Page 38 of Fake Dating an Orc Cowboy

Jacob could be jealous.

Nah. I shrugged it off. Jacob had a lot on his mind with the wedding. That was all this was.

“When are your parents arriving?” I asked him. When we first went out, he’d mentioned they were divorced. I didn’t know anything else about them.

“Not coming,” he said lightly, though his gaze darted away from mine.

“I’m sorry.”

He huffed. “It’s not a surprise.”

I didn’t ask why.

“What do you two want to drink?” Macy asked. “I’m buying!”

Ha ha. Sure. All-inclusive included alcohol too.

Before we could order drinks, a voice boomed over the speakers. “Alright, people. It's time for pool games!”

Excitement rippled across the water as a few hotel workers began tugging a large inflatable bridge—basically a brightly colored bouncy walkway—across the middle of the pool behind us. People started wading towards it like kids being called out for recess.

“Oh, we’re doing that.” Macy spun, stroking Jacob's side. “You too, babe, right? All of us.”

He nodded and kissed the tip of her nose.

“What do you think?” I asked Ostor. “I assume the game will involve running along the walkway without falling into the water.” I'd seen enough similar games on TV reality shows to size this one up.

Ostor chuckled. “If you want to do it, tiny one, I do too.”

“Yes,” Jacob drawled as he and Macy passed us, aiming for the starting point of the game. “Show us what you've got, Ostor.”

Jeez.

We and the rest of our group swam over to join Macy and Jacob, milling around while the hotel staffer explained the simple rules. The person to make it all the way across won. If more than one could do it, they’d repeat until one fell in before the end. The man held up a small bottle of tequila, the prize.

Other hotel guests gathered to watch, Mom and Dad included.

Macy clapped like a cheerleader. “Easy, right?”

“Who wants to go first?” the staffer called out.

“Me.” Macy waved her arm in the air. “Pick me!”

He pointed right at her with a big grin. “Come on up.”

She sashayed up the ladder and scooted over to stand beside him while he spoke in a low voice, maybe giving her pointers on how to win this. His hand flicked toward the walkway.

After giving him a nod, she extended her arms out and started running across the unnatural, wobbly surface. Her arms flailed wildly as she nearly fell a thousand times, and I burst out in laughter along with everyone else.

“You can do it, sweetheart,” Mom called out, me echoing her words.

Halfway across, Macy tripped and toppled sideways into the water with a huge splash.

Everyone cheered.

She soon popped up, tossing her wet hair back. “Hey, hey! I’m fine. The bar's still open, right?”

Someone laughed and shoutedtequila.

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