Page 83 of Winging It with You

“Theo? Asher? Are you ready to meet your new best pals?”

Yanie steps aside and one of her coworkers leads two larger-than-life elephants through the shallows of the water. We step toward the lake’s edge and Asher squeezes my hand.

“Asher, I’d like to introduce you to Bernie,” Yanie says, patting the elephant to her right. Asher drops my hand to reach out and greet his new companion. He cranes his neck while petting the side of Bernie’s big head, the most radiant smile on his face. My heart swells.

“And Theo, this big guy right here is Juno.”

I step forward and give Juno a courteous bow, which causes everyone to laugh. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, kind sir!” Juno appears to appreciate the formality of my greeting and wraps his heavy trunk around my torso, which I’m choosing to believe is his version of a hug.

“Feel free to give them a scrub with those,” Yanie says, pointing to the oversize brushes on our right. “We’ll let you all get acquainted.”

Juno and Bernie stand side by side while Asher and I grab a brush and uncoil the hose to get to work. I’m honestly shocked he hasn’t muttered a single word about the heat or the mud or even the flies I’m just now noticing, but I take that as a sign he mightactuallybe enjoying himself. We work in tandem, Asher spraying the elephants’ rough and muddy skin and me following behind with a brush, scrubbing them down.

“Isn’t this incredible?” Asher shouts over his shoulder, excitedly pointing out the elephants lounging in the water to our left, showering one another with their long trunks.

“It’s…surreal.” It’s like a scene from a movie or straight out of a nature documentary.

I watch as both Bernie and Juno dip their impressive trunks into the water pooling at their feet and point them in our direction, showering Asher and me with a watery sneak attack.

“Go ahead and take a dip!” Yanie shouts from where she sits farther down the shoreline.

“What do you say, Ash? Down for a swi…” But before I can even finish my sentence, Asher drops the hose and takes off toward the water. I don’t know who this adventurous person is that’s seemingly body-swapped with my little indoor cat, but I love it.

Reaching forward, I give Juno an ear scratch of appreciation before running off to join Asher. But Bernie and Juno appear to lose interest in us and mosey on their way to join their real friends, leaving Asher and me alone to bob up and down in the lake.

“Can you even beli—” he starts when I meet him where he’s treading water.

Now’s not the time to talk. I crush my lips to his, cutting him off, and wrap my arms around him as we both struggle to tread water. I pour every ounce of appreciation and feeling I have into him. His lips turn upward into an uncontrollable smile against mine as he weaves his fingers through my wet hair.

“Thank you for this,” I say, loosening my grip on him slightly so we don’t accidentally drown and cause a scene. I know in my heart that a simple thank-you doesn’t even begin to cut it, but it’s all I’ve got right now. “This just might be the best day of my life.”

“Honestly? Mine too.” Asher kisses me on the cheek, his smirk widening as he starts swimming after Bernie and Juno. “Come on!”

I laugh and follow him, still taken off guard by his spontaneity. If there’s one thing I’ve learned after getting to know Asher, it’s not to underestimate him.

We lounge in the shallow waters, feeding the elephantsbamboo and random chunks of fruit and vegetables to their hearts’ content and laughing when they spray us from their trunks. We kiss behind a small waterfall and hold hands like real boyfriends do, and not once do I question whether any of this is real.

“So, you and me,” I finally ask, my arms tight around Asher. His hair is wild and he’s got flecks of mud on both cheeks, but he’s never looked more stunning. “We’re really doing this, huh?”

“Only if you promise to bring me some mozzarella sticks,” he teases, but then gently cups my cheeks and claims my lips.

This day came completely out of left field. But it was everything I didn’t know I wanted. And after today and last night, it’s getting harder to imagine a future where I don’t find comfort when his hand is in mine.

Where his smile isn’t the first and last thing I hope to see each day.

A future where Asher Bennett isn’t my person.

24

Asher

Mahagiri Resort Nusa Lembongan—Room 416

Bali, Indonesia

I don’t want to get up.

Because that means I have to untangle myself from Theo’s warm arms and face another elimination. Only Bianca and Jackson, Jenn and Ellie, and Theo and I are left at this point. We’ve been on the chopping block a few times before, but now, this close to the finals, I can’t shake the feeling we might not get so lucky to be saved again.

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