But I did have luck, because going on the show got me Camille. That’s really only the good thing about it.
That, and I made a friend.
Grayson has that “everyone likes him” quality that my brother Gunnar shares—friendly and approachable, with an abundance of charisma.
Camille says he’s got “rizz.”
I have no idea where she came up with that word, but it’s obvious she’s got a bit of a crush on Grayson.
I can’t blame her because I may have a tiny bit of a crush on him, too.
Even though he saw me through one of the most humiliating events of my life, I like to think we’re friends.
At least I think we’vebecomefriends.
I bring Grayson and his bags inside, and Camille meets us at the door to the kitchen. She uses her office—formerly her father’s office, but since he’s living full-time in France, it’s all hers now—for meetings, but since this is Grayson’s third visit and he’s going to be staying here, she prefers the comfortable kitchen.
I love that she takes meetings in the kitchen. It’s something my father would do if the castle kitchen didn’t resemble something out of medieval times. It’s been on the list to be renovated for as long as I can remember.
I also love that Camille can return Grayson’s hug without her body locking up. She’s lost so much of her awkward aggression since taking overas prefect.
Since we fell in love.
“Ready to get settled in?” Camille asks Grayson, her red hair clashing with her bright yellow sweater in a way that’s both hard on the eyes and wonderful to see.
“Definitely.” Grayson grins at my wife. “You have no idea how grateful we are that you came to us with the suggestion, Camille. Me, especially,” he admits with a self-deprecating laugh. “This is my first time around as executive producer, and I completely blanked at a location. Not a great way to start.”
“I think it’ll benefit everyone,” I say.
Saint Pierre, the tiny island nation off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, will be the location for the next season of The Suitorette. Summer on the island is amazing, with the birds and the sun and the beach that spans more than half of the island.
And now, the world will see it.
When Camille took over from her father as prefect of Saint Pierre, she jumped in with both feet to bring out the best of the island. It was her idea to offer Oceanview, the hotel on the west side of the island, as a location for the Suitor franchise. Built by some French lord in the early nineteen hundreds, it had been turned into a hotel before World War II closed Saint Pierre to tourists.
The Oceanview limped into the twenty-first century, with a few prefects attempting renovations and rejuvenations, but it wasn’t until the last few years of Camille’s father’s rule that things actually started to get done.
It’s been restored to its former glory, but there was the issue of how do we get people to come to the island? Because more tourists would do a lot to jumpstart the economy.
This season, the contestants of The Suitorette will be staying at the Oceanview, and cameras will be showing the charm and beauty of Saint Pierre to the world.
Hopefully, this will help bring back the tourists.
Filming for the show starts in three days.
“I have to admit, I’ve never been much of a fan of the show,” Camille confesses as Grayson takes a seat at the table. “But since Odin…” She gives me a sly glance under her lashes.
“We don’t need to talk about Odin,” I decide as I pull out her chair. “This has nothing to do with me.”
“Oh, but we’ll need a cameo,” Grayson protests eagerly. “Both of you. How in a roundabout way, the show brought you together. Viewers will eat it up.”
I hum my consent, not that it’s up for negotiation. Camille has already decided we’ll be appearing on the show. Multiple times, if she has her way.
She may not be much of a fan of the show, but she’s recently discovered a love for the spotlight.
“When do the contestants show up?” Camille asks Grayson after I offer him a drink.
I also had no idea that she’d be so excited about twenty-five strangers who will be showing up on the island.
