Page 4 of Surviving Love
Looking unsympathetic, Shep said, “Oh, well.”
“What if we can’t swim?” another guy asked.
Frowning, Shep said, “Then you shouldn’t have come onDevious Island. Obviously.” He gave a hard laugh. “If you can’t swim, then I guess you’re out of the game. And even if you can swim, if you give up before you get to shore, you’ll be eliminated on the spot.”
An unhappy rumble shifted through the group.
I eyed the crystal-clear water and the white sandy beaches that awaited us. “Doesn’t lookthatfar,” I said, unbuttoning my shirt and tying it around my waist. I’d worn long sleeves to help protect from sunburn, but the shirt was formfitting and would make swimming difficult.
I could feel the eyes of my fellow contestants as they took in the thick, jagged scar that ran from my left pectoral to the top of my shoulder. Eventually I’d probably share how I got that scar, but for now, it wasn’t any of their business. When I accidentally met Jack’s gaze, my face flushed at the look of pity I saw there. No doubt Jack thought I wouldn’t even make it to the beach. Well, he was wrong. Maybe I wasn’t built like him, but I was tenacious. I’d make it to that damn beach if it killed me.
“What about supplies?” Larry asked. “We can’t swim and carry supplies.”
“Rice and water are already waiting for you at camp.” Shep crossed his arms. “Once you get to the beach, we’ll split you into groups. The two people who make it to the beach first will be the team leaders, and they’ll choose who they want in their tribe.”
Jack turned to Sherry. “Don’t worry about killing yourself to get to shore. You can be on my tribe. I have your back.”
Sherry smiled as if flattered and ran a hand over her hair. “Oh, well, that’s awful sweet of you, Jack.”
I had to stifle a derisive laugh. Was she so naive she thought he actually cared about her? Did she not realize he was just kissing up to her so he’d be safer?
“You seem pretty sure you’ll get there first, Jack,” Shep said, motioning to one of the camera crew so they could get up in Jack’s face.
“Oh, yeah.” Jack pulled off his shirt, and his smooth tanned biceps rippled with muscle. “No doubt in my mind.”
I rolled my eyes and met Harold’s amused gaze. He winked, and I shrugged. Jack was definitely getting under my skin already. I’d never expected to be annoyed by someone so quickly. I realized all types of people auditioned to be on the show, but I hadn’t been prepared to dislike someone so soon. The show hadn’t really even started yet, and I already couldn’t wait until the moment we could send Jack’s arrogant ass home.
I pushed grumpy thoughts of Jack from my mind as one of the producers had us all line up on one side of the vessel. There were three motorboats bobbing a few feet away, with camera crew positioned so they could film us jumping into the water. When you watched the show on TV, everything seemed to happen quickly. In truth, there was a lot of downtime as the production crew tried to figure out what angles worked best for the viewers at home.
As the camera guys got everything set up how they wanted, I forced myself to talk to some of the other contestants. Making conversation with strangers wasn’t my strong suit, but I realized forming connections with my fellow players was crucial in this game. I couldn’t only rely on Harold; I needed to form bonds with other people too.
Eventually, Shep made his way to the bow of the ship, holding a red flag. The makeup girl gave a few last-minute touches to his face, and Holly had us form a half circle around him.
Holly stood with her hands on her hips. “Remember, everyone, the cameras will be rolling as soon as I stop talking. No jumping in the water until Shep says so, and no trying to drown each other, okay?” She grinned.
The group laughed.
She turned to Shep. “Ready when you are, boss.”
Shep ran a hand over his hair and nodded. “Let’s do this.”
Holly counted down and then pointed at Shep. “Go.”
“Okay, guys. Are you ready to start the adventure of a lifetime?” Shep shouted.
All the contestants cheered and slapped each other’s backs.
“I love the enthusiasm.” Shep gave his signature smirk. “Now, when I say go, you need to swim like heck to shore. Like I said, anyone who quits gets sent home immediately. We won’t let anyone drown, but we also won’t keep you around.” Shep raised the bright flag, grinning like a fool. “Man I love this show. It brings out the true nature of people when they’re scrambling to survive.”
Larry shifted uneasily next to me. “Promise no one will try to drown me just to keep me from getting to shore?”
Shep laughed. “Never had a murder yet.”
“There’s a first time for everything,” Larry muttered, meeting my gaze. “Good luck, Mason.”
“You too.” I swallowed hard, preparing to fling myself overboard on Shep’s command.
I wasn’t the strongest swimmer in the world, but I knew I could make it to shore. There was no way I’d be one of the team captains, but that was fine by me. Being in a position of power could put a bullseye on your back. It was much better for someone like me to stay under the radar and appear nonthreatening.
