Page 67 of Say Yes to the Nemesis

“Who’s gonna be on what team?” I ask.

“I’m so glad you asked,” Jay says. “I’m gonna be on a team with Raven, Letitia, and Nikki. You’re on a team with…”

He pauses. “Actually, Wren’s team will be paired with JacqLyn, Mei, and Divya.”

I glance at Wren. She doesn’t flinch, but I know her well enough to recognize the tiny tick of her jaw. She’ll handle it. Of course she will. But that doesn’t mean I like it.

I don’t know whether that’s good news or not for her, since those are the three most chaotic players on the field. But judging from JacqLyn and Divya’s serious expressions, I feel like Wren’s going to be okay.

Jay explains the rules very briefly. They’re not complicated. Capture the flag and run it back to the home team’s side. It’s not an exceptionally well-thought-out activity.

Jay, of course, revels in it. As far as I can tell, he’s always been this way. He’s not chaotic himself, but he likes to amplify whatever is already going on.

Five minutes in, the whole field is a jumbled mess, women strewn everywhere. Jay is trash-talking Wren the whole time.

“You sure you don’t need a fast pass, little girl?”

The look she gives him would level a normal man, and she just dishes it right back. “You sure you don’t need a walker, old man?”

Jay lunges. Wren fakes left, then ducks. Jay trips past her and she sprints right. Straight to the flag.

Her team wins, which is a total surprise. I thought my girls were going to take home the flag.

She’s radiant. Mud on her knees, grinning triumphantly. For a second, I forget where we are. Forget that she’s off-limits. Forget everything except how goddamn beautiful she is when she’s winning.

Wren’s in competitive mode now. Fierce. I keep thinking about that first day. Quiet, awkward Wren. That girl’s gone. And I miss her. Except I kind of don’t.

Jay plays it off like it doesn’t sting, but I’ve known him too long to think he takes losing any competition lying down.

After we all have a bit of water and a cupcake from Jay’s wife, we all turn to look at Jay.

“What’s next, old man?” I ask him.

He narrows his eyes at me. “You’re six months older than I am, first of all,” he says. He’s as quick as he is sharp. “Second of all, we’re going to play a little no-holds-barred Q&A with Jay. That means the girls can all settle under the old oak tree right here and ask me anything they want to know about your life.”

Mei squeals. Divya and Raven chuckle. Wren looks downright haughty.

Yeah. I’m already sweating. We haven’t even gotten to the meat of this challenge.

We all settle down and the cameras take a couple minutes to center us. During the downtime, Jay answers questions about his own job.

He is a well-known influencer. Most of the questions are about how he got so many Instagram followers. Wren is looking at her nails like she’s bored. Raven whispers something in her ear and makes her snicker. God knows what that’s about.

Rich and the director get out of the camera line, then the director calls action. JacqLyn is already leaning close to Jay and smiling very widely. She bats her lashes. “Tell us the worst thing that Ryan’s ever done on a date.”

Jay laughs. Loud and unhelpful. “Which one? God, honestly, too many things to count. He’s ghosted a lot of girls while they were on the date. But there was also one time in Vegas when he picked up another girl while he was already on a date with the first… and didn’t tell her right away. That was awkward.”

The bachelorettes all burst into excited murmurs.

I clear my throat, raising my hands like I’m admitting my faults. “That was over ten years ago, I’ll have you know. I’m a changed man. I swear.”

Jay laughs and elbows Divya, who glares at him.

“Has Ryan ever been in love with anyone?” Daisy asks. “Has it ever been serious?”

Jay just snorts. “I don’t know… does hockey count? Because if not, he is solo as fuck.”

That one lands harder than it should. I laugh it off, but there’s an ache behind my ribs. I’ve given so much to the game. Maybe too much. Maybe I don’t know how to give anything else.