Benny, Raj, Phil, and I watch as our three coworkers on the other side of the counter take a few bites from each plate, chewing and nodding and murmuring among themselves. Then they give their decisions.
“This all tastes awesome, you guys!” Teagan says, aiming a couple of claps in each of our directions. “But I have to say, I just love a good fried fish. So dish two really did it for me.”
I bite my lips between my teeth to try to keep my reaction from slipping out.Me, me, that’s me! My first time cooking fish in the history of ever!
“Both plates were delicious, truly. I’m really impressed,” Seb begins diplomatically. “And I love fried fish, too. But I don’t know, today I was feeling something lighter. The lemon glaze was crisp and fresh—it tastes like summer to me. I’m going to have to go with dish one. But really, they were both amazing.”
It’s down to Katherine. My heart rate picks up as she begins speaking. “I loved both preparations of the fish. Really a tie for me on that front,” she says, pursing her lips and twisting a loose reddish-brown curl around her finger. “But these are the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had in my life. So I’m choosing dishtwo.”
I let out an inhuman shriek, then clap a hand over my mouth in instant embarrassment. Everyone’s eyes dart to me, and I see Charlie trying not to laugh behind the camera. After a second of silence, I squeak, “I won!”
Everyone laughs then, with some quiet applause for me. Rajesh gives me a high five, then Phil shakes my hand and offers his congratulations. Benny reaches a hand out like he’s going to shake mine, then pulls me in for a surprise hug at the last minute. He claps me on the back in a goofy, friendly way, but leans in to say for my ears only, “You’re cute when you defeat me.”
I laugh and start to push him away, but it must be the excitement of winning that makes me joke in an especially flirtatious tone, “I’m always cute.”
“Well, yeah,” he deadpans, like I’ve stated the most obvious thing in the world, and I have to turn my face away from the heat rays his eyes are shooting at me.
Distractedly, I add today to the score in my head:Benny—3, Reese—3. Even footing once again.
We wrap up the video with Raj thanking Phil for joining us, and we all chime in on the signature “Have a flavorful day!” The pizzas arrived on the back patio a little while ago, so those of us who were filming go get our share while the ones who already ate come in to clean up the kitchen.
As we fill our plates with pizza, Aiden tells Benny and me that we won’t be in any more of the content filmed this weekend, so we’re free to hang out and relax when they don’t need our help behind the scenes.
Benny receives this news as happily as I do, leaning in with a mischievous smile as we post up on a bench side by side. “We’re off the hook, Reese’s Cup! Much like the many fish we didn’t catch today.”
I laugh, elbowing him as I chew a bite of pepperoni. “I wonder if they appreciate their freedom this much.”
When he speaks again, it’s quieter, like he doesn’t want the other FoF staff milling around the patio to hear. “Hey, since we know we’re not on camera any more this weekend…” He pauses, and I raise an eyebrow. “What would you say to a temporary cease-fire? You and me, let’s forget about all these competitions and the job and just, I don’t know, enjoy this place? And, um, each other? Not that I’m implying—I mean, I just want to hang out. Not saying we have to—oh God, rewind. Delete the last twenty seconds. Let me start that over.”
He hangs his head and I can’t stop the loud laugh that bursts out of me, causing several heads to turn our way and conversations to pause for a second. Once they’ve resumed, I pat Benny’s knee, which rests scarcely an inch from mine. “Stop it, I know what you mean. I think, anyway.” I offer him my hand to shake. “I’m in. Cease-fire, truce, whatever. We’re not competing for anything the rest of this weekend.”
He takes my hand in his, giving it a shake, then holding on a bit longer, tighter. When he brings his gaze back up to mine, the warmth and affection in his eyes makes my breath catch.
“Good,” he says. And it really feels like it is.
I hit the hay early and sleep like the dead that night, exhausted by the day, the week, the whole summer so far. When I wake up—earlier than I normally would on a weekend—there’s a single text from Benny on my phone.
Benny:Hey sleeping beauty, come down to the basement when you get up. Dress for…outdoor activity
I laugh, then get up and try to make myself look halfway decent in my “outdoor activity” attire of leggings, a T-shirt, and my most comfortable tennis shoes. The house is quiet enough that I guess most people still aren’t up, and I venture down the first stairwell I find to an expansive finished basement. I weave around pool tables—plural—an air hockey table, and a few old-school arcade games, calling out, “Benny?”
“Over here, Reese’s Pieces.”
I follow his voice and find him sitting on one of three couches that frame an entertainment center. He’s pulling hiking boots on and is dressed for the day in jeans and a red-and-black plaid flannel over a white T-shirt. He stands when he’s finished and I look him up and down, crossing my arms to try to mask how flustered he’s gotten me.
“You look like the Brawny paper towel man,” I spit out, as if it’s a bad thing. On Benny, it is very much not. “What are you up to?”
“Get with the program, girl, this is my great-outdoors uniform. We’re going hiking.”
I raise an eyebrow, mildly amused that he wants to go hiking bright and early on a Saturday morning—everything about Benny says city boy, but good for him for trying something new.
“We?”
He adjusts his black baseball cap. “Well, I am. And I’m inviting you to join if you want. Pretty please with Reese’s Puffs on top? I texted Aiden and he, well, he asked me not to text him before nine a.m. ever again. But he also confirmed we’re free to do our own thing for the morning. I looked at the cabin’s info packet and there are a few trails that start right outside. Eh?”
I pretend to mull it over a couple more moments before relenting. “Lead the way.”
His smile is wide as he gestures for me to follow him up the stairs, out the door and toward one of the trails he read about. This one begins by a tree marked with a single stripe of whitepaint. We’re supposed to follow these markers until we reach a loop trail in a state park that’ll take us down to the water and back.
