Stud Muffin

by Lauren Landish

  I get Cassie’s point, and for once, she seems to have more sense than me. Still, that competitive spirit just isn’t in me now. “You already know that with Wesley, it’s not just about who crosses the finish line first. Besides, the puzzle we’re still doing individually. I don’t know if there’s anything dangerous out here, but if there is, I want them nearby.”

  That seems to satisfy her, but Tony calls out before she can respond. “Hey, you guys coming? Or do you want to split off?”

  “We’re coming. Just a little girl talk,” I call back.

  “All right, you in? Let’s do this,” I say, offering my fist, which Cassie lightly pounds and gives a little nod, smiling her acceptance of the plan.

  The first location is pretty easy to find, and as we walk, we wonder what sort of craziness Wes is up to. “There has to be a twist,” I mutter as we find a large banyan tree. The four of us split up, searching until Cassie finds the ‘treasure,’ two black plastic canisters about the size of cans of soup.

  The next treasure is further away and a lot more challenging to get to. We emerge from the woods to see a rocky outcropping, not quite a cliff but damn close. Sticking out about halfway up the wall are a red and a blue flag. Displaying his physical prowess, Caleb scrambles up, retrieving the two canisters.

  Even Cassie gives me silent acknowledgement that working together may have been the smart decision. There’s no way the two of us could have conquered that rock without ropes or a jetpack.

  As the day progresses, I’m shocked at how well we’re all working together, moving from location to location. Cassie and Caleb continue their banter, but it’s back to the playful vibe they’ve had since we’ve been here.

  We’re stopped dead in our tracks at one of the coordinates, the smell reaching us before we’re even a hundred feet away. “Oh, shit.”

  “Shit is right,” I say as we approach a huge pile of manure. I see the tiny red and blue flags on top, and I wince. “That is like a dinosaur-size pile of shit.”

  “Oh, fuck no!” Cassie yells. “Good thing we’re teamed up. Gentlemen…” she tells them with a wave of her hand, indicating it’s all theirs.

  “Oh, I’m thinking this is a time for ladies first,” Caleb jokes. “Just remember, like Wesley says, eat shit and live!”

  Cassie glares at him. “You know, sometimes I just wanna kick your nuts so hard they pop outta your nose. This is one of those times.”

  Tony and I burst out laughing, causing Caleb to turn red with embarrassment. He doesn’t come back and instead opens the boys’ supply pack, finding a canteen and taking a big drink of water.

  “But seriously, what do we do?” I ask. “This is fucking disgusting.”

  “We’re gonna have to go through it,” Tony says. “The flags are right there.”

  He looks around at the three of us, none of us wanting to have anything to do with it. “Fine. I guess it’s time for the real man to put on the big boy pants and get to work. I’ll take one for the team.”

  Tony puts on some big gloves that were in the bag and starts trying to move it out of the way by handfuls. Just when I’m thinking this is going to take all day sifting through handfuls at a time, he lets out a triumph yell, pulling out two canisters. Holding them out, I can’t help but cheer and clap a little as Tony grins. “Nice job!” I say.

  “We need to get those fucking things cleaned off a little,” Caleb says. “I don’t think any of us want to carry a can of shit all the way back.”

  Tony laughs, pulling his t-shirt off to wipe the canisters clean. He’s trying his best not to get any on himself, but he’s going to need a damn good shower, that’s for sure. “I need another shirt. They’re still not clean, and mine’s dirty as fuck!”

  With a smile, I shrug off my pack and pull off mine, leaving me in my sports bra.

  “Here,” I say, tossing him my shirt. “I don’t know if I want that back though, even if it is washed.”

  Tony uses my shirt to wipe some more before he’s satisfied. “So . . . your shirt off your back. That’s pretty serious. Does that mean we’re going steady? Wanna hold hands?”

  “Fuck off!” I laugh, running away from him. I edge back, dashing forward to grab my backpack and pull it on. “You need a shower before you come near me!”

  After a few laughs, we head off. Our last two coordinates are near the beach. One’s just off the coast, but there’s a problem with that. “Uhm . . . the coordinates are in the water.”

