Partner Games
Page 22

Off to one side there was a sign and a row of picnic blankets. The sign read ‘Waiting Area’ and there was a picnic basket on each blanket. No other teams had arrived yet, so Swift and I picked the blanket that would allow us to watch our teammates closest.
Swift dug into the basket. “Oh man. Check this shit out. We have a bladder of mead.” He pulled out two drinking horns and laughed. “And cups.”
My stomach growled, reminding me that I should have eaten more earlier. “Is there any food?”
“Some big loaves of bread, some fruit.” He dug around. “Some dried meat. Looks like traditional Viking foods I guess? There’s a container of something called ‘lutefisk’.” He held up a jar. “You want some?”
“God, no.”
He pulled out cheese. “Want to have sandwiches?”
“That sounds amazing.” I smiled at him. “Should we save some for the others?”
“Nah, let them get their own picnic baskets.” He handed her a drinking horn and then pulled out a big knife to cut the bread.
“So unfair,” Georgie called as she puffed past with a gigantic wooden plank. Her face was red and sweaty under the helmet. “You get to eat while we work? Not cool!”
“Hey,” I called back. “I flung myself off a ski jump for you. You’re welcome!”
“You tell ‘er, Tiny,” Swift said, and we began to assemble our sandwiches. I tasted bits of meat before putting the tastiest parts on my sandwich, and the cheeses were all delicious. We poured mead into our horns, clanked them together for a toast, and then chowed down.
All too soon, I was licking my fingers clean of my delicious meal, Swift was polishing off the last of the food (except for the jar of lutefisk) and I was tipsy from the strong mead. “Oh man, that was good,” I breathed as I patted my stomach. “But I don’t think I should have drank all that alcohol.”
“Why not? You’re not driving.” He gestured at Georgie and Plate, still working busily on their tasks. “This is the last task for the day. After this comes a rest period.”
“I could use a rest right now,” I said, and a hiccup escaped me.
Swift patted his leg. “You wanna put your head down and take a nap while they work? I think they’re gonna have to start over again.”
I groaned, because they’d started over twice while we were there. The ship was a big puzzle, and it was clear that it wasn’t an easy one. Other teams were arriving, and the picnic blankets were filling up.
“Maybe just a quick rest,” I said, and snuggled down next to his leg, laying my cheek against his thigh. Mm, he was big and warm and smelled good.
His fingers dragged over one of my braids, toying with it. “You stay there as long as you want, Tiny,” he murmured. “I got you.”
 
 
Chapter Fourteen
 

“You can’t fight everything. Some things, you just gotta let happen. And I’ve got to stop thinking of Tiny as the enemy. If she wins the prize money, I’ll be happy for her. Honest.” — Swift, Team One Percent, The World Races  
 
Georgie and Plate finished their ships at roughly the same time, though I suspect Plate let Georgie finish first since he liked her. It was either gentlemanly behavior or he had the hots for her. Or both. Georgie got her clue first, and bounded over to our spot on the blanket, rattling her Viking gear, Plate trailing behind her.
“Where’s your disk, Clemmy?” She asked, gesturing for me to get up. “Come on, hurry. The other teams are going to finish soon.”
I stood up with Swift’s help, and then wobbled. The mead I’d drank had gone straight to my head. “Woooh.”
The biker’s arm went around my waist, holding me against him. “I don’t think your sister can handle her alcohol.”
I giggled. “I’m good. Really.”
Swift chuckled as Georgie shot him an unhappy look. “It’s fine. We’re probably just heading for a rest area at this point anyhow, right?”
“Well, it depends on what the clue says,” Georgie snapped. “Honestly. Drinking, guys?”
“The show provided it,” I said meekly, but held my clue out to her. She snapped the two of them together, and then all four of us leaned over it to read.
 
My side had said:
 
Bygdov is
Your Next Clue
The Berlin Wall
Gstaad Palace in Switzerland
The Arc de Triomphe in France
Now Grab
An Evening Of
When You Arrive
Enjoy!
 
 
Georgie’s side of the clue read:
 
The last place in Norway
Is your partner’s
Is not the next place to go
Is where you want to be
Is a red herring!
Your Partner For
Relaxation and Fun
You have an entire day to relax and enjoy yourselves!
 
Together, it read:
 
Bygdov is the last place in Norway
Your next clue is your partner’s
The Berlin Wall is not the next place to go
Gstaad Palace in Switzerland is where you want to be
The Arc de Triomphe in France is a red herring!
Now grab your partner for
An evening of relaxtion and fun
When you arrive you have an entire day to relax and enjoy yourselves!
 
“Huh,” I said. “So we go to Switzerland?”
“That’s what it says,” Georgie said, pulling me out of Swift’s supporting arms. “Come on. Time to hustle to the airport, Clemmy. Plate, get your drunk partner.”
Swift snorted. “It’d take more than that to get me drunk.”
I giggled again, because everything was funny. Well, everything but the unhappy look Georgie shot me. That made me sober, and I stuck my lower lip out as she ushered me towards the waiting taxis. We split up, with both of our drivers instructed to head to the airport, and then Georgie let into me.
“What is wrong with you, Clemmy? Drinking? Really?”
“We finished our task,” I said quietly. “Why’s drinking a little something so bad?” Heck, Georgie had been known to party hard. Why was it so bad if her nerdy twin was the one having a good time?
“Uh huh. Did he give you that drink or did you suggest it?”
“He gave it to me.”
She leaned in, her eyes furious. “Never ever ever take a drink from a guy, Clemmy. You don’t know what they’re up to.”
Huh? This was just Swift. Then my eyes widened as a new thought occurred to me. Swift really really wanted to win and he’d made that quite clear over and over again. “You think he’s trying to sabotage us?”
“I don’t know. But we’re not their partners, Clemmy. We’re working together right now because that’s in our best interest.” Her lean arms crossed over her chest. “What if the clue had said ‘Keep racing on until the next challenge’? You’re freaking drunk.”
I shook my head, but a hiccup escaped me anyhow, defeating any sort of protest I might have made. I gave up and sighed. “I’m sorry, Georgie. I wasn’t thinking.”