Page 92 of No Way Home
I stumbled, nearly tripping face-first. “What the?—?”
“I’m s-saving you from yo-selv!” Fletch sputtered. I looked down to see him lying on his belly, legs locked around my ankles, his face covered in sand. I had to give it to him. Fletch would utterly humiliate himself—and had many times—in the name of friendship.
Abilene cackled behind us. Cash and Theo snickered. Charlie looked horrified.
“Fletch.” I sighed. “The first rule of any team is that the captain—” I tapped myself in the center of the chest “—can shift allegiances at any time, and the rest of the team—” I pointed to him “—has to shift too. I promise, I have not been attacked by zombies and I don’t actually believe Magnolia is the Bermuda Triangle. If anyone is, it’s me.”
“Facts,” Abilene said.
I ignored her and pointed behind me to Magnolia,needing him to understand. “She’s my future. I know that now. I was just too scared to let myself see it before.”
Surprisingly, Abilene had no reaction to that.
Charlie, on the other hand, sighed.
Fletch looked up at me, his entire face scrunched because he had sand in his eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I said calmly. “I’ve never been more sure in my life.”
With that, he unlocked my legs, rolled onto his back, and gazed up at the sky. “Winter yields to spring. Finally.” Then he jerked, and jerked again, acting out his own death scene, slammed his eyes shut, and let his head loll to the side.
“I’ll miss Fletch,” I heard Theo say as I sprinted for the water. “He was a good man.”
And then I was swimming. Like a moccasin slipping silently through reeds, my hands sliced over the surface, propelling me closer to Magnolia. Who was oblivious to my impending arrival because she and Liam were talking in hushed tones. Probably about me.
I scrambled up the ladder and popped over the edge just enough to see her backside in all of its near-naked glory—legs silky smooth, skin bronzed from the sun, toned shoulders, her perfectly curved hip tipped up toward the sky, begging me to run my hand over it.
Liam must’ve felt it begging too because just then, his hand hooked around her hip, resting over the tie of her bikini bottom.
A surge of jealousy ripped through me like I’d never experienced before. I didn’t even form a plan. Just burst onto the mat, landed once, and sprang into the air. As I soared up, up, up, in what felt like slow motion, Magnolia squealed—half fear, half disbelief. Liam swung his head up so fast you’d think he heard a gun cock. His eyes were wide with fear…
And then I landed.
They went flying, legs flailing wildly. Liam’s body rocketed at a diagonal, like he’d been shot out of a cannon. Magnoliadid a sloppy front flip, screaming bloody murder. Okay, maybe I jumped a little too hard.
Liam swore when his shoulder skidded across the mat. He popped to his feet, steaming mad, his shoulder red and raw. “You gave me a mat burn!” I was going to give him a lot worse if he didn’t keep his hands off her.
Magnolia tumbled onto her bottom, seeming fine.
I’d gotten them on opposite sides of the tramp. Mission accomplished.
As Liam prowled toward me, I kept jumping. Hard. Bouncing him every time I landed. “Sorry if you’ve lost all your trampoline skills,” I said. “That’s what happens—” Jump “—when you sign your life—” Jump “—away.” Jump. “Hope it’s worth it.” Jump, jump, jump.
He glared at me, turned, and headed for Magnolia.
Nope. I pounced, sending him airborne again, higher, uglier, and even less coordinated than before.
Magnolia screamed.
“You little pecker!” Liam shouted. “I can’t jump. It’s?—”
“Not in your contract?” I asked in a baby voice. “What’s wrong?” I wore a pout. “Is wittle Wiam afraid—” Jump “ —of a teeny—” Jump “—bouncy bounce?”
When he tried to take another step towards Magnolia, I sent him flying again and again.
“Bowen,” Magnolia said, voice tight, hugging the edge of the mat. “You’re going to hurt him.”
“Is this what you want?” I asked her. “A man who has to live in a bubble?” Jump. “A man who doesn’t even own his own body?” Jump. “All so he can sit on the bench?”
