Jackson and Bridget start yelling, and for a second I do wonder if Jackson is about to punch Zack.
But I can’t quite believe it when Dolly joins in, mutteringabout costs, as though we might not be next on the firing line. How can she be so calm?
‘Settle down,’ Lucas barks. Both Jackson and Zack plummet back down onto the bench in an instant. ‘Let’s get back on track, shall we?’
On the other side of Patrick, I hear Malachi whisper, ‘Thanks for the help,’ to Whit.
She smiles adoringly at him. ‘I’ll always be there to do your mental maths for you.’
God, I’m not sure what could be worse; almost certainly being imminently outed on national television, or having to sit between the fiancé you just cheated on and the most perfect couple in the world.
Karina rattles off everyone’s current total wedding amounts, before confirming that there are more penalties to come.
I can barely listen. Fuck.Fuck.
‘Are you okay?’ Patrick asks, glancing down at my bouncing knees.
‘Just stressed about the money,’ I partly lie. I’m a coward. He’s about to find out, and I can’t tell him.
‘There were two instances of sex in the villa over the last few days, caught by our cameras,’ Lucas begins.
This is it.
‘And they were by two different couples,’ continues Karina, her eyebrows raised.
I’m about to throw up.
‘The first couple was…’ Lucas begins. ‘Bridget and Jackson.’
‘Oh what!’ Zack shouts. ‘I was only having a little wank and you two were dick-deep.’
‘Actually, we only did hands and mouth stuff. That doesn’t count,’ says Jackson, smugly.
‘Guys, that definitely counts as sex,’ Lina insists.
Bridget frowns. ‘Does it, babe? I thought that was just foreplay.’
‘If you’re straight,’ Dolly says, and I want to push her in the pool for speaking up. ‘It’s a very narrow view of sex if we only think of those acts as a precursor to penis in vagina sex.’
‘She is right,’ confirms Karina. ‘And onWedded Bliss, we consider all sex acts to have the same emotional weight.’
‘And financial,’ Lucas adds, with a wink to camera.
‘You were doing stuff in the bed next to us?’ grimaces Warren. ‘Did I sleep through the whole thing?’
‘Lucky for you,’ mutters Lina.
‘Come on, I’m sure you and Dolly were doing stuff too,’ says Bridget.
‘Negative! Nope. We areverygood rule abiders, thank you very much.’
Well. One of you is, I think sourly.
‘Wait, who is the other couple then?’ asks Lina.
My stomach drops as all eyes turn to the Nguyens.
Please.Pleasedon’t read out my name.
