Marla’s gasp was audible. “Me? What did I do?”
“You’re the stronger player,” I said simply. “You have kids, so you’re more approachable, and you’re less of a threat in competitions, so he’s worried you’re going to fly under the radar to the very end.”
She looked at Jendan, frowning. “Should we…”
He shrugged at her. “Tell them. Won’t hurt anything at this point.”
She glanced back at me. “We’ve already talked with Jayme and Fido. They said they were nominating you two and that you’d be going home, Kandis. The plan’s to keep Brodie.”
I nodded. “I know. Casper told me. But then he changed his mind.”
Marla’s motherly expression became shrewd. “You know we could go to him and ask him which story is the truth. You might be lying.”
“Yeah, I thought you might say that.” Hiding my budding excitement, I pulled the small hand-held recorder out of my pocket. “Which is why I thought you might want to hear this for yourself.”
This time, the room was dead silent.
After a long moment, Marla spoke. “You’ve been recording us? Are you serious?”
Brodie just looked confused. “So we’re telling everyone about the recordings, now?”
Marla gave my partner a dirty look.
I gestured at the silent Jendan. “ Jendan gave this to me. It was in the ghost-hunting equipment, remember? You’re supposed to use it to capture EVPs but I noticed that it also captures conversations pretty well.”
“I can’t believe you’ve been recording us!” Marla was pissed, two bright spots of color in her wan cheeks. “That is so shady!”
“It’s to your benefit,” I told her. “Because if I hadn’t, you guys would be going home in the next nomination. Just listen, okay?”
And I clicked the recorder on so it could start at the beginning of the conversation I’d had with Casper. I let the damning evidence play, not stopping it to add commentary. Even hearing it sounded awesome—Casper spilling all of his plans and me quietly agreeing and listening as he plotted against everyone, even the people he was supposedly aligned with. I glanced at the other three people in the room as it played, gauging their reactions. Marla’s face was flushed, though I didn’t know if it was anger or embarrassment. Jendan was impassive, and Brodie was listening with a thoughtful expression on his face.
The last few moments of the conversation played back, Casper’s voice not stealthy in the slightest. “So…this is a big move. You’re with me? If we put up Marla and Jendan, you’ll vote Marla?”
My voice. “I would if the house was going to. I don’t want to go out on my own and then have her gunning for me if she survives the vote.”
“Oh, it’ll go that way. You watch and see. And this conversation between you and me? Never happened.”
“Got it.”
“I’m serious. One word of this getting out, little missy, and I will deny all of it. I’ll just tell them you’re starting trouble to save your hide and make sure your ass is booted out the door as quickly as possible. You get me?”
“I understand. You can trust me.”
Casper sounded disgustingly confident. Smug, even. “I know I can. Because your back’s against a wall. You’ve got no options but me.”
I clicked the tape recorder off and waited.
Brodie was the first to speak. “He threatened you? That fucking asshole. I should go have a nice long talk with him—“
“No,” I said quickly. Aw, hell. This was exactly the way I didn’t want the conversation to go. “Don’t say anything. Let him believe everything is on the up and up.” I looked over at Marla and Jendan. “What are you guys thinking?”
“I’m pissed,” Marla said. Her arms crossed over her chest. “And how can we trust you, Kandis? You sat there and recorded him spilling his guts. And on tape, you’re agreeing to vote me off. How can I trust you not to?”
“Marla, come on. Think for a moment.” I scooted forward on the bed, tossing the recorder down. “If I wanted to go through with his plan, why would I say anything to you? Anything to any of you?” I gestured at all three of them. “We had the votes to get Marla out even before I said anything. Me, Sunnie, Casper, Jayme and Fido. That’s five. You’d be toast before you even knew what happened. As for trusting me, I’m coming to you with this information so we can switch it up. I want to work with you guys. Jendan and I have been allied since day one. I don’t intend on changing that. In fact, I want the four people in the room here to go to the end together.”
Silence.
