Ex, Why, and Me by Susanna Carr Page B

the pale light outlining the door. He tried to recall how the room was situated. The desk was immediately behind him and the chair to the right. Had there been a file cabinet? He didn’t want to jog his memory by walking into it.
    “I don’t believe this!” Michelle’s indignation echoed in the small room.
    “Why would they make us do this in the dark?” he asked. This assignment didn’t make sense to him.
    “Sexy, Carbon Hill style.”
    Ryan’s hands clenched the tray and the pieces rattled. “What?” he asked hoarsely.
    “I said it was se—” Michelle stopped abruptly. Ryan could imagine her pressing her lips together. The cold air twanged around him and goose bumps blanketed his skin.
    This was not good. It was bad enough being alone in a small room with Michelle, but after that kiss, it was bad timing. Especially since the kiss was all he could think about. That, and wondering when he could kiss her again. He might not be able to see anything right now, but he had a clear memory of her soft mouth.
    Yeah, he was in trouble. Big trouble.
    “They wanted to make the assignment more difficult,” she finished saying, her voice trailing off.
    “They’ve succeeded.” When he had suggested he could build the replica blindfolded, he had been exaggerating. Okay, he had been lying.
    And why? To look good in front of Michelle. He obviously hadn’t matured much since she last saw him. Was that what he wanted her to know? No. He wanted to prove that while he hadn’t gone to some fancy French school, he had skills. That she was going to need him to complete this scavenger hunt.
    He needed to come up with a new plan.
    “I’m sure they’ll have an excuse,” Michelle said, her voice wrapping around him. He froze, wondering if she had moved. If she was closer.
    “Yeah, probably,” Ryan agreed. To what, he didn’t have a clue. Nor did he have any idea about Michelle’s perfume. Maybe it was her soap or shampoo. Whatever it was, the faint scent made him think of cinnamon. It smelled good. Smelled expensive.
    “They’ll say that the Wirts had to do all their clandestine work in the dark, but you know what? That’s not why they’re doing this. They are doing this to make us suffer.”
    “Way to face the day.” He was suffering. Could feel the blood rushing from his head and pumping through his veins. He needed to leave. Now. Ryan made a cautious step toward the door.
    “What they’re asking for is impossible!” Michelle announced just as something like a hand glanced off Ryan’s cheekbone. He flinched back and saw a spattering of stars.
    Michelle’s gasp ricocheted off the walls. “I’m so sorry!” Her hands fluttered against his face. “Are you okay?”
    “Yeah, it’s no big deal,” Ryan assured her as the heel of her hand pressed against his nose. Did she really think that was his cheekbone?
    To his disappointment, she pulled her hands away. “But don’t you agree?” Michelle asked. “That the scavenger hunt organizers are being unreasonable?”
    “Yeah, I do. So let’s quit.”
    “What?” She said it so low and quick that he almost missed it.
    “You said it yourself. It’s impossible.” He took another step to the door, this time holding his arm out, but his hand didn’t brush up against anything. “Why knock ourselves out trying to do it?”
    “We can’t just quit!” Her voice rose and fell with each word.
    “Sure we can. Hey, are you hungry? There’s this great new restaurant on Main—”
    “We are not quitting,” Michelle said with surprising force.
    Ryan stopped and turned toward where he heard Michelle. “Why not?”
    She hesitated before replying. “Lots of reasons…but we’re not going to get into that right now. We need to build this thing.”
    Ryan shook his head, even though he knew Michelle couldn’t see him. “That is not gonna happen until we get some light in here.”
    She exhaled sharply. “It’s not that dark.”
    “Oh, really?” A few minutes ago it