The Leftover

by Brooke Williams

  “Yeah? Can’t say the same for my shirt.”

  Cane could no longer resist the humor in the situation. “If you’ve ever dreamed of having a lip ring, you can keep the earring. I can put it back in now if you’d like.”

  Andrew narrowed his eyes. “No thanks.” He stalked out of the tent, wiping at his shirt with the gauze Cane had given him to stop the bleeding.

  Cane shook his head. “Wow.” He didn’t envy Megan’s position within the group. She was already a target. Now she was dangerous as well. The earring-armed attacker. He chuckled. He couldn’t wait to recount the experience with her.

  “You don’t think there’s anything we can do?” Megan leaned toward Grace.

  “I’m not sure what. Any ideas?” she replied.

  Megan sat back against the tree under the lean-to. Grace had just informed her Leo was the target that night. The group on the beach had decided and the four people united in the lean-to crew wouldn’t have enough votes to save him.

  “Why Leo?” Megan lamented. “He’s not a threat. He’s sweet as molasses and he’s a hard worker. Why would they go after him?”

  Grace shrugged. “You got me, but this is trouble. If they get him, it’s only a matter of days before they pick the rest of us off, one by one.”

  Megan nodded in agreement. She was shocked that the other faction was choosing to vote for Leo rather than her, assuming the intel was correct. After she’d hooked Andrew’s lip she was certain he had it in for her. Why would they keep her over Leo? It didn’t make sense.

  “Maybe I’ll go for a walk,” Megan announced. “See if I can find anything out.”

  “Okay, let me know. I want to keep our group together. I’ll vote whatever way necessary.”

  Megan appreciated Grace’s willingness to bend. But at that point, it didn’t matter who they voted for. It would be four against seven. The numbers didn’t look good.

  Megan crawled out of the lean-to and hit the beach. She walked down to the water and stuck her feet in. Her sandals were going to be wet for the duration of the taping whether she liked it or not. She surveyed the area. Andrew, Nathan, and Juan were near the shelter and Kat and Sabrina were just down the way, splashing water on their arms. Megan sauntered over to the other women.

  “How’s Andrew doing?” she asked, testing the mood. She had no kind emotions toward Kat after the clothes-stealing incident, but talking to girls was always less intimidating than approaching men.

  Kat looked up. “He’s okay, no thanks to you.”

  “I really didn’t mean . . .” Megan almost turned and walked away. Nothing she could say would make them believe her.

  “If it weren’t for the little deal he made with you, you’d be the goner tonight.” Kat spat.

  “Deal? What kind of deal?” Sabrina asked with interest.

  “I really shouldn’t say, but Andrew told me he and Megan have a deal. If she wins protection, she hands it over to him.”

  Kat hadn’t mentioned Megan’s crush on Cane. Megan hoped leaving that out was Kat’s way of staying silent about it herself, even if Andrew was the one forcing the issue.

  “But what’s he doing for her in return?” Sabrina frowned.

  “Letting her cook him dinner, I guess.” Kat rolled her eyes. “Keeping some secret or something.”

  Kat’s pointed stare told Megan that Kat knew exactly what secret Andrew held over Megan. She was on board with keeping it quiet . . . for now.

  “Ooh, Megan has a secret,” Sabrina chanted in a singsong voice.

  Megan took a step back. This is why she avoided starting conversations. Things were going from bad to worse. She knew why the group was picking Leo and she didn’t think she’d be able to sway them against it. She turned around and walked away swiftly. She only had one recourse—go straight to the power source.

  Megan approached the small shelter on the beach with care. Andrew was talking animatedly and Nathan and Juan were soaking in his story. She didn’t hear much, but it seemed to be some kind of boardroom victory tale.

  “Sorry to interrupt, but Andrew, can I talk to you?” she asked in the middle of the saga.

  Andrew sighed. “I’ll finish later.” He waved the fingers on his left hand, and the other two men took the hint and left the shelter. Andrew turned to Megan. “What?”

  “I just wanted to apologize again, you know, about before.”

