“Ava.” He caught her arm, guiding her away from the other pirates as though doing so would give them a modicum of privacy, which was laughable because a camera followed them. “Trust me. This is for the best.”
“I do trust you, but I don’t like this plan. Seriously. What is this? 1804 or something?”
“1680, actually.”
“And, you’re dueling to the death over me?” She shook her head. “Ian, I am not letting you risk your chance to be on this show. If anyone is going to duel, let it be me. That’s how it should go down. Either I get kicked off or Dash does. Feud over.”
“I’m not only doing this for you, Ava. I’m doing it for me, too. Every day on this show is a risk. I knew that when I signed on. There’s no guarantee I’d even make it past the next pirate council. If I win this, only one person goes home, everyone else will be safe at pirate council.”
“And if you lose, you lose. You go home. He stays. How does that help me?”
“I’m not going to lose.”
“You don’t know that.”
“It’s a swimming and diving challenge.”
She froze as her brain recalculated his odds of winning. “A swimming and diving challenge?”
He nodded. “Dash and I already agreed to the terms.”
“Swimming and diving,” she whispered. She straightened and looked him in the eye. “You can do this.”
He grinned. “Yeah, I can.”
She bit her lip. “I still don’t like it.”
“I know.”
“I don’t understand why—” She caught herself before finishing the statement. A girlfriend would understand why her boyfriend would do something like this for her. As for Ava? She couldn’t fathom it.
Ian seemed to take her silence as resignation. He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before backing away. “I’ll see you again in a few minutes.”
“You’d better.”
He offered her a grin, then grabbed his pack from where he’d dropped it in the dirt and headed off down the path after Logan and Dash. She watched him go. Once he disappeared from sight, she shook her head and rejoined the guys. They looked almost as shell-shocked as she felt. Philip rubbed the back of his neck. “This stuff is getting pretty intense. I had no idea we could call each other out for duels.”
Noah shrugged. “It’s in the rules.”
Grabbing her satchel, Ava headed for the dinghy. “We’re supposed to go back to the ship.”
Scott rushed over to walk beside her. “You couldn’t talk him out of it?”
“No.” Her gaze sought Brian’s as he fell into step on her other side. “I did try.”
Brian nodded. “I know you did.”
The guys joined her in pushing the dinghy back into the surf. Noah paused. Glancing back toward the island, he shook his head, then gave her an indecipherable look. “He must really care about you to risk his chance at the treasure like this.”
Brian let out a snort. “Yeah, he’s pretty much a goner.”
She shook her head in disbelief. Noah and Brian couldn’t be right. She and Ian had an agreement. The limits of their relationship were very clear. Somehow that only made Ian’s actions more confusing. Whether the challenge was in his wheelhouse or not, it was still too big of a risk to take for a relationship that wouldn’t last past the moment one of them was eliminated from the show. She’d make sure he knew that when he got back. If he got back.
Please win, Ian. Please win.
R
“Go!”
Ian strode up the six-inch wide rickety platform and dove off of it into the ocean. A few powerful strokes brought him to the first bag of puzzle pieces. They were tied to a hook on a pole with each one positioned deeper than the last.
He untied the knot as quickly as he could, then swam back to the floating platform where Logan stood. Depositing the bag, he swam back to the beam and pulled himself up to repeat the process all over again. Logan was calling out commentary as usual, but Ian barely heard any of it before he was back in the water. He untied the second bag. Only two more to go, then only one.
According to Logan, he was leaving Dash in the dust. He dove from the platform for the last time. He untied the last bag. It caught on the hook, but he tugged it free as he surged toward the surface. Taking in a quick gasp of air, he realized the bag felt oddly lightweight compared to the others. He paused to check the bag.
“No.”
It had ripped. The pieces were falling out. He ducked beneath the water and grabbed the only sinking piece he saw, then headed for Logan. Ian dropped the bag on the platform, hardly noticing the camera trained on him. “It ripped. The pieces fell out.”
