“Has she? What did she say?” I leaned in the doorway and heard Pearl scrambling to get off the bed behind us. Plates were clattering and there was a loud thump like she might’ve tripped and fallen.

“Just that–”

“Marley!” Pearl half-shouted. Her mad scramble to the door already had her breathless. She ducked under my outstretched arm in the doorframe and put herself between me and the woman I assumed was a friend.

A chunk of chocolate was stuck on the corner of Pearl’s mouth, so I casually reached down, swiped it on my finger, and licked it clean. Marley watched the path of my finger, then mouthed “holy shit” silently.

“Is there something you need?” Pearl asked.

“Um, well. I didn’t realize you two were… well, you know. I just came to say everybody is meeting up in the lobby to play a game. Jonas and your sister said you had to leave dinner early, but they were hoping you’d come if you felt better. Both of you, I guess,” she added.

“Actually, we–”

“Pearl is feeling much better. She just needed a little alone time in the bathroom. You know how it is when you’re traveling. The stomach gets a little shy, sometimes.”

“Oh,” Marley said. “Great. So I can tell everyone you two will be there?”

“You don’t have to–”

“We’ll absolutely be there,” I said.

“Wait,” Pearl said. “What kind of game?”

“Um, I think it was like a team-building thing with a twist. Apparently your sister sprung it on the hotel staff last-minute and they were all about it. They even had two ladies fighting over the right to host the game. And the rumor is that Jonas paid for the grand prize out of his own pocket, so you know it’s going to be something good.”

“Sounds amazing,” I said.

“No, it doesn’t,” Pearl said.

“But we’ll be there. Count on it.”

“Okay! Bye!” Marley headed off and Pearl pulled the door closed, slowly turning to face me with death in her eyes. Just because I was obstinate, I decided not to step back, so when she closed the door and turned she was practically pinned in the space.

“You couldn’t just say ‘no’?”

“Sorry,” I said. “I love games.” I gave the tip of her upturned nose a little tap with my index finger, then headed back to finish those fries I’d set down.

12

PEARL

My mom always said biting your nails was a nasty habit. Well, mom, say hello to Miss Nasty. My nails were all chewed down to painful nubs and I hadn’t even made it through a full day with Dean Slater. We were gathered in folding chairs in the hotel lobby while a pair of women talked quietly beside a microphone in front of us.

Dean sat upright and cheerily beside me. From his mood, it really did seem like he loved games. The man was practically giddy to find out what the game was going to be, and all I wanted to do was melt into a puddle and die noisily.