  Tony shrugs off his pack and takes out some goggles. “Well, I guess that’s what these are for.” I open our bag and pull out a matching pair.

  “Let’s divide and conquer, finish this up, and move on. I’ll take Miss Motor Mouth while you and Hannah go for a swim,” Caleb says. “You could probably use a little rinse anyway.”

  “Since we’re on the subject of mouths, I have one, and only one use for yours,” Cassie growls. “I see that look on your face, and it’s not that either. Kiss my ass!”

  Caleb laughs. “That’ll be the day. Come on, slowpoke, let’s get ours and get back.”

  The two run off, and I look at Tony. “What are we waiting for?”

  He grins at me, and we hurry to the shore, shucking shoes and putting our goggles on.

  “You ready?” he says, excitement in his voice.

  Looking into the sparkling waters, I nod. “When you are.”

  Holding hands, we wade in. The water is darker blue than I thought, and as I struggle downward, I realize that it’s a lot deeper than I thought it’d be, too. Though we went in together, I don’t see Tony. Panicking, I turn, looking all around. I can barely see below the surface, but Tony comes up a moment later, causing me to sigh with relief. “You okay? I was right there beside you.”

  “Sorry,” I gasp, grabbing onto his body. “I didn’t see you go under.”

  “It’s all right,’ he says softly. “I’m fine. Let’s go down and look together, okay?”

  I nod, feeling relaxed in his arms.

  Tony smiles and gives me an encouraging kiss. “With me, take five big deep breaths, and then we go under. Hold onto my belt and kick like hell.”

  We do it together, Tony putting those muscles to use as we sink fast. The water starts to get darker the deeper we go, and I’m starting to think I might need to turn back up when I see the flash of red and blue. It’s an old anchor, and attached to it are two tiny canisters on a floating buoy. Tony reaches out and undoes the simple bow knot holding it to the anchor, and the whole thing shoots up, Tony and I right behind it.

  Breaking the surface of the water is like being reborn. Sweet air rushes into my lungs and the sun is dazzling bright as Tony and I hold each other. Cassie and Caleb cheer at us from the shore, waving their canisters at us.

  “What took you so long?” they yell. “Y’all need a minute?”

  Grinning, we swim in, Tony tossing the package to Cassie before pulling me into his arms and giving me a quick kiss on the cheek. I wish we could go further, but there’s a time and a place. We’ve got a challenge to take care of.

  We quickly get our shoes on, the four of us heading back to the house. Wesley is waiting for us, and he claps his hands gleefully, jumping a little bit like a kid on Christmas morning. “Ah, I’m so glad to see you all worked together. Very telling and wise of you, but it’s time for the puzzle. I have two tables set up just outside the house for you to use. You may begin.”

  Cassie rushes over to our table, while I exchange a glance with Tony before joining her. Cassie’s already gotten three of the canisters open, and we see that it is literally pieces of a puzzle. “Oh, fuck, I suck at puzzles,” Cassie grumbles. “Shit!”

  “That would be this canister,” Caleb says, tossing over their empty metal tin. Cassie squeals and knocks the thing to the ground while Caleb laughs. “And no cheating!”

  “No cheating! Big booty ho!” Mo Mo squawks, and it feels like the metal canister is just the right weight to throw, even if I don’t hit anything but air.


  Taunts and banter go quiet as we all focus. We sort out the edges and get the corners when suddenly, Tony yells, “Yes!”

  “What?” I ask, feeling desperate. Did they finish already?

  “It’s the resort!” Tony says before realizing he may have made a mistake. He glowers and stares at his puzzle while Cassie and I start to see what we’re missing. I go quickly, seeing chunks of pieces fall together while Cassie starts to work methodically. Finally, I see the last piece, the flag on the top of the yacht in the water, and slide it home.

  “Done!” I yell.

  Tony looks up in shock, his fingers holding a piece. Wesley comes over, checks, and nods. “A win for the ladies. The score is tied for tomorrow’s finale.”

  Cassie hugs me, but I see nothing but the disappointment in Tony’s eyes as he comes over. He sees our puzzle, then shakes his head. “It’s not the same.”