Logan’s eyes widened. Concern flashed across his features before he schooled them into a neutral expression. “You need to find them.”
Ian swam back out to the pole and dove ten feet to the bottom of the ocean to search for the lost pieces. He spotted one, then another. How many was he missing? He should have counted first. He swam back to the platform. Pouring out the bags onto the table one at a time, he counted the number of pieces in each bag. Six. He only had five from the last bag. He was still missing one.
Dash was swimming out for his last bag at the same time Ian was swimming out to find the last piece. Ian finally found it on the other side of the pole. By the time he pulled himself onto the platform, Dash had already started on the puzzle. Ian took a deep breath to calm himself.
Blocking everything else out, he focused on completing the puzzle. It took a minute to figure out the pattern. It was a rudimentary wooden model of a tall ship like the Intrepid. Each piece needed to fit into the puzzle board exactly right to match up with the lines which he now realized were a representation of the rigging. Two more pieces left.
“Ian. Ian! Dash won. You can stop now.”
It took a second for Logan’s voice to pierce Ian’s concentration. Another for the words to make sense. Denial flooded him like a wave. He finished the puzzle, then braced his hands on either side of it.
“Dash, you may return to the ship. Ian, I’m sorry. The fates weren’t in your favor. You’ll be going home.”
Home.
Emily. The Holdens. His father. He wasn’t ready to face any of them. He didn’t even want to think about them. He only wanted to think about Ava. In such a short time, she’d given him a sense of belonging.
Now he was off the show, which meant whatever they’d had was over. Worse yet, he hadn’t even said goodbye. He pulled in a deep breath. Perhaps this was for the best. After all, he’d failed her. Just like he had Emily. Now she was stuck on a ship with a guy who refused to respect her and a production team too wet behind the ears to do anything about it.
As usual, this one was on him.
R
Ian didn’t come back.
Dash had the gall to grin at her when he climbed over the railing. Fury rushed through her veins. She surged forward only to have Brian catch her arm, then capture her gaze. “Don’t be the one to make this fight physical.”
She jerked her arm from his grasp and walked straight up to Dash. “I dare you, Dash Metcalf. Say something. Do something. Give me a reason to unleash what I’m feeling right now. You think I’m weak? You think I’m intimidated by you? I have gone up against a man far more evil than you. Yeah, in the end, my father’s security detail might have shot that psychopath right between the eyes, but there were a few minutes when it was just me and him. No one else around. And, you know what? I held my own. His autopsy proved I got in some pretty good hits. So please. Give. Me. A reason.”
He paled. He actually paled. Then he swallowed so hard it seemed to echo across the deck. Turning her back on him, she faced the rest of the crew and stared them all down. “Does anyone else have anything to say about me, my body, or how I’m ‘trying’ to draw attention to myself?”
Only the rigging dared creak.
“Good. Keep it that way.” She turned
to pin Dash with one last look, then went down to her cabin and barred the door behind her. Pulling in a deep breath, she tried to calm the anger still trembling through her. The sight of her freshly laundered pirate clothes waiting on her bed was a big help.
Eager to see if the indigenous clothing would actually work as underclothes, she pulled off her shirt. No, not her shirt. Ian’s shirt. He’d given up his shirt, his place on the show for her. Why did he have to be so frustratingly sacrificial?
Tears blurred her eyes. She clenched the shirt in her fists, then threw it on the bed and glared at it. “Ian Sinclair, the next time I see you…”
When would she see him exactly? He was going home to Texas. To Emily. To a life he wasn’t sure how to fix. A life she’d asked him to forget about so he could focus on being her boyfriend. Well, he wasn’t her boyfriend now, was he?
With a quick shake of her head, she fumbled her ways into her breeches and pulled a poet shirt over her newly acquired strapless bra. She had just finished dressing when a knock sounded on the door. “Who is it?”
“Logan. May I have a word with you please?”
She opened the door. “Yes?”
