Page 49 of Unscripted

Turning my back on Callum, I stepped towards the garden gate, ready to get back out there and “crack on” with anyone and everyone in hopes of salvaging my chances in here.

“Wait, Poppy,” he said, and I heard him stand and follow after me.

I turned around and let out a small yelp. He had taken more steps toward me than I anticipated and was now mere inches away. I cleared my throat, ignoring the way his proximity made my heart pound.

“Look,” he said, undeterred by our closeness. “I’m sorry.”

“I wasn’t aware you even knew what that word was,” I replied.

“Funny.” He said, raising his brow. But this time, his tone wasn’t laced with ice or indifference. It was softer and more amiable.

He carried on. “This whole show thing it’s . . . it’s just not where I thought I’d be in my life right now. But I don’t need to take that out on you. And you’re right, anyway. We need to be better. Try and sell it more.”

It wasn’t the world’s best apology, but I could tell that he meant what he said and that he was being honest with me, just as he’d promised in the pantry. It also helped that I understood where he was coming from, more than I had expected to. I didn’t think I’d ever be on this show either. I guess we had at least one thing in common.

We stood there for a minute longer looking at each other before I broke eye contact.

“I didn’t know you smoked,” I said, aiming for levity. We’d said all we needed about our deal. I might as well start the whole "getting along" thing right away.

“I don’t,” he replied. “But this is the only outside area in the villa where there aren’t any cameras. It’s nice to have a bit of a break from everything for a moment.”

I looked around and realized that he was right. There was not a camera in sight.

“It’s kind of peaceful,” I observed. There was something nice about the small, secluded space. It somehow felt worlds away from the chaotic villa.

“It is,” Callum agreed.

“Well,” I said, walking backward toward the gate. “I’ll see ya.”

“See ya,” he said.

“Tonight,” I said, immediately feeling like an idiot for rambling.

But Callum just looked at me, the corners of his mouth turning up into something almost resembling a smile.

“Tonight,” he said.

Deciding to keep it at that, I turned and walked back into the garden, clicking my mic pack on and jumping back into the role of “Bella” again.

24

Iwas nervous. My foot wouldn’t stop tapping as I stood in the hallway with the rest of the girls waiting to be let out into the garden for the cocktail party.

“You’re awfully jittery, Pop,” Jess commented.

“Am I?” I asked, trying to feign indifference.

The truth was that I had no idea what was in store for the evening. What would happen when Callum and I had our one-on-one time? I was petrified that it would be awkward. That I wouldn’t know what to say, and the conversation would be unbearably strained. Even more, I was worried that he would go back to being that rude, cold guy I first met on the ferry.

My old life in New York flashed through my mind as I remembered how many times I had brushed my ex’s bad behavior under the rug and chalked it up to anything that would avoid real accountability. Callum and I might not be in anything close to a real relationship, but we were still linked together, and I refused to repeat that pattern of behavior for him.

My inner musings were interrupted by Chiara tapping my arm and motioning to follow her to the yard. We shuffled out across the lawn to the boys.

Someone gave a toast, but my head was in the clouds, wondering if I would have to pull Callum first or if he would ask to talk with me. I was so out of it I didn’t notice the group was breaking up until Chiara was looping her arm through mine, pulling me over to our normal spot at the fire pit.

We had made it a few steps when I heard Callum call out from behind me. “Poppy?”

I turned as Chiara paused next to me. We both looked at Callum.