Summer's POV
The next morning started with screaming.
Not the terrifying kind—just the overly dramatic, reality-TV kind.
"Everyone, gather on the beach!" yelled the host through a megaphone. "We have a surprise for you!"
Summer groaned, pulling her hair into a messy bun. "If the surprise is another bug-eating contest, I'm swimming home."
Ethan yawned. "Relax. Maybe it's breakfast."
It was not breakfast.
A helicopter circled above, then slowly landed on the sand. When the doors opened, two new contestants stepped out—both stunning, both smiling like they'd stepped out of a perfume ad.
The girl waved cheerfully. "Hi! I'm Lila!"
The guy followed with a wink. "And I'm Max."
Summer squinted. "Oh, fantastic. They brought models."
Ethan smirked. "You sound thrilled."
"Thrilled is not the word I'd use."
---
The host clapped. "Everyone, please welcome our two new challengers! They'll be paired randomly with existing contestants for today's team challenge."
Summer froze. "Randomly?"
The assistant pulled out a name jar. "First team… Ethan and—Lila!"
Summer blinked. "Wait, what?"
Ethan blinked too. "You've got to be kidding."
The crowd whooped. Lila grinned up at him. "Guess we're partners!"
Summer forced a smile so stiff it could crack. "How… nice."
The next draw came quickly. "Summer and Max!"
Max flashed a dazzling grin. "Pleasure to work with you."
"Yeah," Summer said flatly. "Pure pleasure."
---
Ethan's POV
It was a simple task: build a raft from bamboo and rope, race it to a buoy, and return.
Simple—except when your new partner flirted every five minutes.
"Do you work out a lot?" Lila asked, batting her lashes.
He raised an eyebrow. "We're tying bamboo, Lila."
"Yeah, but you've got nice arms."
"Uh… thanks?"
Meanwhile, across the beach, Summer was laughing—too loudly—at something Max said.
She threw her head back, sunlight catching her hair.
Ethan's hands tightened around the rope. "Focus," he muttered.
Lila noticed. "Jealous?"
He looked at her. "No."
She smirked. "You so are."
---
Summer's POV
Max turned out to be infuriatingly charming. The type who knew exactly when to compliment, exactly how to smile.
"You're surprisingly competitive," he said as they hauled bamboo.
"I'm not competitive," she lied, sweating.
"You're glaring at the other team."
"I'm observing."
"Uh-huh." He laughed. "Is it just me, or does your ex look annoyed?"
Summer refused to look. "He always looks like that."
"Right. Because he's totally not staring at you right now."
She risked a glance—Ethan was indeed glancing her way, expression unreadable.
Her heart did a small, traitorous flip. "He's just checking our progress."
"Sure," Max said, grinning. "If that's what we're calling it."
---
Ethan's POV
By the time both teams carried their rafts to the water, the tension was thick enough to paddle through.
"Ready, partner?" Lila asked, smiling sweetly.
"Let's just not drown," he said.
They pushed off. Lila squealed as water splashed over the edge. "Ethan!"
"Relax, it's just water."
"You splashed me on purpose!"
"I did not—"
"Cheater!"
"Lila, we're on the same team!"
Meanwhile, Summer and Max's raft was gliding smoothly ahead. Ethan scowled, paddling faster.
"Don't let them beat us," Lila said dramatically. "You can't let your ex-girlfriend win!"
Ethan paddled harder, jaw tight. "Who said she's my ex?"
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Lila blinked. "Oh?"
He cursed inwardly. Cameras were definitely catching that.
---
Summer's POV
They reached the finish line first. Barely.
When she climbed out, drenched and breathless, Summer couldn't resist smirking. "Guess who's still better at teamwork?"
Ethan glared, dripping wet. "You cheated."
"How? By being competent?"
"You distracted me."
She blinked. "I wasn't even talking to you!"
"That's the problem," he muttered.
She stared at him, caught off guard by the quiet intensity in his tone.
Then the host announced, "Team Summer and Max—winners of the day!"
Max raised their joined hands in victory. The audience cheered.
Ethan looked away, jaw clenched.
Summer told herself she didn't care. She really didn't.
Except… she totally did.
---
That night, everyone gathered around the campfire for the usual post-challenge interviews.
Max leaned close to the camera. "Summer's amazing—smart, funny, unstoppable. Total power teammate."
Summer laughed awkwardly, feeling the heat of Ethan's gaze from across the fire.
When it was Ethan's turn, the producer asked, "So, what do you think about Summer and Max's teamwork today?"
Ethan looked straight into the camera. "They did well."
A pause. Then, with a faint smirk—
"But it won't last."
The crew erupted with laughter, thinking he was joking.
Summer, however, wasn't sure he was.
---
Later, as everyone drifted off to their tents, Ethan caught her by the water.
"Hey," he said softly. "Good race today."
She raised an eyebrow. "You mean the one I won?"
"Exactly that one."
For a moment, the teasing faded. The waves whispered between them.
Ethan hesitated, then said quietly, "You and Max… that's just for the show, right?"
Summer looked at him for a long second.
Then she smiled—too sweet, too calm.
"Of course," she said. "Just for the show."
But neither of them believed it.