Page 32 of Love in Tandem
I KNOW YOU’RE BEHIND THIS!
THERE WILL BE BLOOD, SOPHIA. BLOOD!
The texts from Charlotte had started before Sophia even got out of bed that morning and had continued at intervals throughout the day, probably whenever Charlotte could find a phone signal. Before she could slide her phone back into her work apron pocket, another text buzzed through.
STOP IGNORING ME!
Fine. Sophia pushed her food cart to the side of the hallway and ducked into a restroom outside a visitor’s lounge on the second floor. She tapped her sister’s contact number and said, “It’s not what it looks like,” as soon as Charlotte answered.
“Really? Because it looks like you signed Zach and me up for a challenge that requires riding a tandem bicycle five hundred miles in ten days on something called the Natchez Trace.”
Sophia met her own wincing expression in the mirror above the sink. “Okay, it might be what it looks like. But listen, I didn’t know all the details at the time. And I certainly didn’t think you guys would get picked.”
“Then why did you sign us up?”
“I had to. My back was against the wall. Or rather the booth. Either way I had no escape.”
“You need to explain yourself better than that.”
Sophia sucked in a deep breath and leaned against the bathroom door. “I went to brunch with Mom and Dad after church yesterday, and Ty was there. He pulled up a chair, wanting to know if the rumors were true about you and Zach. Of course I had to tell him yes. I mean, Mom and Dad were sitting right there. But then he started going on and on about that challenge and asking why you and Zach hadn’t entered your names yet and pointing out how the deadline was later that afternoon.”
She pushed off the door and began pacing. “I tried coming up with some good excuses, I did. But they all sounded flimsy. Especially when everyone knows how much you could use that money. So when Mom and Dad started hitting me with questions too, I panicked. I told them you guys had been so busy with Ben’s wedding, you’d probably forgotten. Well, next thing I know everyone’s looking at me like I should just go ahead and fill out the application for you.”
She yanked a paper towel out of the dispenser, starting to sweat as much now as she had yesterday when she’d received a rapid response to her email. A response that said yes, they qualified—so long as A. P. Hopkins received a short essay on why they were the best couple to be chosen to attempt the challenge.
“You wrote an essay?” Charlotte said once Sophia finished explaining. “About Zach and me? As a couple?”
“Ty helped. He practically dictated the whole thing.”
“What did this essay say?”
“We mostly focused on you. And your music program.” Sophia inhaled a deep breath, preparing to say the next bit as quickly as possible. Like ripping off a Band-Aid. “And maybe tossed in a sentence or two about everything you sacrificed to help your family when Mom was battling cancer, only for you to get dumped at the altar afterward, which is why we’re all so very excited you’ve met the true love of your life and know without a doubt you two are up for this challenge. And we may have also added a picture of you and Zach kissing at the reception. That was actually Mom’s idea.”
Sophia held the phone away from her ear just in case. When she didn’t hear any screaming, she slowly brought it back and said, “Charlotte? You still there?”
“Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner?” Charlotte gritted out in her ear.
“Everything happened so fast. I didn’t want to say anything until I came up with a way to fix it first.”
“And?”
“I never came up with a way to fix it.” Sophia dabbed her forehead. “Hopkins loved the essay and said you were in.”
“Sophia!”
There was the scream. She jerked the phone away from her ear for a few seconds, then replaced it. “Listen. Mom and Dad are leaving for North Carolina in two days. Just go along with it until they get down there, okay? Remember. You don’t have to complete this challenge. You only have to attempt to complete it. Actually—”
She snapped her gaze to the mirror. Of course. That was the answer! Why was she sweating? “Don’t you see? This is perfect,” she said, tossing her paper towel in the trash. “Fail to complete it, nobody will be surprised. I mean, let’s be honest. You. Biking. Outdoors. Not the recipe for success. But if by some crazy miracle you do complete it? Twenty-five thousand dollars, Charlotte. Think about that.”
“Right now I’m more consumed with thinking about five hundred miles on a bicycle seat. Let alone sleeping in a tent every night. With Zach. Not sure our relationship has blossomed to the sharing-a-tent status already.”
“So take two tents.”
“And put them where? I’m serious. How do you pack for a trip like this? How much can we bring? Where does everything go? Do we drag a U-Haul behind us? I don’t even know where this Natchez Trace is. How am I supposed to prepare? We don’t even have a tandem bicycle.”
“You’ve still got a couple of days. I’m sure we can come up with a tandem bicycle in the meantime. Just eat a PowerBar and stop stressing. We’ll figure out where the Natchez Trace is later. I have to go. And hey, aren’t you supposed to be on a canoe trip right now?”
“I am. Can’t you hear the utter despair and agony in my voice?”