  “Of course not,” Wesley says, chuckling. “I wanted to make sure it was fair, so each team’s picture was different. So your comment about it being a resort didn’t help the ladies.”

  “How close were you?” I ask, and Tony shrugs. It doesn’t matter. He turns and goes inside, and I walk around to look at Tony’s puzzle. One piece is missing . . . it was that close.

  Wesley looks at me as I pick up Tony’s piece and slip it into place, completing his puzzle. “So, what did you learn today?”

  I glance up at him, not ready for another of his speeches. “The property, this place . . . it’s special. It’s more than beautiful scenery. It’s a living, breathing entity. The oceans, the forests, and even the giant pile of cow shit—they’re all connected.”

  “True, but you knew that before the challenge,” Wesley says. “What did you learn today?”

  I swallow and think about the look in Tony’s eyes as I finished. “I learned . . . I learned that sometimes, winning really doesn’t feel like winning at all.”

  “How true,” Wesley says. “Go relax. There is a festival in the village tonight, very special. You should see it, and you should be able to prepare for tomorrow’s finale. Enjoy it, for tomorrow, you’re right—the friendships you’ve built these past few days may very well be undone.”

  Chapter 17

  Anthony

  “You know, man, I can’t believe we lost that,” Caleb says as I clean up my stubble with a razor. The air in the bathroom is still steamy. I just got out after an incredibly long shower where I scrubbed myself thoroughly. It took me three scrubs and a thorough jet spraying with the shower head over every inch of my body before I finally felt like I was cow shit-free and clean. “I gotta give you props for digging through that shit, though.”

  “There was a reason I did it,” I say, scraping the last spot on my left cheek smooth. “Because I know it will go toward what Wesley thinks of me. I took one for the team.”

  “I didn’t think about it that way,” Caleb says, grinning. I hear him slapping his cheeks. He’s probably put on a little aftershave. A regular Hai Karate man, Caleb is. God knows why. When I come out of the bathroom, he’s already got his button-down shirt on. We’re dressing up a little tonight for the festival. “I guess you’re right, but there’s one problem with that. Wes wasn’t there.”

  “It doesn’t seem like much that happens here gets by that man,” I tell him. “No way was he going to let the four of us go after that cliffside canister or dive for that last one without someone nearby just in case something went bad. Not to mention, I’m sure he could fucking smell me.”

  “Well, let’s go have some fun. Let it be our rally before we pull off the big win tomorrow!” Caleb says. I can't share in his enthusiasm though. I don’t even know what I want anymore. I don’t want to let anyone down, but I don’t want to do that at Hannah’s expense. One thing’s for sure—I know I want her. And tonight, I’m going to show her something special.

  Caleb notices my silence. “What’s the matter, dude? And don’t say you’re tired because today wasn’t even that bad.”

  “A lot on my mind,” I say, putting on some fresh underwear. “Just thinking.”

  “Fuck that. Your head is not in the game,” Caleb says. “You’re catching feelings for Hannah, just admit it. We can all see it, man. Is it serious or are y’all just fucking around? Because she’s got you tied up inside. Just make sure it’s not one-sided and she bolts on you when the dust settles after this competition.” When I stay silent, he presses. “Everyone knows what’s going on. No shame in it, no use denying it.”

  “Whether it’s true or not, it’s no one’s business,” I reply as I pull on my lightweight slacks.

  “You’re right, maybe it’s not. But I’m your friend and will always tell you the truth, even if you don’t want to hear it. Be careful with Hannah. I’m not sure who will end up more hurt here, but it’s going to be one or the both of you. And I won’t be the one having to explain it if we lose.

  I can’t argue with his words as I put on my Hawaiian shirt that I leave open at the front. “Don’t worry,” I say finally, “I don’t know what’s gonna happen…with Hannah and me or the competition, but I’ll be ready come tomorrow. And Caleb, no matter what, I’m glad I didn’t come for this alone. Thanks man.”

  “That’s my boy. Now, let’s go have some fun. Just remember, tomorrow morning, it’s all business.”

  “All business,” I repeat.

  As we walk out, I don’t know whom I’m lying to—Caleb . . . or myself.

