red hair like a beacon. He grinned at me from the table.

No. I couldn’t tell these strangers before I told Niall.

Say thank you and get off.

I leaned toward the microphone. “Thank you.”

I bent and picked up my now-empty bag. Threading it over my shoulder, I hefted the trophy and walked back the way I’d come. The Wall met me behind the curtain. I shoved the trophy at him, and he gripped it as easily as I’d have grasped a glass of water. He held out Bilbo Baggins, and I cuddled him to my chest.

A bald man beckoned to me from offstage. I couldn’t feel my feet. Or my face. Only the pounding of my pulse in my ears.You lie, you lie, you lie.

The man guided me to a chair in a quiet corner. “We’ll take a photo later when you have more color in your face. Do you need anything? Some water? A glass of brandy?”

I held Bilbo Baggins, not caring about the fur that’d stick to my sweaty chest. My bag buzzed. And buzzed. And buzzed.

Say thank you and get off.

“No, thank you.” I scanned the walls for an exit sign.

“I’ll come back in a few minutes,” he said.

When he left, I reached for the bag and pulled out my phone. Text after text lit up the screen. Most of them were from Qiana. Lots of congratulations. Some champagne emoticons.

Then one popped up from Heidi. I opened it.

Congratulations, Sam. I think we’ve achieved what we set out to do. Thanks for all you’ve done for Happy Troll.

I gripped the phone until the plastic case dug a furrow into my palm. That was it. The signal. I stood.

Niall bounded from the stage, gripping an even bigger glass trophy. “Sam! Are you all right? I thought you’d come back to the table. I won!” He ran his hand through his hair, mussing its formal style. “I’m sorry.”

The vise around my heart eased. One good thing had happened that night. “No! Don’t be sorry. I’m happy for you. You deserved it.”

“Mr. Flynn.” The bald man was back. “Let’s get you to the photographers.”

---