Page 73 of Going for Gold (Sweet Cravings 3)

Right now all I needed was for Bryce's arms to be around me. And for us to celebrate the way we had originally planned. I cleared my throat. "Absolutely."

Chapter 30

Saturday

Bryce

The spa was on the third floor of Dorm 22, which from the outside looked suspiciously like a five star hotel. The rumor was that all of the highest profile athletes were staying there and that after the games it would be converted into an actual five star hotel.

I immediately felt relaxed just walking into the place. The walls were lined with waterfalls that produced a constant, soothing background noise that nearly put me to sleep when combined with the vanilla fragrance they were pumping into the room.

A middle aged woman greeted us at the front desk. "Welcome to the Athletes' Spa. Can I have your name please?" she asked.

"Tim Newman, and this is Kristen, Alina, and Bryce."

"Let's see..." She scanned her computer screen. "Ah, there you are. Would you prefer a male or female massage therapist?"

"We'll take a male," said Kristen immediately.

"We will too," agreed Tim.

"Wait, what?" I said. Damn it. I should have known Tim would want a man.

Alina and Kristen started laughing. It was the first time Alina had smiled since losing her match. I didn't want that smile to go away again, so I decided to keep the joke rolling.

"You know what?" I said. "Send us the biggest, strongest men you've got."

Alina laughed even more.

Tim raised his hand for a high five. "My man. I underestimated you."

"Hey, what if we want the biggest, strongest men they've got?" said Kristen. "That doesn't seem fair."

Tim shook his head. "I'm sorry my dear, but the spa is like a street fight. The early bird gets the hunk."

"I don't see how that phrase applies to a street fight..." I said.

At this point, Alina was laughing hysterically. God, I loved her laugh.

The woman at the desk looked concerned. "I should actually point out that the spa has fairly strict rules of etiquette and is nothing like a street fight. For example, any requests for sexual favors from your massage therapist will lead to early termination of your massage." She pointed at a sign behind her titled Spa Etiquette.

"Don't worry," I said. "I'll make sure he doesn't try any funny business with the masseur."

"Good. We should be ready for you in about a half hour. While you wait, you're welcome to relax in the sauna or hot tub. Your massage therapists will come get you when they're ready. The men's locker room is to your left, the women's is to your right."

"Have fun with your hunky men," said Alina.

"How could we not?" asked Tim.

I glanced back at Alina as we walked towards the locker room. This spa would be so much better if the facilities were co-ed.

Tim and I changed into towels and then I followed him to the sauna. The hot, humid air blasted us as soon as we opened the door. There were a few guys sitting on the wooden benches, but there was still plenty of room for Tim and me.

I sat back and tried to relax, but it was hard not to focus on the tiebreaker event tomorrow. If all went according to plan, Em would be safe, Alina would be happy to see Gabriela lose, and Isadora would take down Rodrigo. But if it doesn't go according to plan... I shook the thought from my head.

"So what do you think our odds are for tomorrow?" I asked. "Still fifty-fifty?"

Tim shook his head. "Have faith, Bryce. I can't control for all the variables, but I'd say we have at least a 90% chance of winning."

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