“One second,” Bridget called too loudly.
“There you are.” Bridget must have opened the door because Gina’s voice was no longer muffled. “I was so worried when you two disappeared. Are you okay?”
“We got a little lost. I’m fine.”
Gina chuckled darkly. “Too bad he couldn’t stay lost. Am I right?”
Bridget’s laugh was high and strained. “Right!”
That “right” burned in my gut. I didn’t know why I expected her to defend me since I’d done nothing worthy of it, but something inside my chest wanted it.
“You can see I’m perfectly fine, and I was about to get into the shower to wash off the river water. Don’t ask,” she warned.
“Are you sure you’re okay? Your cheeks are flushed.”
“I’m good. Maybe a little sunburned. See you at dinner?”
“Yeah, okay. Come see me if you start feeling sick,” Gina said. “I’ve got some Tylenol.”
“You’re always so prepared. Thank you.”
After I heard the click of the front door, I counted to five before I opened the bedroom door. “Clear?”
Her cheekswerered. “I’ll check.”
I stayed several feet back this time while she poked her head out the door. She stepped aside. “She’s gone. Go now.”
I didn’t meet her gaze as I ignored the path and darted through the landscaping to the safety of my room.
Bridget O’Brien might be small, but she was dangerous as a rickettsiosis-carrying tick.
13
I HATE IT WHEN CARLY IS RIGHT
Last person you kissed?
Cole:I’m not talking about that. Are we done here?
Bridget:I’ll go! I matched with a college professor on Grumble—you know, the over-40 dating site?—and he was sweet. He took me to an absolutely incomprehensible play at the Strand, and when he dropped me off, I kissed him. We saw each other a couple more times, but there was no spark, and he hated how I was always late—he didn’t like my joke about the 15-minute professor rule—so we unmatched.
BRIDGET
I’d taken the hottest shower I could manage, but after dinner with the team and Miguel’s not-so-gentle ribbing about what our kayaking skills might say about our leadership skills, I was still trembly inside. I refused to delve into my feelings to determine if I was chilled after my swim in the cold river or rattled from examining every inch ofCole’s skin and getting a peek at the ridge in his underwear. Shoving Carly’s too-revealing bikini to the very bottom of my suitcase, I put on my old, reliable blue suit, grabbed a towel, and went down to the hot springs behind our hotel for a soak.
The nearby volcano naturally warmed the water underground, and there was public access a little way down the road. Our resort diverted some of the water into its own faux-natural setup with a swim-up bar and semi-private alcoves. I picked a secluded spot, shielded by a giant bougainvillea. The offshoot of the main pool was about the size and shape of a hot tub, including a rocky ledge to sit on while submerged. I slipped off my flip-flops and dipped a toe into the clear water. It was like a bath, so I stripped off my cover-up and settled into the water that, unlike a bath, would never go cold.
Leaning back against the rough stone, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander, remembering the call to Mom and Dad that I’d made with my new phone. They’d been worried about my twenty-four hours of silence, but I’d reassured them I was fine. I hadn’t mentioned my lost passport. There was no sense in worrying them about something I’d be able to resolve when we got to San José in two days.
I hadn’t realized how much I relied on the connection to my family until I was away from it for a day. It had been kind of Cole to replace my phone. But what was his angle? Was it that he wanted me to owe him a favor, or was there more? Was he trying to distract me? Maybe he was having a secret meeting with the othersright now.I blinked open my eyes.
“Mind if I join you?” a deep voice asked from above my head.
It was a familiar voice, and I took a moment to breathe, to try to slow my racing heartbeat. Finally, I looked up into his eyes, which were almost black against the starry sky. “Okay.” How had he found me back here?
Cole reached down to the hem of his Apex T-shirt. To keep myself from ogling his bare, tick-free chest again, I turned my head away so fast my neck popped. I glared at the bougainvillea like the hussy had somehow beckoned him over.
There was a slight splash and a sigh as he settled next to me.
