Dyl, he would have said,your heart is the other half of mine.
Would he tell her? Was he sitting her down somewhere now, on the boat, perhaps, on the end of the bed we’d spent all those nights in together?Dyl, now that we’re officially in a relationship, there’s a few things I need you to know, he’d say.I slept with Cece. A lot of times. I had really strong feelings for her.
What?!Hero Nurse Dylan would say, jumping to her feet.How can you tell me you love me when you’ve been fucking her?
I’m not, he would reply.Not any more. Cece and I are over. Forever. I know this isn’t the greatest way to start our relationship, but I want you to know that I’m committed to you, and to making this work. Whatever it takes.
He’d mean it. Because he was Dylan.
The network would ship him back to shoot a couple of friend spots for my season. He’d be polite to me, but distant.It was lovely to see you again, Cece, he’d say, and he’d mean it.But I’d better be getting back to Dyl now, he’d follow it up with, and he’d mean that too.
The light was getting closer. My heart was starting to race in my chest.
There’d be parties, once the pandemic settled down. Ex-Romeo-and-Juliet-franchise people were always at the same parties. I’d seen the pictures online. I’d have to go there, whatever Romeo I settled on in tow, and Dylan would be there with Hero Nurse Dylan on his arm, and we’d have some polite conversation over canapés, and then we’d go our separate ways.
I was no longer the last person Dylan had said ‘I love you’ to. That light getting closer and closer down the hill meant that he’d said it to someone else.
I turned on my heel and fled back inside, the French doors clattering half-shut behind me.
‘Hey,’ Amanda said. ‘Are you all right, Cece? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’
‘I’m fine,’ I lied, clenching my teeth together. ‘Murray’s nearly here.’
‘Finally,’ Heather said. ‘I’m going to get my bags. I can’t wait to get out of this hellhole.’
Amanda was still studying me as Heather flounced upstairs. ‘So it’s done, then,’ she said. ‘It’s over.’
‘Yeah,’ I said. ‘It’s over.’
She sank back down into the friend-zone armchair and covered her eyes with her hands. Behind her, Lily rolled her eyes. ‘For fuck’s sake,’ she mouthed, but thankfully she had enough good grace not to say it aloud.
Heather appeared again, bags in hand. ‘I am fucking out of here,’ she said. ‘I can’t wait to see you three bitches never again—Oh.’
Her expression changed dramatically. Behind me, the French doors rattled. I turned around—
And froze.
‘Cece,’ Dylan said.
‘Get out of the fucking way,’ Murray grumbled, jostling past Dylan, three cameramen in his wake.
‘Excuse me, what is happening?’ Heather demanded.
‘Oh, this is good shit,’ Lily said, leaning back against the mantel and grinning. ‘This is really good shit.’
My heart still hadn’t started beating again.
‘I couldn’t do it, Cece,’ Dylan said. ‘I love you too much.’
Amanda started sobbing into her hands.
‘I love you,’ Dylan said. ‘I love you, I love you, I love you, Cece.’
All three cameras were focused on me, every eye staring right through me.
Everything was silent, except for Amanda’s quiet sobs.
‘I love you,’ Dylan said again.
