Slow No Wake (11 page)

I hoisted myself onto the platform. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Daniel and Eddie on either side of the platform, watching closely to make sure I didn’t fall. Did I really come across as that delicate and
unathletic? I made a mental note to check out gym memberships.

I crossed my arms over my chest as Eddie had suggested and readied myself for the trust fall. I could hear Eddie instructing the others to get into their positions.

“Don’t drop her.” I heard Daniel warn the rest of the group. I knew if all else failed, he would definitely be there to catch me, so I wasn’t worried. I fell back and was caught by my teammates. When they placed me back down on the ground, Daniel was immediately at my side. “Are you okay?” he asked anxiously.

“I’m fine,” I reassured him. “Don’t worry.”

A look of relief spread across his face.

“You can’t worry like this about me all day, Daniel. I’m not that fragile.”

He looked embarrassed and I immediately regretted saying it. “Not that I’m not flattered,” I quickly added. “I know you care about me and don’t want me to get hurt.”

That got a half smile out of him.

We all lined up again as Trinity got ready to do her fall. And we caught her when she did. We also caught Serenity, Ricky and finally, Daniel.

Eddie gave us a small round of applause when we finished the exercise. “See, you all worked together and trusted each other and no one got hurt.” Eddie glared at Daniel when he said the last part. I thought Daniel might give him the finger and probably would have if we weren’t in a work setting. I wondered how the two of them still managed to live together with all of the animosity that was now between them. It was kind of scary.

The next element was the swinging log. We each had to make our way across a giant log that was suspended with cables between two poles. Brad went first again and made it across the log in what seemed like record time. Even though he wasn’t a big guy, there was no doubt he was athletic. Ricky went next and also made it across the log with ease. The twins looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously.

“Can we pass?” Serenity asked.

“I would prefer you didn’t,” Eddie replied. “At least give it a try.”

“This is a disaster waiting to happen,” Trinity said.

“Maybe you want to be a little more positive,” Eddie encouraged. “Thinking and believing you can make it across is half the battle.”

“I think and believe I’ll most likely fall on my ass,” Trinity mumbled.

“Maybe Daniel can hold your hand while you do it?” Eddie suggested. Daniel glared at him.

“Maybe Ricky can do it,” Daniel suggested. He gave Ricky a pleading look.

“Sure, no problem,” Ricky said and glared at Eddie.

The tension between Eddie and Daniel was getting ridiculous. I almost wanted to take the rest of the day as a sick day.

Ricky helped Trinity climb onto the log, then he held her hand as she walked across the length of it to the other side.

I noticed when Trinity jumped down from the log on the other
side, she nearly thrust herself into Ricky’s arms and spent a few too many seconds hanging on to him. Hmm. It would be interesting to see if Serenity had a similar attraction to him.

Ricky went through the same routine with Serenity and just as I anticipated, Serenity jumped into his arms and spent a few too many seconds in his embrace. When I caught Ricky’s eye after he let go of Serenity, he looked flattered by the attention. He certainly did have a way with the ladies.

Only Daniel and I were left to make the trek across the log. Daniel jumped on the log and hurried across it with ease. It almost looked like he was going for a morning stroll, he was so comfortable on it. With Daniel at the other end, Eddie grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the log. As he helped me up, I could see Daniel hurry over and get into Eddie’s face.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Daniel demanded.

Eddie clamped my hand in his. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Let go of her hand,” Daniel insisted.

Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

Daniel pointed a finger in Eddie’s face. “I don’t want you touching her.”

“You don’t get to make that decision.”

I tried to pull my hand from Eddie’s but he just tightened his hold on me.

“I’m going to help Alexandria across the log,” Eddie said.

“No, you’re not,” Daniel countered.

I suddenly felt like a bone that two dogs were fighting over. Finally, Ricky stood between the two men. “Because I’d like to get this over with and get home sometimes before it gets dark, I’ll help Lexie across the log.”

Eddie dropped my hand, but his eyes remained fixed on Daniel’s. Ricky shook his head then grabbed my hand. “Come on, kiddo,” he said. “Let’s rock and roll.”

With Ricky helping me to balance, I made it across the log quickly and relatively easily. When I got to the other end, Daniel was waiting for me and I noticed he made sure that Ricky dropped my hand as soon as I hopped down from the log.

“My man,” Ricky said to Daniel. “You’ve got it bad.” He patted his friend on the back as he passed by him.

It took so long to do the first two elements, by the time we all finished walking the log, it was almost time for lunch.

“We don’t have enough time to start the climbing wall,” Eddie said. “So why don’t we break for an early lunch?”

The twins both applauded that idea.

“Tom gave us money to get subs or pizza,” Eddie said. “Who has a preference?”

“My preference is for food,” Ricky joked. “I’m starving. How about pizza and subs?”

Brad raised his hand. “If we have to make due with fast food, I would prefer subs.”

“Pizza,” said the twins in unison, which earned a death stare from Brad.

“What would you like,
Lexie?” Daniel asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t have a preference. I could go either way.”

That earned a snicker from Ricky. Now I was the one giving him the death stare. I was clearly talking about food, not Daniel and Eddie.

“My vote is for pizza,” Daniel said. “Sorry, Brad.”

Brad heaved a sigh. “I supposed I can make do with the excessive cheese and grease for one day.”

“Alexandria, would you like to come with me to pick up the pizzas?” Eddie raised an eyebrow in my direction.

“I’ll go,” Daniel said.

“I don’t recall inviting you,” Eddie said.

I placed a hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “It’s okay. I can go to pick up pizzas.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” Daniel said through clenched teeth.