  “You think we’re even now, is that it?”

  “Even?” She remembered the feeling that ran to the bottom of her toes when she realized her clothes were gone. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

  “Oh, so I still have it coming to me later, huh?”

  Megan narrowed her eyes. “I don’t hurt people intentionally. I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry.” She was getting nowhere and she needed to get to the point. “Anyway, I wanted to let you know the other girls aren’t happy . . . about our deal.”

  Andrew tilted his head.

  “I think they know I’m not good at everything . . .”

  “You can say that again.” Andrew cackled.

  Megan steadied her hands at her sides. “But I do have a certain skill set. I almost won the first protection competition. Anyway, they’re afraid of their position within your group. I just want you to be careful.”

  “What are you saying?” Andrew leaned toward her until he was close enough for his suit jacket to brush against her shoulder. “They’re planning a coup?”

  “I . . . I don’t know what anyone’s planning. I just think they don’t like that you made a deal with someone from the other side of the beach.” Megan was trying to act like a faithful informant, playing up to Andrew’s ego.

  Andrew nodded and stroked his chin. “Thank you for coming to me with this, Megan.”

  Megan forced a smile as Andrew waved his hand, dismissing her. Who did he think he was? The don of the beach? She didn’t like it, but she took her cue and excused herself from the shelter. She was certainly in no position to unseat him. She was lucky she made it through the visit in the first place. Only once she was back under the lean-to did she get her racing heart under control.

  “Any news?” Grace asked. Leo and Carson were starting to stir from an afternoon nap.

  “Nothing much. You were right about the vote, but I don’t know if everything is as settled as you thought. I think we should all vote for the same person and keep our fingers and toes crossed.”

  “Hey guys, let’s talk.” Grace called the waking men over to the edge of the lean-to. “Okay, Megan, lay it on us. Who are we voting for tonight?”

  “There’s absolutely no guarantee. But if we stick together, we might be able to pull it off. Are you guys ready?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Megan’s stomach was in knots, not only because she hadn’t had anything to eat in two days, but also because of the vote that was about to take place. Wendy Weathersby stood before them in a bright pantsuit, balancing on her board as always. She was going on and on about the beautiful sunset they’d experienced a few moments ago. But Megan couldn’t care less. She thought she was safe that night, but she was afraid for Leo. She needed all the friends she could get in this game, and Leo was part of the lean-to crew. He’d become like an uncle to the group, always making sure everyone’s water bottle was full and that the shelter had enough leaf covering to keep them protected. Despite the short amount of time they had known one another, he had endeared himself to the group.

  “I heard about the drama on the beach today.” Wendy wore a serious expression as she touched her lip. “Andrew, how are you doing?”

  “I’ve been better, Wendy, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.” His tie was wrapped around his head like a man in battle. “I’m more concerned that the game is starting to get into people’s heads.”

  “How so?” Wendy rocked forward on her shoes.

  “This is a game of alliances. Deals have to be made. What goes around comes around. Megan will get what’s coming to her and so will the other
s who cross me.”

  Megan frowned and her hands began to shake. She quickly sat on them. Was that a threat? Someone had to take that man down a peg or he would run the game into the ground until the very end.

  “Megan, what do you have to say to that?” Wendy asked.

  Megan opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her head pounded—she needed food. She glanced around the fire, trying to focus. Off to the right of Wendy’s head, a camera light blinked red. She thought she saw a flash beside it. The flashlight blinked on and off and then settled under someone’s chin. It was Cane. One side of Megan’s mouth curled up in a slight smile.

  “Andrew and I talked about the incident. I think he understands I didn’t mean to hook him with that earring. I was simply trying to get something for the group to eat. Obviously, that didn’t work out as I’d hoped. But Andrew and I have an . . . understanding. I think it’s safe to say everything is fine between the two of us.” Megan turned and gave him an eager nod. It sickened her to have to play along with his inflated power-trip, but if it would further her allies in the game, so be it.

  “Where do you see yourself in the game, Sabrina?” Wendy asked.

