‘Can we just agree that no matter what happens with Dylan JM, you and I are good?’
‘Of course,’ I said, my mouth dry. ‘You and I will always be good.’
‘Plus, you never know,’ she said. ‘Maybe neither of us will end up with him. Maybe it’ll be Kumiko.’
‘Maybe,’ I said, feeling a little sick.
‘How was that?’ Dylan asked Murray, when we’d finished.
‘Good, good, fine,’ he said, waving his hand. His hair was looking even scruffier than usual today, like someone had stuck their fingers in it and pulled it in as many different directions as possible.
‘Can you promise me that it’ll make the episode cut?’
‘I can’t promise anything.’
‘Murray, please.’
‘You do know I’m not the boss of everything, don’t you, Dylan? I’m not the only person who decides what goes into episodes.’
‘Will you try?’
He sighed. ‘Fine, fine, I’ll try.’
Dylan and I stood just outside the Villa and watched him leave, rocketing down the hill in his golf cart. ‘Is he getting grumpier, do you think?’ she asked, putting an arm around my shoulders.
‘I think he’s just tired,’ I said. ‘They’re all stretched so thin. He’s probably just not getting enough sleep.’
‘Relatable.’
I smiled and put my arm around her waist, leaning my head on her shoulder.
‘Hi guys,’ Kumiko said, coming out to join us. ‘So you kissed and made up, huh?’
‘What?’ Dylan said sharply.
Kumiko gestured at us. ‘You’re back to being friends.’
‘Oh. Yes.’
‘I was worried about you two,’ she said. ‘Being the only two in that bedroom when you’re in the middle of a fight – that’s rough.’
Kumiko put her arm around Dylan’s waist too. After a moment’s hesitation, Dylan put her other arm around her.
Just three gals, being pals.
‘I’m glad you two sorted it out,’ Kumiko said. ‘I always hate it when friendships get torn apart over a man.’
‘Yeah,’ I agreed vaguely.
‘I know we’re all here for the Romeo, but the people we actually spend time with are each other,’ she said. ‘I hope we can all stay friends after this.’
‘That’s the plan,’ Dylan said firmly.
The top three Dream Dates started the next day. ‘All right, this is how these dates are going to work,’ Murray said. ‘It’s a bit different from usual.’
‘Because we can’t actually go on a dream date when we’re stuck on the one property?’ Kumiko asked. ‘Surely we’ve already exhausted every date opportunity this place has to offer.’
‘Partially, yes,’ Murray said. ‘But it’s also because of some clauses in Dylan JM’s contract. He made it very clear that he’s not sleeping with anyone, or even giving the appearance that he’s sleeping with anyone, until he’s picked his final Juliet, so the usual overnight deal is out. Instead, we’re going to go with some classic intimacy over the giant sweeping sexy thing we usually do. Dinner and dancing.’
