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Question one is easy enough. “We’re looking for her eye color,” Finn says, and I don’t have time to write down ‘gray with flecks of gold, except sometimes they turn blue and amber,’ so I simply write ‘blue.’ Gwen’s answer matches, and the older couple gets it right too, so we all move on.
“Where would he rather get a snack: Pizza Plaza on Deck Five, or Ice Creamery on Deck Fourteen?”
Again, Gwen and I match answers with ‘Pizza Plaza,’ while the other couple moves forward with dual ‘Ice Creamery’ responses.
“These guys are good,” Finn says to the crowd. In my periphery I can see Gwen’s hands flexing in anticipation of the next question, which happens to be multiple-choice. “This is about her, about Gwendolyn and Lizette. Where is she most herself? A: In a big city. B: At the beach. C: Wherever you are.”
I’m supposed to say ‘C,’ but I can’t. Gwen was so serene in Bermuda, so tranquil and comfortable yesterday on the private island, floating and turning her face toward the sun, basking in the warmth of the sky and sea. Plus, I can’t lie about this, and I don’t want to cheat.
Finn has Matthew and me flip our boards first, and Lizette giggles with excitement. It’s clear she’s selected the same answer as her husband.
When the women flip their boards, the audience cheers and Finn congratulates Lizette and Matthew on their win. My eyes are fixed on the giant letter ‘C’ on Gwen’s board, with a tiny heart just to its right. Her mouth curls up at me while she enthusiastically applauds the winners. The loss doesn’t seem to bother her, and she’s all smiles while she poses with a few fans for photos as the theater clears out.
She wraps herself around my arm when she rejoins me and rests her head against my shoulder. “That was fun.”
“It was.”
“What do you have there?” she asks, pointing to my other hand. The effects of the earlier alcohol are mostly wearing off, but she’s still a little tipsy.
I hold up the bottle of champagne. “This is just my prize for being part of the show. One of the staff guys gave it to me while you were being famous and fabulous.”
“Oh,” she says, turning, looking back toward the stage. “Where’s mine?”
I feel the laughter in my chest. “I think this was meant for us to share, seeing as how it was The Couples’ Game Show.”
“Oh. Right.” She rests her head against me again and smiles and waves toward the few people still lingering just outside the theater. “Where should we go to drink this?”
“There might be some seats down the hall here,” I say, gesturing midship.
She shakes her head. “Too busy.”
“The library?”
“We can’t talk there.”
“Upstairs by the pool?”
She wrinkles her nose. “It just seems too braggadocious, doesn’t it? To drink our special champagne around other people? Like, ‘look at us, paupers… look how swanky we are.’ This might be a more private champagne experience.”
“Okay,” I say. “So, your suite then.”
“What about your room?”
I wave off the idea. “What about it? It’s small. You actually have room to move in yours.”
“Yeah. But I also have Gram. And I don’t want to have to share this with her.” Her fingers slip between mine, and she looks up at my face with clear blue eyes, a smile, and hope.
A lump rises in my throat, but I swallow back against it. “Sure. Okay,” I answer.
Sawyer
Gwen sinks back against a pillow on the arm of the couch after passing me the bottle. I’m not usually a fan of the stuff, but this is surprisingly good. Her feet are in my lap, and she wiggles her hot pink painted toes. Her shoes—gold high-heeled sandals—are dropped just next to the couch. I need to be careful not to accidentally step on them if I get up then, because I am sure they’re expensive and I don’t want to damage them, but I’m also sure they could impale me easily.
The thought of getting up anytime soon is so far from my mind, so it shouldn’t be a problem. I’m good right here.
“You came in clutch with that tattoo answer,” she says. She tilts her head to see me better. “How’d you know I had more than one?”
“You implied, yesterday, that you had one hiding—” I motion toward her torso, “—there, somewhere. Then, I don’t know, I just figured you had a pencil or something that I hadn’t noticed. Maybe ‘live, laugh, love’ in Morse code or something trendy like that.”