  “I thought I had a solid group,” Sabrina answered. “I’m starting to learn you never know what’s going to happen. I think Megan surprised us all with her fishing move. It’s only a matter of time before more surprises pop up.”

  Sabrina’s nerves were evident. The news of Megan’s deal with Andrew was getting under her skin. She wondered if Kat felt as affected.

  Wendy changed subjects. “How is it sleeping out under the stars, Grace?”

  “Nothing I haven’t done before,” Grace answered. “Actually, this is one of the more pleasant places I’ve lived.”

  Megan smiled at her friend. She admired her ability to stay positive despite the trying situation.

  “We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow and Wendy Weathersby is anxious to see how tonight’s vote turns out. Let’s get to it, shall we?” Wendy shook with anticipation. “Andrew? Will you do the honors?” She gestured to the voting table.

  Andrew stood and confidently stepped over to the box. He looked at Leo and grinned. Megan’s heart sank.

  When it was Megan’s turn to choose a name, her pulse beat hard in her temples. She needed a meal. If she could have eaten the paper, she would have, but her group needed her vote. She wrote down the chosen name and folded the paper into the box.

  Once everyone had voted, Wendy retrieved the box from the stand and shook the papers around inside. “Let’s see who’s going home to their own bed tonight.” She stuck her hand inside and pulled out the first paper. “The first vote goes to . . . Sabrina.”

  Megan noted Sabrina’s shock, but her features quickly settled. The lean-to group had to vote for someone. Sabrina probably figured—correctly—that was her.

  Leo took the next four votes and then Sabrina caught up with three votes of her own. “Leo,” Wendy read from another paper. “That makes five for Leo, four for Sabrina.”

  Sabrina sighed and her shoulders relaxed. Megan tensed as the next paper was drawn from the box. This slip would tell her everything she needed to know. “Next vote,” Wendy read slowly, “goes to . . . Sabrina.”

  Megan let out a breath. The tide was turning. She could feel it.

  “We have a tie. Five votes Leo, five votes Sabrina. Two votes left.”

  Sabrina shifted uncomfortably when her name appeared on the next piece of paper as well.

  “One more vote,” Wendy announced. “This could tie things up.” She pulled the paper out of the box, unfolded it, and smiled. “Sabrina, I’m sorry, you’re going home tonight.”

  Sabrina stood as confusion settled over her features. “I . . . I . . .”

  Megan rolled her head around on her neck. It had worked. Somehow, it had worked! She knew Andrew was an egomaniac, and she hoped placing a seed of doubt in his mind about the women he worked with would help turn things against them. Apparently, it had. Her group voted for Sabrina with little to no hope. Andrew must have gotten Juan and Nathan to vote against her as well.

  “Take a moment to gather your things, Sabrina. Your ride is waiting in the parking lot.”

  Megan watched as Sabrina hugged her friends from the beach shelter. She hadn’t yet figured out what had happened, but Megan bet she’d be pretty upset when she did.

  “I can tell the line is being drawn in the sand.” Wendy spoke as Sabrina walked back to her shelter to get her few items. “Tomorrow is another day and we shall see what it will bring. Until then, Wendy Weathersby wishes you all a good night.” She blew a kiss to the group and stepped off her board into the dune buggy.

  Megan sighed in relief as Carson placed an arm around her on one side and Grace on the other. Leo linked arms with Grace. The entwined group would remain intact . . . for now. Wendy was right. Tomorrow was another day and Megan would take things one day at a time, one second at a time, one step at a time.

  The remaining contestants sat around the dwindling fire between their two camps. Someone needed to stoke the flames or risk losing the fire. Starting over was not an attractive option. But all they managed to do was sit in stunned silence. Andrew’s features were arranged in a smug manner. Megan figured he was pleased that the group bent to his will, or so he thought. Kat looked confused about what she’d just witnessed, while Danae’s face was a picture of exhaustion and hunger.

  Leo finally stood up and put another log on the fire, the sparks shooting up into the night sky. The action seemed to wake the group from their stupor.