He nodded toward her room. “May I?”
“No.”
He lifted a brow. “Ok, then. The great cabin should be empty. If it isn’t, we’ll clear it out.”
A few moments later, she took a seat adjacent from Logan in the great cabin. “What’s up?”
“Ian wanted me to tell you he was sorry.”
She nodded. “What happened out there?”
Logan gave her a rundown of what had transpired during the duel, then added, “Unfortunately, because it was… Well, I guess the term is ‘user error,’ there’s nothing we can do to bring him back on the crew. I’ve come up with a contingency plan. Ted has been assigned mostly to covering you. Should Dash get out of line again, he is authorized to put the camera down and deal with it.”
She let out a disbelieving laugh. “Where was this idea an hour ago when a duel seemed like the best option?”
With a grimace, he ran his fingers through his short, dark curls. “I admit we approached the problem the wrong way, but Ian was adamant about wanting Dash off the show immediately. The duel was his only chance at that.”
She shook her head. “I should have been there. I should have gone to the meeting. I should have been the one to duel.”
“Don’t do this to yourself, Ava. I’m sure there’s a good plan at work here, even if we can’t see it.” He gave her an approving smile. “Besides, had things turned out any differently, we would have missed out on the speech you just gave. I must say, it was truly epic.”
“You weren’t even there.”
His eyes began to twinkle. “I was hanging onto the boarding ladder right below the railing. I didn’t want to ruin the moment or your concentration by climbing onto the ship.”
She laughed softly. “I appreciate that.”
“I do what I can.”
She couldn’t help offering a small grimace. “I think I scared everyone.”
Logan shrugged. “They could use some scaring. Listen, I promised Ian I’d look out for you. I know you can handle yourself, but your safety and the safety of all the pirates are of the utmost importance to me. The same goes for the rest of the production team. I won’t tolerate anything less. Don’t feel like you’re alone here, ok?”
“Ok,” she answered, her estimation of Logan rising slightly.
He searched her face. “Are we good here?”
“Yes, we’re good.” No one could replace Ian, but it was nice to know she wasn’t alone. She had Brian and Logan. She wasn’t entirely sure she needed them though. She could handle herself.
“Great. I’m sorry all of this happened, but thank you for handling it so gracefully—and fiercely. Now, I’m afraid I need to get out of here so you guys can get underway.”
“No problem.”
They stood, and he reached for the door, then paused and turned back to her. “Ava, you do know you could win this competition, right? You’ve done well in the challenges and the quests. The sailors respect your work ethic. Stay focused on the competition and most of all—don’t give up. Ian would want you to do your best.”
Her smile felt shaky. “I know. I will. Not just for him, either. For myself. I’ve come a long way, but there’s still more I can prove to myself if no one else.”
Respect filled Logan’s eyes. She returned his nod with one of her own, then jogged up the ladder back to the main deck. She walked over to Captain Palmer, who watched her with a twinkle in his eyes. “What’s my assignment, sir?”
“Mainmast rigging.”
“Yes, sir.” It was the largest sail on deck and the most unruly, but that was ok. She could handle it. She’d do it for Ian and for herself.
Chapter Fourteen
“Tacos or fajitas? Tacos or fajitas?” Ian checked the spice cabinet. Not much more than the basics in there. Better take the safe bet. “Hey, Jeff, how do you feel about fajitas for dinner?”
Jeff stepped into the living room of the small two-bedroom bungalow provided by Living History. He dropped his medium-sized black duffle bag onto the sofa and stuffed a sweater in it. “I’m going to eat as soon as I get back to civilization. Thanks for the offer though.”
“No problem.” Ian pulled a package of frozen bell peppers from the refrigerator and cut it open with a knife.
Jeff zipped up the duffle bag. “I think I’m going to swing by Miriam’s office to collect the rest of my belongings, then wait by the dock. It’s been nice hanging out with you these past few days. I guess I’ll see you at the reunion show.”
