Whiskey & Wildflowers

Chapter 1

**Author's Note**

This is a rewrite of my story 'Whiskey & Scotch.' Bobby is the love interest in that story, but I always wanted to write an alternate ending where Josie and Henrik ended up together because their chemistry was great. Rather than just do an alternate ending, I ended up rewriting the fic almost entirely - there's still plenty of overlap, but I tweaked the timeline, certain events, and removed/added quite a few scenes in order for it to make sense with Henrik as the LI instead of Bobby.

***

Love was the last thing on Josie Hamilton's mind when she stepped out of the Jeep on a sunny Spanish day. Love Island. Hardly. Who actually finds love on a reality television show? She was under no disillusions — she was only going to be there for a month, maybe less, so love was an unlikely ask, even if she wanted it.

A bit of fun, though... that was much more likely. Maybe make a lasting friendship or two.

If all she got out of her Love Island experience was laid, she would consider it a success. And maybe a nice tan. And hopefully a few sponsorships and a boost to her social media following. Okay, especially the sponsorships and additional followers that the exposure would bring... If she was being honest, that was the real reason she'd agreed to join the show.

All she had to do was find someone she could connect with and win the public over, and they would do the rest, voting her to the final. The prize money itself didn't matter — £50,000 was nice, but it paled in comparison to what she could make from companies looking to attach her name and face to their products.

She just needed to be there long enough to get their attention.

Another Jeep pulled up behind her own, and she moved to greet the competition, putting on a winning smile for the cameras.

Let Love Island 2019 begin.

***

Josie stepped on one of the five heart-shaped markers lined up on the lawn, a few feet apart from each other. Each of the other girls took their places as well, and there were a few nervous titters as the host of the show, Laura Whitmore, explained what was about to happen.

Yeah, yeah. The guys would come out one by one, the girls would step forward if they fancied them, and then it would be up to each boy to decide who he wanted to couple up with. They all knew the drill.

"I hope I get picked," Hannah said, biting her lip and shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "How awful would it be to be picked last?"

"Someone has to be last," Marisol replied.

Won't be me, Josie thought, though she didn't voice it aloud. No point making enemies on the first day — there was plenty of time for her to get on the girls' bad sides. It was almost inevitable.

She was pretty sure Lottie was already side-eyeing her warily. Josie had made no secret of the fact that she wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted when the girls met earlier, and Lottie didn't seem too impressed with her for it.

Regardless, Josie wasn't all that worried about the competition. After meeting them, she was confident that whichever boy she wanted was hers for the taking.

She looked down the row at the other girls, sizing them up. At the far end, Hannah was running her fingers through the tail of her long braid, wide-eyed and nervous-looking. With her pale, freckled skin and her flaming red hair, she looked like she could be Josie's younger sister. Younger, more fanciful, and a helluva lot more naïve. Josie'd had to stop herself from snorting when the girl said she was hoping to find her Prince Charming. Good fucking luck — she had a better chance at finding the cure for a terminal disease.