“Did you know the average depth of the ocean is 2.7 miles?” Marsha asked.
“Ugghh,” I heard Bobby groan.
“No, I didn’t know that,” Kenzie replied. I smiled. Actually, she did know that. Marsha had repeated that fact at least three times already. But Kenzie was just being polite. I didn’t know too many women who would be so patient with someone as annoying as Marsha. It was definitely an endearing quality. If I was going to have a girlfriend, that would definitely be a characteristic I’d like her to have.See, there I go again.
“Are you cold?” Bobby asked. “You’re shivering.”
“No, I’m good,” she replied.
I watched him get up and squeeze himself onto the log next to her. When his arm wrapped around Kenzie, I felt a jolt of displeasure. Was she really buying into this whole charade? He was just playing her to stay in the game. I hoped she knew that. When he started rubbing her back, I felt my skin crawl. It’s not that I was jealous – at least, I didn’t think I was – but Bobby? Come on! He was such a slimy dude. I was seconds away from stomping over there and getting my ass kicked in her honor when Kenzie shrugged him off and walked over to Carl’s log.
Bobby gave her a dirty look. Dale caught my eye and then went to sit on an empty log, and I slid in beside him. With all the awkward glances going on, there was a prolonged moment of silence that rocked the camp. Kenzie caught my eye and we stared at each other. I could see her questioning look, so I smiled at her to ease the tension. She returned my gesture, but there was hesitancy to her smile that tore at me. I hated that I was making her feel this way. Dale was right. We needed to talk.
* * *
But we didn’t. I had no idea how to bring up the topic without things getting awkward between us again, so I just ignored it for now. To her credit, Kenzie kept my identity a secret. In fact, it was me, only one day later, who managed to spill the beans to the entire group.
We’d been sitting around the fire when Bobby dared to speak to Carl. “So, I gotta ask, dude, how exactly did you get picked for the show?”
“I was walking through an airport.”
“And?”
“That’s it.”
“You got spotted at an airport, and they asked you to be on the show? Just like that?” Bobby asked, with disbelief etched into his question.
“Just like that,” Carl confirmed curtly.
Bobby laughed.
The indifferent look on Carl’s face immediately turned to anger. “You got a problem?”
“No. No problem.”
Kenzie chewed on her bottom lip as she watched the interaction between the two. She acted personally invested in Carl’s peaceful transition into society. Personally, I didn’t feel he deserved her devotion, although if I wanted to be completely honest, neither did I.
“Do you want to know how I got on the show?” Marsha asked, as she threw some wood in the fire.
We all turned our attention on her. Yes, actually, that was a very interesting question. How in the helldidMarsha get a spot?
“Do tell,” I grinned at her.
“I sent in a nudie pic.”
I barked out a disbelieving laugh. Everyone else remained frozen in shock.
“Seriously?” Dale asked, his eyes huge behind the glasses.
“No.” She waved her hand and threw her head back in amusement. “I made a home video driving my tractor through town, and they liked it.”
There was an audible exhale from every single one of us, followed by uncontrolled laughter.
When we’d all had our fill, Dale asked, “You weren’t by chance wearing the outfit you came in here with, were you?”
“Yes, I was. How did you know?”
“Lucky guess.”
