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.Make sure you stay in the competition, okay?""Is that professional, or personal?" I asked, teasing him a bit."It's both.Be good.Don't suck.Make sure you stay as long as you can.""I'll do that."With that, I turned around and gave him my back and walked up the trail that would lead me to the mansion.I had a gentleman caller.I was having fun.I was having a blast.This competition was the best thing I had done so far, I knew.Chapter 12We were sitting around the dining room, having just finished lunch when Trevor came in from the outside.He looked so handsome in a green long-sleeved shirt that really brought out his eyes.His jeans were quite the sight too; he filled them out in all of the right places.He scarcely looked at me as he stood before all of us at the table and I knew that he was acting as the professional.Inside of me, I was anxious to seeing the personal side of him again."Alright, folks.I hope you enjoyed your lunch because it is officially time to compete."The words sobered every single one of us.Some of us shifted in our chairs, others stood up and others stopped talking.Trevor took the time to look every one of us in the eye before speaking again."Let us begin."With those ominous words, we got off of our chairs and grabbed our jackets before following Trevor outside in a very nervous procession.A short van ride later, we arrived at a field that had a course of fire on it.There were various plywood cut-outs in the shapes of people set up in a cordoned area.Within that area were lots of trees, wooden crates and other barriers within.As I walked to an area with benches along with my fellow competitors, I looked at the walking area within the course of fire.It was thin and windy, but not unlike the hog trails I was so used to pushing through.Sitting on the cool bench, I brought my legs tightly together to keep warm.I then zipped my jacket all the way up and tucked my hands under my arms that were across my chest.A contestant I hadn't spoken much to sat next to me."Cold for you?" he asked.I glanced at him.George Diller, I thought his name was.He only wore a t-shirt, jeans and boots.He looked completely unaffected by the weather."I am," I frankly admitted.He shrugged."I'm from Minnesota.This is nothing to me.Where you from again?"I forced myself to not roll my eyes at him; by this time, everyone knew I was from Texas."Olney, Texas," I replied."Doesn't get too cold there, does it?"I stared at a red flag billowing in the course of fire as I wondered if I was obligated to have this conversation.I got the feeling that George Diller was trying to get me uneasy before the competition, and I didn't like it.Before I had even decided which way I was going to answer, Max spoke up."It gets cold in Texas; it gets hot in Texas.So you are walking around in fifty degree weather with a t-shirt; bully for you.Someone, get this guy a ribbon."I was shocked.I had no idea that someone would speak up for me like that.Apparently, so was everyone else.I watched as George Diller's cheeks went red in embarrassment.I then looked at Max, and opened my mouth to thank him.He shook his head and put his hand up in a stopping motion, so I said nothing.Suzy, who was seated next to Max, was trying to get my attention.I watched her hands as she discreetly held her left hand flat while she did a cranking motion with her right hand.I felt my brow furrow as I tried to interpret her signal.She rolled her eyes and then tilted her head in a direction behind her.Looking that way, I saw a cameraman focusing right in on us.I felt a little chillier then; had he caught the entire exchange between George and me on film? Would that make it to the show?Shaking myself, I turned away from them and faced forward, looking out to the course of fire again.A few minutes later, Trevor showed up and stood before us all."Listen closely while I describe our first course of fire."He then explained the rules of the course and safety and emergency measures as well.He was very thorough.I was impressed, again.He then explained the order of people going in.I would be third.He had one more thing to say before he sent the first competitor into the course."Now, we will find out whose barks are worse than their bites."He had his sunglasses on so I didn't know who he was looking at.Still, I felt his gaze center on me and George Diller.Out of the corner of my eye, I watched George fidget uncomfortably on his seat next to me.Thankfully, Trevor walked away with the first contestant, leaving us all alone.Before I could take a sigh of relief, George spoke again."Feel better now that your boyfriend told me off?"I felt blood leave my face in shock.How dare he? What did I ever do to him? I turned around and faced him."I think that you are trying to get a rise out of me, but that is not going to work.How do you think it's going to look on film when the viewers at home see a big, six foot man trying to egg on a five foot tall itty bitty thing like me? It will look bad.Especially so once I beat you at this."He stared at me with a look of surprise on his face.With that, I closed my mouth and faced forward again.I couldn't help but feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins at the exchange [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]