  “Let’s get to know each other better,” Kat suggested. “Truth or dare always works.”

  Megan grimaced as the others agreed with the idea.

  “I’ll go first,” Kat offered. “I pick truth.” She looked around the circle, waiting for someone to ask her a question.

  “Real or fake?” Danae asked. “Your hair.”

  Kat shook her golden locks. “A little of both. The darker color is natural, the highlights are added. My hair is about shoulder length, but I have extensions to add layers.”

  Megan took a deep breath. It was more than she wanted to know about Kat’s hair, but it was a relatively easy question.

  “Andrew, you go now.” Kat lobbed the game in his direction.

  “Dare,” he said. “Always dare.”

  “Go moon the camera crew over there.” Nathan guffawed and Juan took off his cap and waved it over his head as he chanted Andrew’s name.

  Andrew shrugged and jogged over to the unsuspecting camera operators. Megan averted her gaze as he dropped his pants and stuck his rear into the air before them. He shook it around a bit and returned to the circle to cheers and laughter, the other two men still chanting his name. They would have made good fraternity brothers with those antics.

  “Megan, your turn.” Andrew gave her a lopsided grin.

  “Um . . .” Megan weighed her options. She didn’t want to pick truth and have Andrew ask her about her crush. Dare wasn’t a safe option either, but she didn’t have any other choices. “Dare.”

  Andrew rubbed his hands together. “I got this one,” he said to the group. “Megan, I dare you to kiss The Leftover medic. On the lips.”

  Kat gasped and fanned herself. “Cane Trevino? He’s a hunk. She’ll never do it.” She raised her eyebrows with an eager expression, toying with Megan.

  Grace leaned over and whispered in Megan’s ear, “You don’t have to. It’s just a stupid game. Ignore them.”

  “No.” Megan shook her head. “I’ll do it.” She stood and started walking toward the blue tent.

  “Oh, and Megan—no ducking into the tent and faking it. We want to see it. It doesn’t count unless it’s out in the open.”

  Megan’s pulse quickened. Andrew had called her bluff. It would have been easy to slip into the tent, concoct a reason to see Cane for a moment, and then come back out and lie to the group. Now she was in a pickle. She slowly put one foot in front of the other
, her mind racing. She didn’t want to give Andrew the satisfaction of winning this little game. He wanted her to back away from the challenge and embarrass herself.

  She stopped halfway to the tent. She couldn’t do this. It was ridiculous.

  “Second thoughts, Megan?” Andrew called. “Let me guess—you’ve never kissed a boy before, right?”

  Megan fumed. How did he know the buttons to push? So what if she was nearly thirty and had never been kissed. Lots of people waited for the right person to give away that first kiss. Okay, so she wasn’t really waiting. She’d just never had the opportunity. Unless you counted that one exchange student who planted a chaste kiss near the side of her mouth after school one day. But that was another story.

  Megan forced herself to move forward. She was getting closer to the tent and she still had no idea what to do. She raised her hand to knock before remembering how well that had worked the first time she had visited Cane.

  “Cane?” she called, her voice cracking with nerves. “Could you come out here for a second?”

  “Megan,” he said when his head appeared between the tent flaps. “I was hoping you’d stop by. I have been dying to hear more about that fishing incident.” His smile froze and he stopped just outside the tent as he studied her worried face. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I don’t have time to talk right now.” She glanced over her shoulder. She couldn’t see the others very well in the dark, but she felt their eyes on her. “I just . . . needed to give you something.”

  “Give me something?” Cane frowned.

  “Please just take it and I’ll explain later, okay?”

  “Okaaay.”

  Megan took two steps forward and closed the gap between them. She rose up on her toes and widened her eyes. She knew she was supposed to close them, but she couldn’t tear her gaze from his concerned face.

  When she was inches from his mouth, she whispered, “Sorry about this,” and then planted her lips on his. She heard hooting back on the beach and jammed her eyes shut. She didn’t want to see Cane’s reaction after all.