  Hannah

  “I can’t wait to get out there and enjoy the island,” Cassie says as she applies eyeliner, making sure she gets just the shape she wants. We’re in our bathroom getting ready for tonight’s festival, and I’m both excited and leery. Tomorrow’s the end, and it’s hard thinking that this will be over soon. It’s even harder when I think that there can only be one winner. Someone’s going home a loser . . . and even with how much I’ve come to want Tony, I really don’t know if I want it to be me. “Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been having fun, slinging arrows, pretending be Yoda and all that, but I’m ready to let loose a little. Enjoy some island eye candy.”

  Despite being distracted by my thoughts, I chuckle at Cassie’s antics as I apply a light shade of lipstick to my lips and then step back to critique my appearance. I have on a beautiful multi-colored Hawaiian dress that I just felt I had to wear. It’s so beautiful. I’ve gone with matching makeup, rainbow colored eye makeup with some glitter and blush over my cheeks. I even have a red flower Cassie found in my hair. Cassie says I look like a pale Hawaiian goddess and I smile. But there’s this one damn curl that won’t stay and it keeps coming free. “If only this damn curl would just hold.”

  I finally get it fixed and look at Cassie, who’s finished up her own makeup. “You look pretty,” I say, smiling at her. Cassie is in a beautiful green and white dress, her dimples shining even more than normal.

  “Thank you,” she replies before blushing. “You look stunning too, but then again . . .”

  “What?” I ask, seeing the look on her face as her voice trails off.

  She bites her lip, worry in her eyes. “Please don’t get mad at me when I say this, but . . . how far are you willing to go to win this thing?”

  I fidget with my hands, suddenly nervous. “I don’t know,” I say quietly.

  I can tell she’s afraid to say what she’s thinking. “Look, I know something is going on between you and Tony. I think it’s kinda sweet, but our jobs . . .” Her voice trails off, and I totally get what she’s saying. A pain bites my chest. It hurts to even think about it. “I know I was sent along with you to be your helper, and I know I haven’t done a great job at that. I’ve gotten caught up in the fun and games. Maybe both of us have. But we need to consider the very serious consequences if we’re not successful.”

  Tears spring to my eyes and trickle down my cheeks. It hurts so much to see her like this. It’s not the Cassie I’ve come to know, and I pull her into my arms. Hugging her, I swallow down the lump in my throat. �
��We’re going to win.” God, why does this have to be so damn hard? “And you’ve never hurt our chances. It wouldn’t be this close without you.”

  “Promise?” Cassie asks, and I nod, holding up my right pinky. She smiles bravely and hooks it with her own. “I’ve never had anyone pinky swear with me before.”

  “Well, you do now. You know, Cassie, I used to think you were annoying.”

  “And now?” Cassie asks.

  “You’re still annoying . . . but you’re also a good friend.”

  She smiles, and we leave our room, heading downstairs. In the living room, the guys are waiting. Tony’s shirt pulls my attention to the tanned, muscled skin underneath. I look up into his eyes, and I see he’s just as stunned. “Hannah . . .”

  Wes is with Alani, and for once, I don’t see Mo Mo on his shoulder. The parrot’s on her stand in the corner. “You two are almost matching,” Wes comments.

  I glance and realize Wesley’s right. Tony’s shirt and my dress have the same pattern. I gulp, looking at Tony. “You look handsome.”

  “You look absolutely gorgeous,” Tony says, grinning. In his eyes, I can see that the connection that I’ve felt growing between us over the past few days is almost visible in the air between us.

  Caleb comes over, taking Cassie by the hand and smiling. “You look cute.”

  Cassie laughs but blushes too. “You’re just saying that to get some brownie points.”

  Caleb laughs, offering his arm. “Please. I could have you on your knees if I wanted. I don’t need brownie points.”

  Cassie laughs, taking his arm. “Oh, shut up. If anyone is getting on their knees, it’s you.”

  We all laugh. There might be nothing there, but I’m not completely convinced. Tony comes over, extending his hand, and as he comes closer, I can smell a faint cologne. It’s tropical, and it feels special.