Whiskey & Wildflowers

Chapter 5

Josie stepped out of the Beach Hut and gently closed the door behind her. Those 'confessionals' had to be one of the weirdest things about being on a reality TV show — sitting in a tiny room, being asked to spill one's guts to a camera. Answering questions but constantly having to be reminded to phrase her responses in such a way that the questions themselves could be edited out with the audience none the wiser. Did the audience even care that much about what any of them had to say?

Today, of course, they'd wanted to know all about her little rendezvous with Lucas. What was there to tell? They'd kissed, and it was fantastic. Yes, she wanted to keep getting to know him. It was far too early to see a future with him, but she was looking forward to seeing where things went.

As for Henrik, he was sweet, and she'd like to spend more time with him as well, but was only expecting friendship out of it. He wasn't really her type, and she wasn't his — and that was straight from his own lips. It didn't bother her that he judged her, but the PA interviewing her asked her to play it up as if she were. Anything for a little drama, right? So she shrugged and rolled her eyes, spouting out clichés about not judging books by their covers.

As she headed towards the dressing room, her phone vibrated, indicating an incoming text from one of the other contestants. Official texts always came with an audible notification for the purposes of the show, but the Islanders could also use their phones to silently communicate with each other.

Josie smiled as Lucas's name popped up on the screen, and she quickly scanned the text asking if she'd like to work out with him. A smile formed involuntarily on her face, and she shot off a reply in the affirmative.

"You've got a bounce in your step," Priya commented from her seat at one of the mirrors as Josie entered the dressing room. "Dream about a sexy physiotherapist last night?"

"Even better," Josie replied with a wink.

Priya lowered her eyeliner and gaped. "No way."

"Uh huh." She turned to her cupboard to look for her workout gear.

"Josie, spill, now. Or else."

"Or else what?" Josie looked innocently over her shoulder and batted her eyelashes.

"Or else..." Priya bit her lip as she looked around the dressing room before finally picking up a bottle of perfume. "I'll douse you in so much patchouli that it takes a week for the scent to wash off."

"Wow, Priya. That's cruel." She grabbed a sports bra and shorts from her cupboard, then sat down across from her friend, unable to hide her excitement. "We kissed."

"What?! Already? Are you having a laugh?"

"Nope." Josie shook her head and pointed at the terrace door behind Priya. "Last night, right out there."

"Babe, I have so much respect for you right now. How was it?"

Josie grinned. "Let's just say I hope there are many, many more."

"Ugh, I'm so jealous. Not that I want Lucas—although I wouldn't turn him down if he asked—but I'm just dying to get a chance to kiss Noah again. This love triangle shit is killing me."

"Not going well?" Josie stood up and began to change.

"Hope hardly ever lets him out of her sight," Priya complained. "Even when we do get a chance to chat, we only have a few minutes before something comes up. It's hardly fair."

"What about Rahim?"

"What about him? He's a nice guy, great to look at, but one can only listen to his chat about superheroes for so long."