“And now they have to spend time in the losers’ room and use that same teamwork to make sure they survive the night.”
“Please.” I waved my hands at him. “It won’t be that bad. We’ve only ever sent two employees to the hospital, and one had a pre-consisting condition.”
Rick was silent for a few seconds, his smile confused. “His pre-existing condition, according to you was, breathes with his mouth, is that correct?”
“Damn it, Dustin, I can still hear you from here!” I shouted as my cousin, the employee in question, took notes.
“Sorry, Max, I mean sir, I mean cousin Max, sir…” he gulped. “Sorry.”
God, I loved shitting with him. He needed tougher skin. Poor kid had been allergic to his own shadow when he first started working here, and now at least he flashed attitude every once in a while.
Don’t worry, he was compensated well and had a company car; the kid wanted for nothing and would have died single if it not for me.
“Dustin,” I said in a strong voice. “I like what you did with your hair today.”
Dustin immediately touched his hair in awe as if I’d bestowed a halo on his golden locks. “Th-thank you, Max.”
“I’m thirsty.” I sniffed.
“Going.” He sprinted in the direction of the beer garden.
“Ah!” I snapped my fingers. “What were we talking about? Oh yes, the losers’ room. Well, we took it upon ourselves to create an exact replica in the apartment; the next key will lead them into that room, locking all others. They’ll stay the night there then report the next day at noon for their third task before the finale.”
Rick grinned. “How do you do it?”
“Take over the world? Well…” I adjusted my cufflinks. “…it’s really quite easy, you see my secret…lots of sleep.”
“Wow, really?”
“No, you idiot. Do you think geniuses have time for sleep? The secret is being born Max Emory—that’s the secret. Now let’s tune in to the lovebirds as they discover just how cozy things are about to get later tonight.”
“You dog.” Rick laughed.
I glared at the camera. “Wait and see, at the end of this little taping, not only will they have the best jobs and placement in the world—but a very new and romantic love interest, nothing causes you to fall harder than being forced to do bonding assignments together. Trust me, I know these things, and the signs were already there. Wow, a job and a life partner.” I wanted to clap for myself.
But Rick did it for me. “You’re too generous, Max!”
“I know, I know.” I waved him off and stood then made my way back over to Olivia and Mark; both of them were standing next to the wine on tap.
“Hope I’m not interrupting. I just have a simple question.” I cleared my throat.
“Of course,” Olivia said in her usual peppy way.
Mark, however, looked irritated that I’d just interrupted them.
Interesting development indeed. I mentally rubbed my hands together. “So, I was just wondering, where would be your ideal location for work. Anywhere in the world.”
“New York!” Olivia said just as Mark answered. “LA.”
“All right, good to know your own minds. I’ll just leave you two to carry on with your evening and know that you need to be fully clothed at the downtown New York offices at noon tomorrow for your third challenge. Oh, and if you could start turning in your apartment grading, that would be helpful.”
“Nice bathroom.” Mark smirked at me.
I narrowed my eyes. “Why does your smirk make me nervous, I wonder?”
“No idea,” he said innocently while Olivia’s cheeks flamed bright red.
“Uh-huh.” I looked between them. “Well, have fun in the losers’ room tonight, interns, and try not to kill one another. Don’t want another lawsuit on my hands.”
“Wait up,” Olivia moved in front of me. “Two interns tried to kill each other?”
I shoved my hands into the pockets of my joggers. “Actually, one threatened to kill the other, then the one threatened said not before I eat your face off and lunged for him. We had no idea she was a cannibal; then again, that’s not typically a question we put on our job applications.” I shuddered. “Terrifying day for all of us, especially Dustin.”
“Wait, the girl was with Dustin?”
“In the loser rooms. It was a fun wedding, though, lots of cake and whatnot.”
“Wait, back up.” Mark’s turn to be confused. “The girl that threatened to eat her partner married him instead?”
“Isn’t life a gas?” I burst out laughing and slapped each of them on the shoulder, knowing perfectly well the terror and confusion I was putting into their feeble minds. “All right, see you two later!”
Mark stared after me in stunned silence; I heard him whisper under his breath. “Holy shit, she’s going to eat me.”
And then Olivia snorting out, “You wish I’d have my mouth on you.”
Fighting commenced.
Welcome to the losers’ room, my friends. May the best man or woman win!
Chapter Fifteen
Mark
After our weird argument about why New York would always be better than the West Coast and why was I running away from something, to me calling her out for still wanting that perfect job in the perfect skyrise with her perfect stupid salad lunches and high heels, well…things got progressively worse when she said I’d end up on the beach living out of a rundown Jeep wondering where it all went wrong.
And then I was like, why the hell are we even arguing?
The ride in the SUV back to the apartments was tense and weird despite our tender moments during the games.
And by the time we got to the penthouse floor, it was little to no shock to see another manila envelope with a key in it and a giant box on the floor labeled “blankets.”
Mentioned nothing about pillows, though. Hmmm.
“May as well get this over with.” I grabbed the envelope, letting the
