Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
OLIVIA
Hugo figured out the float barn clue first. “I’ve got it, let’s roll.” He punched an address into his phone.
Olivia, Cass, Hugo, and, shocker of all shockers, Malik had met for coffee and to go over the latest clue. Malik, as usual, hadn’t said more than a couple of words, but the fact that he showed up at all had to mean something—at least Olivia could dream.
“We need to go to the float barn,” Hugo explained. “We can take my car.”
Hugo’s car, affectionately named the Blackberry, was a tiny purple EV, not at all practical for Bend’s snow season.
Cass scurried around to the front. “Shotgun!”
“You’re going to make me sit in the back?” Malik grumbled. “I have the longest legs.”
“Sucks for you. You should have called it faster.” Cass jumped into the passenger seat before Malik could beat her to it.
Olivia ducked into the back seat. There was no way not to touch Malik in the tight quarters. Their knees bumped, sending shockwaves up Olivia’s spine. Her cheeks flamed, and her mouth felt gummy.
“Sorry, it’s cozy back here,” she mumbled.
Malik let his leg fall against hers. “Cozy? Who says that?”
Hugo caught her eye in the rearview mirror.
Olivia couldn’t believe this was happening. She was sitting so close to Malik that she could practically be in his lap. It was too bad the fairgrounds were only a short drive away, but then again, she couldn’t think of anything to say to him.
Maybe she could have pretended to fall asleep on his shoulder. Car rides did make her sleepy.
“So have you read much Byron?”
“Byron?” Malik dragged his hand through his intentionally styled messy hair. “Who’s Byron?”
“That’s funny.” She giggled. “Who’s Byron?”
“No, really, who’s Byron?” Malik repeated.
“How’s it going in the backseat?” Hugo asked, turning the music up. “Can you hear this okay?”
“Fine,” Olivia replied over the blaring holiday ska. Was he teasing about Byron? She’d stalked his social enough to know that the book he posed with in multiple pictures was Byron.
Malik caught Hugo’s eye in the mirror, too. A strange look that Olivia couldn’t quite decipher passed between them. “You like ska?” He turned in Olivia’s direction, sounding interested for the first time.
She sucked in a breath as his dark eyes lingered on her. “Yeah, you?”
“Hate it.” He glared at Hugo in the mirror, winked, and broke out in a laugh. “Nah, that’s how Hugo and I met.”
“Really?” Hugo had never mentioned it. Olivia had assumed they met in class.
“Yep. We were at the same show, right up front in the mosh pit.” Malik rolled up the sleeve of his graphic sweatshirt to show Olivia a tattoo of his favorite band in black ink on his forearm.
The truth was that Olivia wasn’t a ska fan, other than by default from spending so much time with Hugo.
“Okay, we need a plan,” Cass said, turning around to include them in the conversation.
A wave of disappointment washed over Olivia. This was the most she and Malik had spoken. She was just starting to be able to form a complete sentence.
“I’m not sure how long I’m going to be able to hang around,” Malik said, shifting his feet so that his leg no longer touched Olivia’s.
“But we’re all riding together.” Cass scrunched her forehead. “You should have driven separately.”
“It’s fine. I’ll get a ride on my own,” Malik said confidently. “I’ll get an Uber.”
Olivia frowned. She wished she could read his mind.
She had no idea what he was thinking and why he kept showing up only to half-ass each challenge.
Had he agreed to join their team for the money?
Because if so, he would be in for a big shock.
His roller coaster-like behavior was also making Olivia question her interest. Yes, he was gorgeous and made her feel like a twelve-year-old girl whenever he was around, but she didn’t have time for Malik’s games.
Maybe it was time to forget about her crush and concentrate on winning Passport to the Holidays.