Chapter 27
‘I knew she wanted to go on that show. I knew it,’ he says with a good-natured but exasperated sigh.
‘Believe me, there’s no competition. She loves you unconditionally. She’s obsessed. You have zero worries, Ty. She will not be interested in any of those boys.’
‘And you’ll be able to see her on camera immediately, rather than two days later when the episodes are aired,’ says Cam, setting up his monitors and laptop. He clicks a few buttons, and the villa comes into view from twelve different angles.
‘That’s so cool,’ says Tyrone. ‘Show me Lois.’
Cam zooms in to hear Lois talking to Amber and Mimi. All six Islanders are still loitering by the jeeps and SUVs that brought them back from the haunted mineshaft. They all look dusty and fed up, except Lois.
‘You have the same smile,’ says Cam.
‘Hey, bro, don’t even go there. You want to try living with them. It is so weird at times, especially when for a split second I’m not sure which one is which.’
‘I’m the tidy one. She’s the messy twin. Where’s the problem?’ I joke with Tyrone. I guess he must find it difficult at times. ‘Don’t worry. I will move out eventually, I suppose.’
Tyrone is quick to apologise. ‘Hey, no, Libs. That’s not what I meant. I have no problem with it. If anything, you’re much easier to live with than Lois.’
‘I’m not bossy like she is,’ I say.
‘Or as indecisive,’ he adds. Who could forget Lois’s nightly forty-minute channel surfing to choose what to watch?
‘And while I’m a much better cook, Lois knows how to suture wounds and make slings out of old shirts so…’
‘She’ll make me a great wife,’ he says with a dreamy look in his eye.
Cam is pretending not to listen to us. Which is fine by me because it almost sounds like an interview for me being ideal girlfriend material for him. Although, part of me hopes to have Cam look like that about me some day.
I snap out of the fantasy to concentrate on the screen.
Lois is mimicking my every move expertly, and looking like she is enjoying it.
‘So, back to the plan.’ I look at them both.
‘Two things. How do we play Porscha at her own game, so that I can leave the villa on my terms without all the back-stabbing and blackmail? And how do we switch Lois back out tomorrow without anyone seeing?’
‘I’m not a lawyer for nothing,’ Tyrone says. ‘Back-stabbing and blackmail are practically in the job description. Wait. What is happening?’
We watch the screens as the Islanders are herded to stand in front of the firepit.
They look bedraggled. And there, sitting round the firepit, are ten very glamorous and attractive new Islanders.
They are grinning away as though they know a secret the others don’t.
Destiny springs out from behind the bush with a gleeful pose.
‘Old Islanders, meet the new Islanders!’ she says, laughing.
‘Look at the state of you all.’ She starts laughing hard and encourages the new Islanders to laugh along.
I can see runners off camera waving their hands and yelling ‘Laugh harder!’ and ‘Keep it going!’ The old Islanders look confused as hell.
‘Porscha has brought the new Islanders in early to catch them out,’ Cam sighs. ‘Christ, I’m sick of her going behind my back all the time.’
PING.
Lois has a text. She looks about to burst with excitement. ‘I got a text!’
‘She’s always wanted to do that,’ says Tyrone.
‘Destiny, Destiny! I got a text,’ Lois yells. ‘Destiny, I think you are amazing.’
‘Read it out then,’ says Destiny in a patient tone.
‘I love you by the way,’ Lois tells her. ‘You’re the best presenter. And we all love you in England. You’re totally famous over there.’
Destiny perks up. ‘Well, let’s hope all the UK viewers get voting for you to stay in the villa, Libby. Now, honey, how about that text. What does it say?’
‘Old Islanders. Get ready to fight for your place in the villa hashtag bring it on, hashtag best self, hashtag anything goes. Oh my God, is this for real?’ Lois asks. ‘What does it even mean?’
‘It means, old Islanders, that tonight you are going to have to earn your place here and seduce one of the new Islanders into letting you stay.’ Destiny has a huge grin plastered to her face. ‘You’ll be pulling out all the stops. Get your party piece ready!’
The camera pans out to the cocky-looking newbies sat looking like the cats that got the cream and then the worried glances of the oldies. Only Lois seems remotely up for it. The others all look increasingly deflated.
Tyrone groans. ‘God, she’ll love flirting up a storm in there. She’d better not do her party piece with any of them.’
Cam pulls a yikes face at me behind his back, and I try not to laugh. Lois will love doing her party piece on TV.
‘Get your glad rags on. Party starts in one hour!’ bellows Destiny.
‘Cut!’ yells Porscha, making a beeline for Destiny, who whips out two vapes and hands her one. They start chugging away like lab rats while all the Islanders make their way over to the main villa.
‘Look at the muscles on that one!’ cries Tyrone. ‘And Jesus, look at him. He looks like an aftershave model. I’m sure he’s been on TV before.’
‘She’ll be fine,’ I say.
‘It’s not her I’m worried about,’ he jokes. ‘Lois will eat them all alive.’
We watch them pile into the dressing room.
It looks chaotic. New bodies, new cases full of outfits, and shoes scattered everywhere.
They are jostling for space and the oldies are changing out of their boiler suits, as Lois subtly looks around for my case full of clothes. Cam and I trade worried glances.
‘Did you tell her about the pineapple case?’
‘No, did you?’
Cam shakes his head. At that moment, on-screen, a runner enters dragging two ginormous suitcases.
‘Hey, Libby, your luggage finally arrived,’ he says, and I instantly recognise the two cases. We see relief spread over her face as she thanks him and immediately pops them open.
‘At least she has clothes to wear, and all the new people will draw attention away from her,’ I say to Tyrone.
