Page 12 of Holidate Fail
“Hey, does anyone have a phone charger?” Kelly asked.
Lacole shook her head while Dahlia rummaged around in her satchel.
“Hmm. Usually I keep one around, but I must not have taken it out of my car.” She frowned at her phone. “I’m getting low on battery, too.”
Heath came back into the car and held up another piece of paper with the Tri-Shine Stills and Dash logo. “One of us takes a video while the others form a pyramid without using our hands, then texts it in to Wendy and Brandi at Fountenoy Hall to get the next clue. Oh, that’s going to be fun. I should show a picture of it to all the stodgy lawyers I work with.” Heath gave Kelly a tap with the back of his hand. “You and me, we’re the base, right?”
Chapter 4
“I’ll film!” Lacole whipped out her phone before Dahlia had a chance to process what her role in the pyramid would be.
Oh, no. No no no. There was nothing in the world Dahlia would hate more than climbing on the backs of two men, one of whom she’d once drawn little hearts for in her high school notebook. She was no lightweight. And while she’d been working on acceptance of herself, that didn’t mean she wanted others along for the journey. Especially not by kneeling on them.
Besides, she preferred to keep her feet firmly on the ground or in the water. But after a GPS search for a park where they wouldn’t be in anyone’s way – and with grass around to cushion a possible fall— and Kelly and Heath already getting on their knees, she couldn’t think of a way to get out of it.
The shouts and laughter of happy kids didn’t fit her current mood. Maybe a self-pep talk about turning her frown upside down would help. She sighed and cast a glance toward Lacole, who was sizing up the frame.
“You sure you don’t want to do this part?” she asked, just in case. “Balance was never my strong suit.”
“No, girl, it’s your turn.” Lacole snapped a picture of the men in the shade of a large tree, getting into position on their knees. Their knees made dents in the soft dirt as they tucked their hands in their pockets to keep them clear. “You got this. Smile, Heath!”
He looked up and smiled, his face dappled from the sun peeking in through the leaves. “We’re ready for you, Dahlia!”
He really was good looking, but dang it, Kelly had centered in her fantasies for years. Unfortunately for her, they made a good foursome with him as Lacole’s date. And with Heath as hers.
“Let’s git ‘er done,” he said.
She was a cool, confident woman who had a lot to give to the world. Her weight would be distributed evenly between the two men. Two strong, sturdy men who could probably bench press…whatever an impressive bench-pressing number was.
Geez, if she made them fall, she was going home.
Dahlia put her satchel down on a nearby bench, shoved her hands in her front pockets to follow the rules of the challenge, and stood behind them. Wow. Kelly’s jeans had tightened around his butt, and it was a spectacular view.
Focus, Dahlia. She lifted a leg before putting it down again. “I’m getting on my knees, right? Not standing on them?”
“I suppose you could stand on them,” Lacole said. “It might be easier. And then you raise your arms in victory!”
She nodded, then bent her knee and stepped on Heath’s back. Once she felt stable, she lifted her other foot.
And promptly slid off, her hands buffering her fall onto the grass. Because of course. Was it too much to wish the earth would swallow her whole? That would be a lot less embarrassing than this tumble.
Kelly slid by her side, enveloping her with his fresh scent. He tucked an arm around her back, and she molded into his strong, sturdy body as he helped her up.
His eyes searched her face, and he brushed a smudge of dirt off her shoulder. “You okay?”
She bit back a sigh. Bits of twigs and leaves made dents in her palms. She brushed off the detritus and pulled on her bravado. “Nothing another attempt at a pyramid won’t cure.”
That was her outside voice. Her inside voice screamed at her to wrestle Lacole for the phone. She sized up the other woman. No, Lacole could probably take her down and not even chip one of those impressive nails.
“Try again?” Kelly got back into position.
“Sure.” She studied their bent forms. Stepping up with her short legs wasn’t going to work. “Hey. You guys move over to the bench. Kneel with your feet under it.”
Yes, that would work. She could climb on the bench. From there, getting onto their backs would be as simple as taking a step of her own, if the staircase was warped and wiggly.
The men moved as she instructed. “Brilliant,” Kelly said when she stretched to stand on the bench.
“I’ve got the video going again.” Lacole pointed at her. “Action!”