After a moment, Marla said, “Brodie, you’re constantly flirting with Sunnie and Jayme.” Her mouth turned into a prim line. “Not to mention your partner here. How do we know you’re willing to partner to the end?”
I looked at Brodie. That was a good question, and one I wouldn’t mind the answer to as well.
Brodie only grinned. “My strategy coming in was to flirt. I think it’s doing pretty well for me so far. But Kandis is my girl. I’m with her. She’s got my back, and I have hers. The other two are just harmless flirting. As long as they’re with me, they’re not against me.”
Jendan said nothing, but Marla harrumphed again. “So how do we trust you?”
“You either do or you don’t,” Brodie said, still smiling. “Sounds like I’m safe either way.”
“Yeah, great,” she snapped.
“Look, let’s calm down,” Jendan said. “I trust Kandis. Like she said, she’s had my back since day one. She’s shared information to help keep me—keep us—safe.”
“Has she,” Brodie murmured speculatively, glancing over at me.
“You know this,” I told him. We’d even argued about it.
He leaned in. “Yeah, but I’m just curious how much sharing has been going on.”
I rolled my eyes at his accusation. I’d deal with Brodie later. Right now I needed to concentrate on the other team, not mine. I clasped my hands and gave Marla and Jendan a beseeching look. “So can we please, please work together? I think if the four of us come together, we can surprise all of them and take control of this game. We just have to make sure that we stick together.”
“So how do we do this?” Marla asked me, still skeptical. “You must have an idea.”
“I do,” I said slowly, doing my best not to twitch. “But I need your help. I need you two to go to Jayme and Fido and tell them that you want them to nominate Casper and Sunnie.”
“Why not you?” Marla asked. “You’re the one with the tape.”
“I am. I’m also the current nominee of choice. Don’t you think it’ll look a bit fishy if I go to them and beg for my life? It’ll look less sneaky if it comes from you guys, and then our alliance can fly under the radar.”
“And what do we tell Fido and Jayme?”
I shrugged. “Tell them the truth—that you overheard a conversation with Casper where he was saying he wanted to vote one of them out. Let paranoia do the rest.”
Marla and Jendan exchanged a glance. After a moment, Marla put her hand out. “I think I want the tape recorder back.”
I got up and brought it to her. “I’m not doing this to screw you guys. I promise. I know that if we work together, we can get to the final four.”
Marla stood up and looked at her partner again and then back to me. “You know we’re going to have to discuss this privately before we come to an agreement.”
I nodded. Of course. “Just…if you guys decide to try and use this to vote me out, let me know first, okay?”
“We will,” Jendan said. “And thanks for letting us know, Kandis.”
“You can trust me,” I assured him.
He smiled at me and nodded and then left the room with Marla. As soon as they exited the Queen room, I turned back to Brodie, who had a frown on his face.
“Sooo, when were you planning on telling your partner about this big plan of yours?” Brodie asked me, his expression deliberately casual.
I gave him my most
innocent look. “Right now?”
“Uh huh.”
“I’m serious. I was going to tell you, but I needed to get everyone together before the rest of the house got up and found out what we were doing.”
“Oh, I believe you.” He raised an eyebrow in my direction. “I’m just curious what information you’ve been passing Jendan to make sure he’s safe.”
I went back to the bed and sat on the edge. “I said something during the first vote about not being last in the reward challenge, remember.”
“And that’s all?”
“Maybe.” To be honest, there were so many secrets flying back and forth, I was starting to lose track of what had been told to whom.
“Just as long as we’re sneaky together, and not sneaky against each other.”
“All scheming is done with you. I promise.” I gave him a mock salute and then winked. “At least…all the scheming you know about.”
“Oh yeah?” Brodie grabbed me by the waist and began to tickle me.
I squealed with laughter.
CHAPTER SIX
“Is it weird that the sneakier Kandis is, the more it turns me on? I figure I’m going to be a mess by the time we get to the finale.” – Brodie Short, Day 18
Seated on the couch next to me, Brodie planted a hand on my knee and leaned over to murmur in my ear. “You’re practically vibrating. Stop it.”