Cam interrupts. ‘Sorry, folks, I need to go back to the production village, pronto, before Porscha gets suspicious.’
‘I’ll help you pack this lot up,’ I offer.
Tyrone says he is going to bed to sleep off the jet lag. ‘We’ll get a plan together when I wake up.’
‘I’ll show you your room before I head off,’ says Cam to me. ‘You’re booked in under a false name. Ty says their luggage didn’t arrive either, so I’ll chase it up when I get a moment. I’ll bring some stuff over later because I’m afraid your backup case is in the villa.’
We leave Tyrone and head out into the hotel corridor. ‘I really appreciate everything that you’re doing for us,’ I say once we arrive at my room, a few doors down from Tyrone and Lois’s room.
‘It also means that you have to stay in your room tonight, I’m afraid.
The show is aired every night, and the locals know that we are somewhere in this area, so you’ll be spotted immediately if you go out.
Especially as you are so like your sister to look at.
’ Cam shakes his head. ‘It’s so… bizarre. ’
‘Shame. My one night of freedom and I’m stuck here.’
Cam’s cheeks redden. ‘I could always keep you company. I’m dropping some stuff off anyway… I mean, if you want to. It’s fine if you’re too tired.’
‘I’d love to. It’ll be nice to show you my normal side,’ I say, pulling a funny face. ‘Let me know what time you’ll be coming by so that I have time to hide the cauldron and the love potions.’
‘Planning to put me under your spell?’ He’s matching my crazy and I like it. ‘No need. I’m all yours. See you later.’
I close the door behind him and sag to the floor. I’m out. I’m out of the villa and I have a date with Cam tonight. Tonight! My emotions are swirling around inside me. I love him. I absolutely love and adore him.
I run a hot, soapy bath. The hotel has provided a large selection of toiletries and smellies that I am going to take full advantage of.
Even in this heat, I think it will be the only thing to calm me down.
My heart feels like butterfly wings buzzing in my chest. The last week has been insane.
It isn’t until I relax into the luxurious bubbles that I realise how intense being on camera 24/7 has been.
But that is nothing compared to falling head over heels in love.
* * *
Three hours later, I answer the door to Cam. ‘Tyrone is still sleeping. I texted to ask if he’d like to join us for a bite to eat later,’ he blurts.
‘Great. Thank you. Come in,’ I say, trying not to sound stiff and awkward. I smell amazing, and the fluffy white robe looks good against my tan, my hair is hanging in shiny loose curls, and because I’m devoid of any make-up, I am using extreme shyness as blusher.
‘You look… clean,’ he says coyly. ‘I brought you these.’ He thrusts a bunch of wildflowers at me. They are gorgeous. I inhale the scent.
‘Thank you so much. Erm, drink?’
‘What do you have?’ He sounds as nervous as me.
Good point. ‘I could rustle up some water from the bathroom tap.’
He starts laughing. ‘I also brought this.’ He produces a bottle of chilled white wine. ‘I thought we might order room service. Are you hungry?’
My eyes light up. He really is my dream man.
I get a wave of scented woody spice as he passes me to pick up the menu from the side table in the hotel room.
We go outside onto the balcony and take in the expanse of wild jungle before us.
It stretches for miles in all directions.
Miles and miles of uninterrupted thick green wilderness set against a setting sun.
There are two chairs and a small round table facing out over the jungle.
The heat hits me instantly.
‘If it’s too hot we can always go back inside,’ he says, looking back into the room where there is a massive king-size bed and very little else. He clears his throat. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…’
‘It’s fine. I didn’t think you did,’ I say hastily. ‘Besides, I wouldn’t… not on a first… or even a second… Never. No. Not never. But eventually, maybe.’
I’m not sure where I’m going with this. Am I telling him he’ll be waiting a very long time to get into my knickers? Possibly decades? My cheeks flame.
‘Sorry. I know we agreed to take things slowly. I’m just so nervous.’
We lock eyes and I see relief spread across his face. ‘Thank Christ. Me too. I’ve been a wreck all afternoon.’
‘Really?’
‘I got changed at least four times.’ He shakes his head. ‘I never was any good at dating.’
‘What a relief. I’m positively awful. I might spill wine over you on purpose, just to get it out of the way.’
Cam chuckles. ‘Okay, but only if you let me trip over and break something expensive.’
‘Fine, be my guest. I’m not keen on that lamp. Let’s consider this a good date if neither of us leaves in tears, in debt or in an ambulance.’
‘Deal. Although, I’m sure you’re way better at dating than I am. You’re smart, funny—’
‘I’ll have to ask you to stop there,’ I say abruptly. ‘I will not be held accountable for my actions if you insist on showering me with compliments in this ridiculous manner.’
Cam bursts out laughing, reaching out his hand to brush a wisp of hair from my eyes. My heart stops beating for a full second as he leans towards me and plants a light kiss on my lips. They tingle at his touch, making me long for him to do it again.
‘You’re looking at me that way again,’ he says hoarsely.
He cups my face and draws me in. This time his kiss is longer, deeper and growing more passionate by the second.
My whole body feels on fire at his touch.
I respond by running my hands through his soft hair and down his back, causing him to let out a low moan of desire.
He pulls me closer to cover my neck in sweet kisses that send electricity shooting through my body.
We kiss for hours. The sun sets. The sky is bright with stars by the time we come up for air.
‘I want you,’ I say when I can bear it no longer. His eyes mirror my own lust and desire as he slowly loosens the belt of my dressing gown. He slides it gently from my shoulders. It falls to the floor, and the look on his face sends a crackle of electricity shooting up my spine.
It’s time.