“It’ll be fine,” I reassured him.

“I don’t mind tagging along,” Ricky suggested.

“I’ve got the old Mini,” Eddie said.

Ricky threw ups his hands. “Okay, then, you guys
are on your own.”

I gulped, wondering what I had gotten myself into.

***

E
ddie and I stood in front of his 1976 Mini Cooper. “Does it run?” I asked. The thing looked like it should have been in a junkyard rather than a parking lot.

“Of course it runs,” Eddie scoffed. “How do you think I got it here this morning?”

Good point.

“There is one catch,” he said. “We have to push start it to get it running.”

“Seriously?”

Eddie nodded.

“Maybe we should just take my car,” I suggested.

He shook his head. “This is something I want you to experience. A ride like this will get your adrenalin pumping.”

The last thing I wanted was to be alone with Eddie with my adrenalin pumping.

“And maybe we can get something else pumping in the back seat later.” He gave me one of his irresistible dimple grins. Oh, God.

“Let’s just get the pizzas,” I muttered.

A few seconds later, I saw Daniel running toward us. “I’m going with you,” he said firmly.

“Don’t you trust your girlfriend?” Eddie taunted his roommate.

“I don’t trust you,” Daniel shot back.

“Takes two to tango,” Eddie said. “That little lady of yours isn’t going to do anything she doesn’t want to do. Maybe you’re just afraid she wants what you don’t have or can’t give her.”

Daniel’s jaw was clenched and I could see he was seething. I decided to take control of the situation again.

“We have hungry teammates to feed,” I said as I marched over toward my Kia Soul. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Daniel and Eddie reluctantly follow me. Daniel was a little quicker than Eddie and he made it to the front passenger door before Eddie, who resigned himself to taking a back seat.

I started the engine as the guys buckled themselves in place. “I don’t want to hear another word from either one of you until we get back with the pizza,” I warned them. Neither one of them said another word.

***

T
hirty minutes later, we arrived back to the Ropes Challenge Course with one pepperoni pizza, one sausage pizza and one vegetarian pizza. The others had already set up a picnic table with paper plates, plastic ware, napkins and drinks.

Ricky was seated between the twins and Brad was at the other end of the table. I sat down directly across from the twins and Eddie and Daniel took either side of me.

“Did you get vegetarian?” Serenity asked.

“Of course,” I said. “I’ve got your back.”

She smiled and grabbed a slice.

Brad also took a slice of the vegetarian and Trinity grabbed two slices of the pepperoni. I also took a slice of the pepperoni. I noticed that Ricky, Eddie and Daniel filled their plates with all the remaining slices with meat.

We all ate in silence for a few minutes then Ricky glanced at me and said, “I heard a rumor that you were traveling with us this weekend.”

I cringed. I didn’t know how much I wanted my co-workers to know about my personal life, not that it wasn’t completely on display anyway, thanks to the feud brewing between Eddie and Daniel.

“Lexie’s accompanying me,” Daniel interjected.

“And we’re not supposed to look at her, speak to her, or touch her,” Eddie said dripping with sarcasm.

I suddenly regretted agreeing to go up North with the guys. What was I thinking? Why did I ever think it would be a good idea to go on a trip with both Eddie and Daniel? Was it too late to cancel? I couldn’t do that to Daniel. I knew how much he was looking forward to me going with him.

Then Brad saved me by saying, “So, what do you think about the town’s plans to attract a new super mall? They say it will rival Mall of America.”

The other staff members jumped right into the conversation and I breathed a sigh of relief.

When the lunch had been completely devoured, the twins grabbed me for a potty break.

“What the hell is going on?” Trinity asked as she pulled me into the ladies room. “If Eddie and Daniel had swords and it was a few hundred years ago, they’d be dueling over you.”

“It’s kind of romantic,” Serenity said.

“It’s kind of like being in the middle of a Shakespearian tragedy,” Trinity said.

“Or maybe a Renaissance Festival,” Serenity said.

“I thought things were cooling with Eddie,” Trinity said.

“That’s what I thought, too,” I said. “I made it clear to Eddie that I was with Daniel, but he just won’t give up. He’s persistent.”

“And a bit crazy,” Serenity added.

“That, too,” I agreed.

“You’re really going to go away with all three of them for the weekend?” Serenity asked.

“All four of them,” I corrected.

The twins both raised their eyebrows. “There’s another one?” They asked in unison.

I nodded.

“You’re a brave woman,” Trinity said.

“Or maybe I’m the crazy one,” I said.

The twins both laughed at me.

***

A
fter lunch, it was time for the climbing wall. This time, we broke into our groups of three and Eddie gave us instructions that each group had to figure out a way to get all of their members over the wall.

Brad and the twins went first. Brad brought the twins into a huddle, apparently to discuss their strategy. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but I could see the twins nodding their heads in unison. It was nice to see Brad being civil, even cordial, with the twins. I was seeing sides to Brad I never realized existed.

When the huddle broke, Brad bent down and Trinity put her legs around his neck. I cringed as Brad got up holding her on his shoulders. He was a little wobbly at first, then righted himself. I held my breath when Trinity rose to her feet on his shoulders. I had to give Brad credit for being a lot stronger than I would have ever thought. I couldn’t see his face, but I imagined it was probably pretty red.

Trinity was raised high enough that she could lift herself up onto the small platform at the top of the wall. When Brad turned to face us, he looked a bit winded. I could see he was trying to compose himself and catch his breath. Trinity wasn’t a big girl, but Brad wasn’t a big guy either. It took some strength and fortitude on his part to get Trinity high enough to climb up the wall.