I barked a laugh. “Not likely. I’m in it to win it.”
She shrugged and then tipped back her head to drink. “Suit yourself.”
“So you won’t care if I just grab your flag?” I edged toward the corner of the field Bridget had been guarding.
“Actually, we do.” Gina set her beer in the grass and jogged toward the corner to guard it. Miguel followed at an easy lope.
I pivoted and raced toward the penalty box. Bridget didn’t bother to stand. I skirted her and tapped Akil and Stan on the shoulder. “Come on, guys. Back to home base.”
“No, thanks.” Stan glugged his beer. “I’m pretty comfortable here.”
“Me too,” Akil said. When he tipped back his head to drink, I noticed the bandanna around his neck. It was blue, not red.
“What thefuck?”I yelped. “Are you a double agent? That’s not allowed, Bridget.”
“Nah,” Akil said. “I switched sides. Stan and I are Team Blue now.”
“Seriously? Turncoats?” I shouted, outraged.
“That’s allowed,” Bridget said. “It’s not like I could stop them.”
“Of course you could have,” I snapped. “Red Team, let’s go.”
Behind me, Gina let out a whoop.
Shit! I’d forgotten all about her. I whirled to face the center line.
Gina tossed the red Frisbee to Miguel, who caught it and sprinted across the chalk line. Lazily, he flipped the disc back to Gina and raised his arms. “We win!”
Bridget leaped up, knocking over her beer. “Go Team Blue!”
“Go Team Blue!” Akil echoed.
“Team Blue is da bomb.” Stan crooked one elbow and straightened his other arm toward the sky.
“Are you fuckingdabbing?”I shouted, outraged.
“My granddaughter taught me,” he said brightly.
“You can be Team Blue too, you know,” Bridget said. “We’re all winners in this game.”
“That’s something you tell preschoolers. It’s not how the world works.”
Bridget narrowed her eyes, and I could tell she was about to argue with me. Then she shook it off and pulled two beers from the cooler. She extended one to me. “For a game well played.”
I scowled at Stan and Akil. “Beers are for winners.”
“We’re all Team Apex,” Bridget said. “One team.”
The other executives raised their beers and echoed her. “One team.”
I sighed out my frustration. Everyone was having a good time, except me. Bridget looked like a hero with her touchy-feely strategy and cooler of Imperials.
Though I supposed she’d achieved the point of the retreat, which was to bring the team together. No one had their phones out. Gina reclined on her elbows, laughing at something Akil said. Stan pointed up at a nearby tree, trying to convince Miguelhe’d seen a parrot. And Bridget held out a beer to me, even though I’d lost the game. Even though I was her competitor for the job we both wanted. Her eyes sparkled, reflecting the bright-blue sky.
For a few more days, we didn’t have to be locked in competition. We could enjoy our beautiful surroundings and accept the softer feelings that invaded my chest when she was near. A temporary friendship wouldn’t be the worst thing, at least until we returned to the office after the holiday.
“Fine,” I said. “One team.” As I grabbed the bottle from her, my finger brushed hers. It must’ve been the combination of warm skin and cold glass that sent a shock through me. But her eyes widened like she’d felt it too.