I pried his hand up off my knee, finger by finger. Secretly, I kind of liked his hand there, but the others were watching. “I can’t help it. I’m nervous. You know I get nervous at these things.”
“Yeah, but you’re telegraphing. Calm down.”
I exhaled noisily and straightened my loose, ruffled shirt. For the vote that week, I’d chosen to wear a pair of black skinny jeans, a black tank top, and a filmy white poet’s shirt that was two sizes too large and belted high at the waist. With my long, dark hair, I thought it was a good look. Kind of low-key but still feminine. I couldn’t do a skin-tight dress every week like Sunnie—for one, I didn’t have enough dresses. And two, I’d probably fidget so hard or cross my legs so often that I’d end up flashing my panties to the viewing audience. Jeans were just a safer bet.
I crossed my legs again and gave Brodie a mutinous look and then straightened one of my ruffled sleeves. “I’m allowed to be anxious.”
“Just play it cool,” he said, grinning in my direction as if I’d said something clever. How he always managed to look like he was having a good time was beyond me. I was practically prancing in my seat with the jitters.
When we got back from the commercial break, we’d hear the week’s nominations. Jayme and Fido sat at the front of the group, their faces completely impassive. They wouldn’t look at me and Brodie or at Casper and Sunnie.
Marla had assured me that she’d told them about Casper’s treachery and said that she’d shared the tape recorder. She’d said they’d been furious at Casper’s play-making and inability to keep his mouth shut. They hadn’t said anything to me, though, and despite Jendan and Marla’s assurances, I didn’t know how the vote would go tonight.
I could very well be going home despite all the scrambling. They could still nominate Brodie and me despite the behind-the-scenes work I’d been doing this week, and if that happened, I was out the door.
I’d get a little cash for coming in eighth, but not enough. I couldn’t go home yet.
I toyed with one of the ruffles on my shirt absently and then froze when the TV’s logo screen disappeared and Becky Bradley’s big hair and big teeth filled the screen. “Hello, House Guests! Are you ready for the nominations?”
We all clapped.
“Jayme, Fido,” Becky said in her smooth voice. “Please stand and nominate a team for eviction.”
Jayme bounced to her feet and straightened her sun dress and then looked at her partner. Fido stood at her side with his arms crossed, a wary look on his face. He nodded at his partner, and Jayme clasped her hands and turned to us. “This week’s decision was a difficult one.”
Oh god. They were going to put me up. I just knew it.
“Whenever you put someone up for eviction, you have to weigh a lot of things. Not only who you’re getting rid of, but who you’re keeping. And some people are just too dangerous to keep around for long, or you’re going to be writing them a check for the money.”
I felt sick to my stomach.
She gave the group of contestants a wary smile. “So that’s why we’re putting Sunnie and Casper up for eviction. Nothing personal, guys. Just strategy.” With that, Jayme and Fido sat down.
Stunned and trying to hide my delight, I looked over at Sunnie and Casper. They were shocked. No, beyond shocked. Sunnie looked ready to cry, and Casper just looked furious. He shot an angry glance over at me, but I looked away. It was either that or giggle aloud with sheer relief.
I was safe for another week.
Brodie’s hand touched my knee again in warning, and I squeezed his hand back, acknowledging it. Be cool. I could be cool. Totally.
“The nominees may now give their speeches to plead with their house mates for their vote,” Becky said.
Sunnie stood, and blubbered something about being everyone’s friend and how she wanted to stay. I wasn’t paying much attention. I was too focused on not giving away anything. Be still. No fidgeting. Certainly no smiling. The inside of my cheek was going to be swollen given how hard I was biting it.
When Sunnie was done with her speech, Casper stood and looked right at me. “I’ll save my words, except to say that everyone in this house will get what’s coming to them.”
He thumped back into his seat.
