‘This was an accident,’ I said. ‘He looked after me when I fainted. We bonded. Now we’re friends.’
‘Friends?’ Rani said incredulously.
‘Friends,’ I said firmly. ‘Murray thought it would be a fun idea for us to be friends on camera. To tell a story about a different kind of connection, and for me to be his sounding board to discuss what’s happening in the Villa. That’s it.’
‘How is that fair?’ Samantha said.
‘It isn’t,’ I said. ‘But it’s happening, so deal with it.’
‘Cece,’ Dylan said quietly.
‘Dylan, it’s probably time for you to go,’ I said. ‘You’ve got your date with Jess D today. You’ve got to get ready. I’ll walk you out.’
I herded him towards the French doors. ‘If you want to talk shit about me, you can do it in the living room,’ I said over my shoulder. ‘There’s cameras in there now. Murray was talking about filming some bonus Convent content for the website. Make sure you’re standing close to the mics if you want them to pick up what you’re saying.’
The second the doors clattered shut behind us, Dylan turned to me. ‘What was that?’
He was looking right at me. All the bravado melted away in an instant.
‘I’m sorry,’ I said, dropping my head.
He hooked a finger under my chin and pulled it back up. ‘What are you apologising for?’
I blinked. ‘Um… being kind of a bitch?’
‘I should be apologising to you,’ he said, ‘for making you be the bad guy.’
He dropped his finger and rested his elbows against the verandah railing. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘You shouldn’t have had to save me like that. I’m sorry.’
‘It’s okay,’ I said, curling my arm around one of the posts, trying to find my balance.
‘God knows how I’m going to get through breaking up with eleven more women if I can’t even cope with a few tough questions,’ he said, looking out at the view.
Then he glanced up at me. ‘I had no idea you had that in you, though,’ he said. ‘Where did that come from? Who was that girl?’
I shrugged. ‘I didn’t grow up with much stuff. When someone tries to take something that’s mine, I tend to… react.’
I was immediately surprised that I’d said it. I hardly ever talked about my childhood, not if I could help it. I certainly didn’t volunteer things about it.
He shook his head. ‘I should have kept you around.’
My jaw dropped.
‘I could have used you as a buffer between me and Lily Fireball,’ he said. ‘I’m definitely going to need the protection.’
Oh.
‘I don’t know if there’s anyone in the world who could protect you from Lily Fireball,’ I said. ‘Definitely not me.’
‘I don’t know,’ Dylan said, straightening and looking at me inquisitively. ‘Perhaps you could manage some kind of sneak attack. You’re a tricky one, Cece. Most people have secret sensitive sides underneath tough exteriors, but you’re the other way around. You’ve got a secret tough exterior.’
‘If you’d met me in literally any other circumstance, you’d realise that I usually keep my sensitive sideverysecret,’ I said. ‘Have you readThe Hobbit?’
‘Yes.’
‘You know when they talk about the dragon, and how his whole body is covered in armour and jewels except this one tiny weak spot where his heart is?’
‘Sure.’
