The sun climbed higher in the sky, and the energy of the team-building event only got livelier. After their victory in the water balloon toss, Zoe found herself standing next to Alexandra again, sipping from a bottle of water as they waited for the next game.
"You're pretty competitive," Alexandra said, nudging Zoe with a smirk.
Zoe laughed. "You're not exactly chill either. Ms. Brand."
Alexandra rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'll accept that. But only if you call me Alex."
"Deal," Zoe replied, smiling. She realized—genuinely, and somewhat unexpectedly—that Alexandra was... actually pretty great. Smart, funny, down-to-earth. And whatever assumptions she'd made when Stacy walked in with her earlier... they started to fade away.
Then came the next game.
Game 3: Trust Walk Relay
Each pair would be blindfolded—one guiding, one listening—while navigating a short obstacle course. Once one pair finished, they'd pass the blindfold to the next, racing against time.
"You in?" Alex asked, holding up a blindfold.
Zoe nodded, grabbing the cloth. "Let's win this one too."
Zoe went first, blindfolded. Alex took her hand, guiding her carefully around obstacles.
"Step left... just a bit... okay, now forward. Slowly."
Zoe trusted her voice—steady, calm, precise. Until her foot caught an uneven patch of grass, and she tripped.
"Whoa—!"
But before she could hit the ground, Alex caught her—arms around her waist, holding her upright.
There was a moment.
A quiet pause amid the cheering and shouting in the background. Their faces close. Zoe's hand on Alex's shoulder.
Alexandra smiled. "You okay?"
Zoe nodded, breathless. "Yeah. That was... close."
From across the field, Stacy watched.
She was seated on the bench, casually sipping from a bottle of water. But when she saw Alexandra's hands on Zoe, her body tense, her face close—
Her jaw tightened. She didn't even realize she was gripping the bottle so hard until it crinkled.
"Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath, standing up.
-
The Final Game: "Lock & Link"
The General Manager stepped up again. "Alright, everyone, final game of the day! This one's called 'Lock & Link'!"
He raised a small rope loop for everyone to see.
"You'll be grouped in pairs. Each pair will be linked at the wrist with this rope, and you must complete a short series of challenges together—running, balancing a ball between you, and crossing a small net wall. It's all about coordination and teamwork!"
The crowd clapped and laughed.
"Choose your partners!"
Before Zoe could even look around—
"She's with me."
The voice was confident. Sharp. Familiar.
Zoe turned and saw Stacy, now changed into workout clothes—fitted joggers and a sleeveless company shirt. Her hair was tied up. She looked every bit the boss... but in this moment, she didn't act like one.
Stacy walked straight up to Zoe and gently, but firmly, took her wrist.
The crowd murmured in surprise.
"Wait—is the CEO playing?" someone whispered.
Zoe's eyes widened. "You're joining?"
"Last game. Thought I'd have a little fun," Stacy replied, already tying the rope loop between their wrists.
She didn't give anyone else a chance.
Alexandra raised an eyebrow from the sidelines but didn't say anything—just folded her arms and watched curiously.
The game began.
The Challenge Begins
Zoe and Stacy had to run in sync, one wrist bound, their free hands holding a small rubber ball between their sides. The first few steps were chaos.
"Ow—your pace is too fast!" Zoe yelped.
"Because you're walking like you're on a catwalk!" Stacy shot back, smirking.
"You're the one trying to win a gold medal!"
Their ball dropped. Twice.
Other teams were ahead, and Zoe's frustration was bubbling. But then—
"Okay, okay," Stacy said, calmer. "Let's slow down. Match me. Breathe."
Zoe nodded.
They found a rhythm—running together, holding the ball in place, ducking under a net wall, crawling awkwardly with one wrist still tied. They scrambled, bumped into each other, cursed under their breath—but somehow, they kept moving forward.
And then—they crossed the finish line.
Barely ahead of the second team.
"Team Zoe-Stacy wins the final challenge!!" the GM shouted.
Cheers erupted.
Zoe let out a breathless laugh. "I can't believe we won that."
Before she could say anything else, Stacy pulled her into a hug.
It was quick, but tight. Warm. Real.
And Zoe—hesitating only for a second—hugged her back.
Their linked hands were still tied, pressed between them.
Then the rest of the team rushed in, screaming and celebrating in a full-on group hug. Laughter echoed across the field as everyone collapsed into one another, tired and happy.
But even as Zoe was surrounded by cheers, arms, and high-fives, her mind lingered on the way Stacy held her, the possessive spark in her eyes...
And how it felt.