“Yeah, for sure, man.” Setting the package on the counter, Ian clasped Jeff’s hand. They pounded each other on the back, then stepped away. “Take care.”
“You, too.” Jeff pointed at him. “Don’t be a stranger.”
Ian grinned. “I won’t.”
Ian shook his head as the screen door slammed shut behind Jeff. It was crazy how different Jeff’s personality was outside of the game. Apparently, he saved all of his aggression for competitions. The rest of the time he was pretty chill and actually nice. Even though contact with the outside world was strictly forbidden due to Living History’s fear of spoilers leaking out, Jeff had talked Miriam into letting him call Caleb to check on their former crewmate’s recovery twice.
Ian was sorry to see Jeff go and was wary of who might replace him in the bungalow. Ian only had three or four days left before he could reenter the real world. He’d prefer not to spend that time with the guy who’d sent him here. At the same time, he’d be glad to have Dash out of the game for Ava’s sake.
“Knock. Knock.” Someone called from the front door twenty minutes later.
Relief filled Ian. “Scott?”
“Yeah, bro.” Still looking and smelling like a pirate, Scott stepped into the kitchen with a modern duffle bag on his shoulder. “That smells amazing.”
“It’s almost ready, and I made plenty.”
Scott rubbed his hands together. “Good. I’d be happy to eat plenty.”
Miriam sped down the hallway toward the bedrooms. “Scott, I’m going to leave new linens for you in your room. If you have any questions, you know where my office is.”
“Thank you,” Scott called out to her.
“You’re welcome. Bye, guys!” She whizzed past the kitchen and out the front door.
Scott leaned back against the pantry, then hooked his thumb toward the hall. “Who was she exactly?”
“Miriam. She handles… Well, I’m not exactly sure what she’s in charge of besides us. Didn’t you meet her when you checked in with Living History?”
“Maybe.” Scott scratched his beard. “There was a lot going on at check-in. Right afterward, the dude you ended up replacing broke his arm. It’s all kind of a blur.”
Ian stirred the mixture of chicken, bell peppers, and onions, th
en heated up another skillet for the tortillas. How much longer should he wait to ask about Ava? For some reason, he couldn’t find the courage. What if she wasn’t doing well? Or what if she was doing fine and didn’t miss him at all because Logan had stepped in to take Ian’s place? Or Noah. She and Noah had always gotten along well.
Scott stepped over to the sink to wash his hands. “She’s holding my cell phone hostage. She admitted as much.”
It took a moment for Ian to remember which ‘she’ they were discussing. He shrugged. “No communication with the outside world. It’s in the—”
“Contract. So she said.” Scott rolled his eyes and grabbed a paper towel to dry his hands. “I don’t see what staying sequestered for a week will do to prevent us from leaking spoilers. Everyone is going to know we didn’t win when we go home.”
“Yes, but they won’t know exactly how long we lasted in the competition. Besides, I overheard Miriam talking to an executive on her office phone. Apparently, one of the network’s pilots flopped hard. They’re putting a rush order on this series to fill the time slot. The show is already airing in the U.S.”
“No way! I’m a star, Mom.” Scott’s grin quickly turned into a grimace. “Only she can’t hear me because I don’t have a phone.”
Ian didn’t mind the no-communication rule. In fact, he’d kind of been relieved when Miriam had reminded him about it. He’d happily live in this little bubble of denial for a while longer. Well, he wasn’t exactly in complete denial since he’d already started working on his resume. “You can ask her for your laptop or tablet if you brought one. There’s no way to connect to the internet, though.”
“I’ll do that. Any kind of technology would be comforting even if it can’t do much.” Scott eyed the skillet. “Now, how can I help get this food ready to go into my belly?”
“You can start eating the chips and salsa if you want. I’m going to warm a few tortillas.”
“Sounds good.” Scott grabbed a few chips. “Where did this food come from and the house? Oh, and where exactly are we?”
Beyond the Tide Page 16