“We’ll start the voting. Kandis, you will vote first.”
Oh thank goodness. I bolted up out of my seat and headed to the confessional. I kept my head down as I headed to the booth and managed to keep my cool until I shut the confessional door behind me.
Then, I squealed aloud and did a happy dance.
Safe another week!
Safe!
One step closer to the million!
“Kandis, please be seated,” Becky said over the intercom, but I could hear a hint of laughter in her voice.
I stopped my crazy dancing and smoothed my hair. “Sorry.” I slid into the big easy chair in front of the cameras.
“Please cast your vote.”
“Totally voting for Casper, Becky,” I said with a wide grin. “And if he asks who nailed him, you can tell him it was all me. Nothing personal, just doing it for Mom.”
She chuckled. “Thank you for your vote, Kandis. Please go sit down with the rest of the group now.”
With one last delighted shimmy, I straightened my clothing and headed back out to the others.
Five long, tense minutes later, the votes were in and Casper was marched out of the house. He didn’t hug anyone or offer encouraging words to the rest of us. In true sore loser fashion, he simply grabbed his bag and headed out the door.
As soon as he was out, the intercom clicked on. “Contestants, you have ten minutes to get ready for the next Power Play.”
We surged into action, changing clothes and pulling up hair. As I headed into the bathroom, Marla gave me a grin and put up her hand.
I high-fived her.
~~ * ~~
“Tonight’s Power Play is the Wheel of Misfortunes,” Jayme called out, reading from one of the cue-cards left for us. “Since Fido and I had Power this week, we will not be competing. That means that there will be five of you competing, and as of right now…” she paused dramatically and then glanced up at all of us. “You are now officially playing as singles.”
We cheered, excited. I cheered maybe a little less enthusiastically than the others. Why did I have a weird feeling about this? Why did I twinge with unhappiness at the thought of Brodie no longer being my partner? Brodie was untrustworthy. He was a player and a liar.
So why did I feel like I was going to miss him? Weird.
Jayme gestured at the large game whe
el in the center of the challenge area and continued to read. “On my word, Fido will spin the wheel.”
I eyed the wheel itself. It was an enormous wooden circle, painted like something out of Wheel of Fortune, with ‘pie’ pieces of varying colors. Each colored slice of the board had a question-mark on it, no doubt a card covering what laid underneath. On the far end of the challenge area, neat colored boxes were lined up on tables. Across from the wheel was a scoreboard with our names on it, and we stood lined up in the middle. Next to me, Sunnie kept wiping her red-rimmed eyes and sniffing loudly, still upset about the vote.
I gave her an encouraging pat on the arm, feeling bad for her. I’d talk with her later, let her know she was never the target. Maybe that would help her hurt feelings.
“Fido will spin the wheel,” Jayme said, still reading, “and a dare will be revealed. You will each have five minutes to perform your dare. Fail to perform the dare and you are out of the challenge. Complete the dare, and you receive a point. The first person to three points wins the Power for the week. If we have a tie, we’ll have a faceoff between those contestants. Is everyone ready?”
“Ready!” we chorused.
“Then spin the wheel of misfortunes, Fido,” Jayme called triumphantly, waving her card with a flourish. She moved to the scoreboard, ready to mark points.
Fido grinned and gave the wheel a jerk, sending it flying around. We watched in anticipation as the wheel clattered around and eventually came to a stop on a slice of yellow. Fido reached up and removed the question mark card, revealing the words underneath. “Milkshake of Madness,” he read aloud.
Jayme reached for her card and then pointed at a yellow box nearby. “The milkshake of madness is a yummy and delicious treat that contains twenty unique ingredients.” She sauntered over to the yellow table and revealed five tall soda glasses, all frosted from the ingredients within. She picked up the card on the table and began to read. “Every ten seconds, I will name off another unique ingredient and finding out what’s in the milkshake just might turn your stomach. Your entire glass must be chugged within the five minute allotment. Fail to do so and you will be removed from the challenge.”