Cam blows out his cheeks. ‘I’d say seventy hidden cameras dotted around and twelve manned camera hides. That’s the bigger cameras with operators. They usually hide behind bushes or fake mirrors to catch most of the action that we show. Such as the firepit gatherings, the bedroom scenes and the Beach Hut.’
‘Beach Hut?’
‘You know, where the contestants go to talk to camera. So they have more chance of getting on the final cut.’
I shudder, which makes Cam laugh. ‘The whole point of this show is to be on TV, Libby. You can’t come on it and hide away. You have to have fun while you’re in there, and let people get to know you. Let the viewers get to know you.’
‘Yikes.’
‘I’ll tell you a secret hack that will mean you get your own bedroom and bathroom,’ he says. ‘Just until you settle in. Do not let on that I told you.’
‘With any luck, I’ll be voted straight off after a few days and that’ll be that. Life can go back to normal,’ I tell him.
‘Do you want it to go back to normal?’
My heart swells as he stops what he is doing to run a tanned hand through his hair. Christ, he is so sexy even under pressure.
‘I guess not. No.’
‘Okay. Good. Good.’
Things are tense.
‘About earlier…’ I say, the almost kiss still fresh in my mind. ‘When we?—’
The sudden crunch of gravel alerts us to my car arriving. The driver beeps the horn, ruining the moment. Then the driver knocks on the door and walks straight in, ruining it even further.
Cam greets him like the professional he is while I am aghast at having to leave yet again without so much as a peck on the cheek.
We follow the driver to the car and Cam puts my near-empty bag in the boot.
He takes one look at me and waits for the driver to get back behind the wheel and close his door. ‘Don’t worry,’ he says quietly. ‘I’ve got your back. Whenever you need help in there, just say the word and I’ll meet you in the blind spot. Okay?’
He shifts uneasily in front of me. ‘There’s, erm, just one thing that I need to ask you before you leave.’
He takes out his phone and scrolls down to headshots of five muscle-mountains.
‘Which three do you fancy the most?’
I must look horrified because he starts to laugh.
‘You gotta pick three, I’m afraid.’
‘Absolutely not.’
‘We’ll be asking you to pick your top three favourite guys every single morning so you may as well get used to it.’
I slide onto the back seat. ‘Remember. Do not let Porscha edit me to look like the slutty British villain.’
‘I’ll try my best. Wait,’ he shouts as I close the door. ‘At least tell me who’s your favourite out of the five guys.’
‘I’ve already picked my favourite, and he’s not on the list,’ I say, closing the door behind me.
15
After spending a sleepless night at another villa, I wake to find that it has been turned into a hair and make-up studio with racks of clothes on wheels. People come in and out all day, and now, after much waiting around, I stand staring at my reflection in the mirror.
‘And you’re sure this is the whole outfit? There isn’t… you know… a bit more? It feels rather… small.’