The picture she painted, standing there, resonated with familiarity. And yet, it was so different from the one that lived in my mind for a year after Desi died. The one I’d painted for a year but hadn’t been able to complete.
I’d need to show her one day.
“You’re halfway there. How is your breathing?”
She swung her crossbody around to the front and unzipped it. After withdrawing and priming her inhaler, she took two deep puffs, breathing in and visibly relaxing as the medication filtered through her lungs.
“When you see Landon later, you tell him I did that.”
She chuckled to herself, looping me into a private joke they shared, and I was grateful for the connection.
Not wanting to distract her, I nodded. “I will.”
Before she resumed the course, she pulled a plastic bag out of her crossbody. She slipped her hand into her sports bra and came away with her last cypher. Once she’d tucked it inside the plastic bag, she resealed it and zipped up the small purse to swing it back over her shoulder.
I grinned, unsurprised by her resourcefulness. “Clever girl.”
“Gia makes me watch all those reality TV competitions. It always bothered me how they’d wind up with something written on paper and trek through the water like it wasn’t a big deal.”She shrugged, smiling up at me. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared.”
Leaning forward, I kissed the top of her forehead. “I knew I was right about you.”
“So you keep saying.” She propped her hands on her hips and smirked. “And you know, I think I finally see what you mean.”
Pride swelled in my chest, and I couldn’t help myself. I captured her face in my hands and kissed her. When I pulled back, she wiped her lips, muttered about salty kisses, and stumbled away before straightening her spine and continuing forward.
Next, she’d face the Balance Beam obstacle, manned by Brad, before reaching Paul at the Pyramid Wall. From the floating dock behind Winchester Hall, she’d need to swim in the lake to the long dock and reach the last obstacles.
I had counted nine girls passing through my spot at the midpoint of the course. Once the final two girls passed by, the Knights would follow behind them. Except for Landon, who would move to the eleventh obstacle and cover their progress there.Enduranceat the start and end.
While I waited, I leaned against the lemon tree and looked out over the lake. With the floating dock in view, I’d be able to see when Quinn reached it. At every point in the course, I made it possible for one of us to ensure her progress. Even if Max didn’t know he’d been tasked with this assignment, even if he claimed to feel nothing for her now, I trusted he’d look out for her. I trusted that feeling nothing for Quinn was as impossible for him as it was for Landon and me.
I had faith.
No matter what we faced, no matter the obstacles we encountered, or the battles ahead, we would reach the end.
Together.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Iwas going to die.
Death by cardio. Put it on my tombstone and bury me—dead. Inscribe it right next to the orgasms, so the world would know I’d perished doing something I loved and something I despised.
“Holy shit,” I breathed as the Pyramid Wall came into view.
Wooden slats spaced evenly apart led to the top, with an identical set on the other side to climb down. It spanned the length of the floating dock, blocking any way onto it except to go up and over, and no way off it except to swim. As the sun beat down on my face, my overheated body begged for relief.
A nice, cool dip in the lake sounded great right about now.
When I reached the obstacle, sweat poured down my face. My breathing had grown erratic at best, but using my inhaler with Kingston had helped. While my heart danced the Samba in my chest, I stepped beside Paul and counted the twelve wooden beams I’d need to climb to keep going.
I wanted to curl up on the floor for a minute. Take a little power nap. Succumb to death.
But I’d made it halfway. I’d collected three of the cyphers waiting for me and only had six obstacles to go. I could do this.
I would do it.
With a nod from Paul, I grabbed a beam at eye-level and one above my head. I hoisted my body up and secured my footing, climbing as fast as possible without pushing too hard.
