Chapter 30
Two days later, Lois, Tyrone, Cam and I are sitting at the lovely spicy-beer Mexican restaurant in the village with a banquet of delicious-looking dishes in front of us.
Onions, peppers, strips of meat and strips of vegetables are hissing and sizzling from hotplates.
Bowls of tacos, nachos, guacamole and glasses of spicy beer weigh the table down.
Lois and I are glammed up to the eyeballs in fabulous make-up and hairpieces.
We are wearing two of the showstopper outfits I chose back in London, and we are wearing killer heels which make us almost as tall as our partners.
The men’s eyes almost popped out of their heads when we walked into the hotel bar to meet them.
Lois has told us all about her time in the villa. ‘Libby, you could have warned me though. It’s one thing seeing them on-screen but in real life… they’re all so much…’
‘Better-looking?’ I say.
‘Yes! And…’
‘Taller?’
‘Christ, yes. And they all have such…’
‘Perfect white teeth?’
‘Uh-huh, and don’t get me started on how…’
‘Ripped they all are?’ I nod back.
‘Insanely ripped.’
Cam asks Tyrone, ‘Are they always like this?’
Ty gives Cam a sympathetic look. ‘Always, mate. Always finishing each other’s sentences.’
‘Speaking of which.’ Lois turns suddenly towards me. ‘Now that you’ve got all those interviews to do and you’ve been offered a sponsorship deal for those children’s charities, you’re not going to be able to fly back with us, are you? How long will you have to stay here for?’
‘Well,’ I say, feeling about to burst with joy.
‘I’ve decided – after the TV and magazine interviews and photo shoots that I am obliged to do, thanks to you not reading the small print when you signed the LoveIt contract – to go travelling for a few weeks.
Mexico, island-hopping round the Caribbean and then over to Miami.
Then there’s a few wrap parties to attend and some Love on the Island functions for sponsors.
And after that, I’m meeting Cam in San Francisco. ’
Cam takes my hand across the table. He faces Lois and Tyrone. ‘I’ve asked Libby to stay with me in the States for a while.’
‘Then we’ll see what happens after that,’ I say, my cheeks colouring.
Lois takes my other hand, tears springing to her eyes. ‘I’m so happy for you, sis. It sounds exactly what you need right now.’ A smile spreads across her face. ‘I’ll let you have her for a few months, okay?’ She looks at Cam. ‘Then I want her back. Deal?’
Cam smiles softly at me.
I am taken. My heart belongs to him and his to me.
Our future is an exciting adventure about to happen.
‘Oh, I almost forgot,’ I say. ‘Cam, what happened with the results on the show today?’
Cam takes a swig of spicy beer and wipes his lips with his napkin. ‘The public voted unanimously for a recoupling and chose those two couples to stay in the final.’
He’s smiling broadly.
‘It’s Mimi and Carlton and Amber and Giovanni, isn’t it?’ I say hopefully.
Cam nods. ‘One of the couples will definitely go on to win it next week.’
I’m so pleased for them. And while I didn’t win the prize money myself, I feel that I came out of the villa an absolute winner, with a prize beyond my wildest dreams.
* * *
After dinner, Cam and I go for a barefoot moonlit walk along the beach. The sand is like soft powder beneath our toes. The sea laps gently beside us. I’m in a short floaty dress and Cam has rolled up his trouser legs. His hand feels firm in mine, like he never wants to let go.
He gives me an adoring look. ‘I’m going to miss you while you’re away on the press junket. I’m falling in love with you, Libby. I’m crazy about you.’
‘I fell in love with you the moment I heard your dreamy Canadian accent,’ I say, swooning at how lucky I am.
He frowns playfully. ‘You thought it was American.’
‘I beg to differ.’
Although he is completely in the right.
He leans towards me. ‘I fell in love with you the moment you said that wheat bloats you.’
‘Well, I fell more in love with you when you confessed to being a failed vegan.’
To be fair, he hasn’t given me much to work with as far as faults go.
‘And I with you,’ he says trying not to laugh, ‘when I heard you say—’
‘If you say “up the bum”, I’m leaving.’
He starts sniggering. ‘Honestly, there’s so much to choose from but I’ll go with when I heard you telling CHAP 3 to choke on her own vomit. We’ve all been wanting to say that to her for months. But none of us had the guts.’
He stops laughing to give me a serious look.
‘Libby, you are my ideal woman. I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re funny, you’re smart, you’re adventurous and spontaneous…’
‘What did I say about showering me with compliments?’ I say in a teasing voice. All we are missing is fireworks, but at that moment we see a shooting star streak across the night sky.
‘Make a wish,’ he says.
‘Way ahead of you,’ I say, pulling him down to the warm sand.
‘You’re giving me that look,’ he says hoarsely, the energy between us becoming instantly charged. A white-hot surge of electricity shoots through me as I place my hand on his chest. His heart is racing too.
‘Kiss me.’
He doesn’t need asking twice.
* * *