‘Your top three,’ she demands. ‘Carlton, Giovanni and which other one?’
‘Which other ones are there?’ I say, trying not to sound too facetious and at the same time give the impression that I haven’t been fed all of the information beforehand. ‘I mean, it’s hardly like we’ve had a chance to get to know them in any great depth.’
‘Does it matter?’ she says sharply. ‘They’re all boneheads. Just start getting to know them and pick one,’ she says, wagging a finger at me. ‘I’m watching you like a hawk.’
22
Two minutes later, I’m back in the outdoor kitchen pretending that nothing happened. I might have known Porscha would be up to something. She has told me that I will be doing a hashtag secret steal along with Amber. We are not to tell the others. We will be stealing two men tonight and leaving the others ‘vulnerable’. She has more or less told me that, as a result, I will be sleeping back in the big bedroom with my new partner, or else. And reading between the lines, she wants to turn everyone against me.
I see Amber marching towards me with a distraught look on her face. ‘Can I grab you for a quick chat?’ she says.
We walk across the fake grass, past the pool, the giant beanbags and over to a nook with a sign hanging above it saying ‘Cosy Cuddles’.
‘We should tell them!’ Amber blurts out. ‘I mean, no. We shouldn’t. Should we? I have no idea. What should we do? Tell them or not tell them?’
‘When Porscha says “vulnerable” what does she mean exactly?’
‘Like they could get dumped from the island or not dumped or dumped then brought back in as a Mi Casa Su Casa, or maybe as a bombshell, or maybe brought back in on a later season. Or dumped and never, ever heard of again, like social media lepers.’
That’s no help. I remember Lois warning me against being a ‘Mi Casa Su Casa’ girl. Apparently, these are the contestants who weren’t picked to go on the show as an original or a bombshell and, therefore, will be ruthlessly desperate to get some airtime and will do anything to replace us. ‘Maybe we shouldn’t mention it to any of them, so that they don’t worry. It’s not as if we actually fancy any of the guys anyway, so it hardly matters.’
Amber is looking at me wide-eyed. ‘Yes, it does matter. I fancy all of them. It’sLove on the Island, babes. You need to stay coupled up or you’re out.’
Cripes Almighty. With all the hoo-hah I’d almost forgotten what I am doing here. I’m curious as to what Amber’s motivation is.
‘Why does staying in the villa matter if we don’t meet the love of our lives?’ I ask her, knowing that this conversation will get cut if it’s not bickering about boys. ‘Is everyone just after the prize money, do you think? Did anyone come in here to find true love?’
‘Probably but one hundred grand is worth putting up with the tiredness and the insane hours, and the way you can’t just get out of bed when you want, isn’t it?’
‘Porscha has ordered me to come back to the big bedroom tonight,’ I confide sadly.
‘It’s not so bad. The beds are huge enough to never touch. And we could always sleep together if you want. I am so over having to lie awake for hours until the klaxon and the lights come on. Henri and I lay staring at each other for two hours in complete silence this morning.’ Amber looks tired. ‘It’s so weird.’
‘What about the way we spend six hours a day getting ready for a one-hour evening shoot?’ I add in a hushed tone. ‘And the team of spies and hidden cameras everywhere we go?’
I know they’ll cut that bit but I’m past caring. So far, we’ve had breakfast at what felt like 2p.m., judging by the sun high in the sky. We had a bombshell at what might have been 3a.m. because the moon and stars were shining brightly. The alcohol isn’t even real. Now they’re doing hashtag steals tonight at God knows what hour. When all I really want is to spend one whole day with Cam, getting to know him properly.
I’m also on the brink of getting caught. Which means getting Cam into serious trouble. He has enough on his plate without me getting him the sack. I know exactly what it’s like to lose your job and have no way of paying bills or supporting yourself. The panic affects your whole physical and mental well-being. It’s awful.
A sudden realisation dawns. ‘I think I’m good to go. I’ve had enough of it here,’ I whisper, trying to cover my microphone.
Amber gasps. ‘You like, seriously, wanna leave? After only a few days?’
It feels longer. A lot longer.
‘Yeah,’ I say, looking around. ‘It’s probably best if I do. There’s no one in here that has caught my eye anyway.’
Amber looks confused. ‘Does that mean someone outside of here has caught your eye?’
Oh cheeses! Did I just say something obvious?
I gulp loudly. ‘No! Absolutely not. No way. As if. Puh!’
Amber starts smirking. ‘Okay. Keep your secrets then. But tell me who you are going to steal tonight. I guess it doesn’t matter now anyway.’
My heart is beating fast. I need to be way more discreet than this, especially with Porscha upping her surveillance on me. ‘Honestly, I have no idea. They’ve all just blended into one big, oily muscle-mountain. What about Giovanni for you? Or Carlton? Or the other three? Poor Marcel, Henri and Brad have been glued together on the daybed hiding from Mimi.’
Amber rolls her eyes. ‘She is a bit of a handful, but I’d like to get to know Giovanni more, if you don’t mind? I mean, I know he says he is in love with you but… is he really? Or was that the mocktail talking?’