Stuck on You by Heather Thurmeier

with Cassidy in a second. But their cell phones had been confiscated before the start of the race and the hotel room phones had been disconnected except for room-to-room calls or emergencies.
    Paige cursed her lack of confidence. If only she were more like Zoe, this wouldn’t be an issue because she wouldn’t feel like she wasn’t good enough for a hot guy like Miles. But she didn’t have Zoe’s confidence. Or her looks. Or her style …
    What if?
    The bathroom door opened and Zoe climbed back into bed, turning off the bedside table lamp and plunging the room into darkness. But not before Paige noticed her eyes had been red rimmed as if she’d been crying in the bathroom. That couldn’t be. Girls like Zoe didn’t cry. It ruined their make up.
    What if?
    No. It was stupid. And bound to get her laughed at if she asked. And absolutely would be more hassle and nuisance then it was worth. She sighed and rolled over, trying her best to get comfortable.
    If only she could be more like Zoe, minus the bitchy part, of course. Then Miles wouldn’t have a choice but to notice her. Then she’d be closer to his league. And maybe …
    No. I will not.
    She sighed again and rolled onto her other side, toward Zoe’s side of the room.
    “Oh, would you just spit it out already?” came Zoe’s voice in the darkness. She didn’t need to see Zoe’s face to know she was completely annoyed. “I’ll never fall asleep with all that tossing and sighing so say what you need to say and get it over with.”
    Oh, yes. I’m a complete glutton for punishment.
    “I. Well. Maybe you could … ”
    “I haven’t got all night.”
    “Maybe you could teach me to be more like you. You know, have more confidence, be more irresistible to the opposite sex. That kind of thing.”
    “That really was hard for you, wasn’t it?” Zoe giggled. Actually giggled. It sounded … bizarre.
    “I’ve seen the way guys look at you and also the way you don’t care unless you’re interested in them too. In which case, you stake your claim and go for it, like you did on the show with Brad.”
    She harrumphed. “Immature surfer boy,” she said quietly.
    “So I was thinking … ”
    “Don’t hurt yourself.”
    “If you could make me be a little more you,” Paige continued, ignoring Zoe’s comment, “then maybe I’ll feel confident enough to go after Miles the way I want to.”
    “And what’s in this deal for me?” Zoe said after a moment.
    Paige rolled her eyes to the ceiling. Zoe would never do anything out of the goodness of her heart. She should have known asking her for something would come with consequences.
    “What do you want?” Paige asked cautiously.
    “I want to team up with Miles and Ben to work together. Form an alliance.”
    Paige breathed a sigh of relief. Was that really all? That was awesome, actually. Teaming up with the boys would give her more chances to get to know Miles. More chances for him to see her as his equal instead of the girl who was sitting on the counter in the kitchen in her tiny pajamas with apple juice running down her chin. Maybe he’d even look at her with more than a fleeting moment of lust in his eyes.
    “Okay,” Paige agreed quickly before Zoe could change her mind.
    “And I want them to win,” Zoe said with the confidence in her voice that Paige so desperately wanted to have too.
    Paige stared at Zoe, stunned into silence for a moment. Had aliens come down from the sky and taken over her body because this girl who wanted another team to win didn’t sound at all like the bitchy girl Paige knew and loved … liked … tolerated.
    “But I thought you wanted to win. I thought you said you wanted the money and the prizes.” Paige couldn’t keep the shocked confusion out of her voice. “You really want to give away your chance at half a million dollars? Why?”
    “My reasons are my own. Either you take my deal on my terms, or you don’t.”
    Paige thought about it for a minute. Could she really