“Are we doing an obstacle course?” I ask. “Is it full of nerd-tastic challenges that I, as a certified nerd, am uniquely prepared to conquer?”
It feels like the universe is finally shifting in my favor. Nina and I are on the same page. There’s no coonskin cap in sight. And I can hit a bullseye in my sleep. Unless today’s surprise twist is that I have compete in a banana hammock, this might be the first day of filming that I actually enjoy.
Morrie just continues shaking his head. “Don’t pretend like you’ve been training for this stuff on purpose. You’re just a dweeb who happened to luck out on a dumb TV show.”
I ignore him. “I’ve been preparing my whole life for this,” I whisper to myself, surveying the stations.
“Oh, brother,” Morrie mutters behind me.
My good luck streak continues as the wardrobe ladies arrive and Nina is sent over to help out the guys on Team Harmony. Thankfully, our outfits are nothing too special today—flannel and jeans, the classic lumberjack look. Nina and theother wardrobe staff are basically just supervising and making sure we button and unbutton the right amount to achieve optimal sexiness.
I tell myself to play it cool as Nina approaches. There are too many people around who could overhear us for me to do otherwise. But I can’t help myself from grinning ear to ear as her gaze slides shyly up to mine for the first time today. She tugs at the buttons on her cardigan like she needs something to do with her hands. “Do you have any questions about your costume?” she asks.
I glance over at the other guys in my group to make sure they aren’t paying too close attention. They all seem more interested in studying the obstacle course and grousing about how difficult it’s going to be. Still, I lower my voice as I look back at Nina. “Actually, I do have a really important question.” I hold up my forearm to her, pointing to where the sleeve ends. “Is this sleeve length the sexiest showcase for my forearm, or should I roll it down one more time?” I turn down the cuff one rotation to demonstrate her options.
Nina presses her lips together to fight her smile. She does her best to match my serious tone. “Let me see it the other way again.”
Silently, making my expression as stone-faced as possible, I roll the cuff back up.
Nina can’t stop her giggles, and that makes me grin. She shakes her head at me, mildly reproving. “Definitely that length,” she says. “Show off as much forearm as you can.”
I arch my eyebrows suggestively. “So you think I should use my masculine wiles to try to win?”
Nina shrugs. “Sex sells,” she tells me, completely straight-faced.
It’s my turn to not quite catch my laughter. There is something wildly indecent about sweet, reserved Nina looking me dead in the eye and saying the wordsex. My blood starts to thrum in my veins.
But, no, I remind myself.We are surrounded by people, and I am Nate R. right now.I clear my throat, deciding to steer the conversation into safer waters. “Well, luckily I won’t need to rely on my slutty forearms alone today.” I lean in closer, lowering my voice. “I happen to be pretty good at this stuff.”
Nina’s expression suggests she doesn’t quite know how to react. “This stuff?” she echoes.
I motion toward the obstacle course. “Archery. Ropecourses.”
For the first time, it strikes me that Nina doesn’t know anything about this side of me. It wasn’t exactly the type of conversation that would’ve come up in prison. I realize I have no idea how she’ll react—if, like Morrie, she’ll think I’m a big loser and my obsession with escaping into fantasy worlds gives her the ick.
But after last night, I can’t go back to putting up any kinds of walls with Nina. I need honesty and openness between us. So instead of downplaying my interest, like Morrie would no doubt beg me to do, I draw in a deep breath and take the plunge. “This is what I do in my free time. When I’m not filming reality shows.”Or going undercover for the FBI, is the implied part of that statement that I hope she’ll pick up on. “I’m sorta super into fantasy.”
Nina’s eyebrows lift in surprise. I can’t read if it’s good or bad surprise, but she’s still smiling, so hopefully that’s a positive sign. “Really?”
“Yeah. Basically, if it has swords or magic or elves, I’m down.” But I realize that’s underplaying it, so I admit, “I’m more than down. It’s my favorite thing to do, to get lost inside another world.”
Nina nods. I can tell she’s really listening, really trying to understand. “What is it you like so much?”
I consider the question. “I think it’s because the rules are so clear-cut? Right and wrong. Good and evil. And how good almost always overcomes evil in the end. The good people get what they deserve.” I can’t help adding, with a wink, “Plus, swords!”
Laughing quietly, Nina nods in understanding. “I haven’t read too much fantasy,” she tells me, “but I think I’d like that.”
Feeling emboldened by my confessions and her openness to it, I decide to share one more thing that no one, except for Morrie, knows about me. Brutal honesty, right? “There’s this channel on TikTok,” I tell her. “GeekOut. You should check out some of the videos. See if you like them.”
GeekOutismychannel, of course. Hopefully Nina can piece this together if she looks it up, despite the filters I use to disguise my face.
Nina nods, like she’s taking what I’m saying super seriously. “GeekOut,” she echoes. Maybe it’s only my imagination, but it seems like she can tell I’m trying to share something important with her.
I grin again, for only the fiftieth time this morning, I think. “Yeah. Tell me what you think, when you get a chance.”
Not long after, the contestants are called to the center of the field, where they film us receiving the obstacle course instructions from Chet Hodgkins. I’m only half paying attention, though. My eyes keep wandering, trying to spot Nina among the crew standing on the outskirts of the field, if she’s still there.
Instead, my gaze snags on Harmony, standing only a few feet away from me with the other Mountainettes. While I’ve been looking for Nina, it’s obviousshe’sbeen watching me. When my gaze meets hers, she grins and wiggles her fingers in a subtle wave.
