Today’s outfit – labeled Airplane Chic – was doing its job, Avery thought, by not making her look like a total schlep as she stepped down the little staircase that folded from the plane. Ducking her head, she tucked herself under the wing and then stood back as they unloaded her luggage.
“Didn’t pack light, did ya? Expecting to stay a while?” Cherylynn laughed, her large black sunglasses dominating her face.
“I… I have a tendency to overprepare for things. In the event of emergencies. Like… what if the water supply goes out? I have tablets to purify saltwater. That kind of stuff.”
Cherylynn pushed down her sunglasses and leveled a look at Avery.
“If the water goes out, I’m on the next plane home.”
“I suppose that’s an option as well.”
“Maybe I should room with you. It seems like you’ll be well stocked in case of emergencies.” Cherylynn nodded at Avery’s two suitcases and small duffel bag.
“I’m ridiculous. I get that.”
“Nothing wrong with being prepared. I’m surprised they didn’t charge you more for extra bags.”
“They did. But I figured it was worth it. I’ll be able to relax more knowing that I have what I need.”
“And just what is it that you need, honey?”
“Reassurance,” Avery said automatically. She tried to tuck a loose curl back into her bun before they started the haul across the tarmac.
“Type A, huh?”
“Totally.”
“Nothing wrong with that. It’s best to know yourself and embrace your strengths. No sense trying to change or apologizing for what makes you you.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that. I hope we’ll have fun here.”
“Me too, honey, me too. And judging from the looks of it, it’s gonna get interesting.” Cherylynn nodded to where a group of women, each one more beautiful than the next, huddled together outside the airport. A harassed-looking woman rushed around with a clipboard, ushering the group toward several waiting vans. Avery gulped as she spotted two cameramen already filming. Turning away from the camera, her eyes landed on a man standing to the side, his muscular arms crossed over his chest, mirrored sunglasses shading his eyes. Dark hair curled around his ears, at least a few months past a haircut, and a weathered backpack was slung over his shoulders. He looked coolly confident, as though nothing would shake him, and yet Avery sensed a level of disdain pulsing from him as he eyed the group of women. This was entirely different from the looks the rest of the airport employees were giving the group – wide grins were exchanged between many a man standing nearby.
“Do you think that’s the bachelor?” Avery whispered, nodding toward the guy in the backpack.
“I hope not. He looks scruffy.” Cherylynn scrunched her nose up.
“You think? I think he looks confident. And annoyed,” Avery said, and then felt heat rise in her face as the man in question turned to look at them. Striding over, he stopped just in front of the two ladies.
“Ruby and Cherylynn?” His voice, with just a hint of a West Coast accent, sent a little shiver across Avery’s skin.
“I’m Ruby. But I actually go by my middle name, Avery,” Avery said, offering her hand and a small smile. The man took it, his touch sending another shiver through Avery, and she mentally kicked herself for staying out of the dating game for so long. There was no reason that a handshake with a handsome man should set her system on high alert.
“I’m Roman. I’m the producer of Swept Away and I’ll be around the whole time for your journey here. If you have questions or need anything, I’m the man to answer them. See the woman with the clipboard? That’s Eileen. Also a valuable resource. She’s more bark than bite, but I don’t recommend getting on her bad side.”
“Thanks, Roman. What do you need from us?”
“You’ll just need to speak to the customs agent and then we’re ready to go to the villa and go over all the rules. Everyone else has arrived and we’re already filming.”
“Eep,” Avery said, and shot a glance around at the cameramen. Luckily, none of the cameras were currently pointed at them.
“You do realize you signed up for a reality show, right?” Roman asked, accurately reading Avery’s terror.
“I do. I just… the reality of it… haha… is a bit shocking,” Avery said, plastering a fake smile on her face.
“You’ll get used to having the cameras there. We always film for a day of just everyone having fun prior to getting into the actual show. It gives people a chance to loosen up and forget that the cameras are watching them.”
“Alcohol helps,” Cherylynn piped up, and a smile flitted across Roman’s face.
“It helps to make for good television,” Roman said, and Avery read the warning in his voice.
“Good to know. Okay, off to customs and we’ll be there shortly,” Avery said. “Should we put our luggage –”
“We’ve already loaded it,” Roman said, and Avery whirled around to see that her bags were gone.
“Jeez, you’re quick.”
“You might want to pay a little more attention to your luggage when traveling, if two big guys can wander off with your bags and you didn’t even notice,” Roman pointed out, and waved them off while he went to confer with Eileen.
“Yeesh, that was rude,” Avery said, annoyed because Roman was absolutely right. She should always be paying attention to her luggage when traveling.
“It was. Luckily, he’s just the producer and not our bachelor. Could you imagine? He’s acting like he’s too cool for this or something.”
“Or like he has someplace better to be.”
“Maybe he does. But this is his job. A little less attitude would be nice.”
“I don’t think throwing in with a big group of women trying to win a man and a cash prize is going to put us in a position where there’s ‘less attitude’ around.”
Cherylynn threw her head back and laughed, patting Avery’s arm as they waited for customs.
“I’m going to like you, Avery.”
“Thanks. I sincerely hope we can be friendly through this.”
“It’s just a game. Nothing life-threatening.”
“Good, I was worried everyone would be awful.” Despite herself, Avery turned and looked over her shoulder. Another shiver raced through her when she found Roman watching her – with disdain or approval, she just couldn’t tell.
“Nah, it’ll be fun. Promise.”
Avery wished she could mimic Cherylynn’s confidence, but her stomach was in knots. If there was one thing she knew for certain, it was that she did not belong with the bevy of beauties about to board the vans.
Making a mental note to kill Ruby the next time she saw her, she smiled brightly at the customs agent and took a step toward the unknown.
Chapter 3
Once again, Avery imagined all the ways she was going to torture Ruby when her sister got back from her world trip. Squished between Cherylynn and a woman who could have passed for a supermodel, Avery felt dowdy, overheated, and annoyed at being out of control. Typically, when she did let herself travel, she had a list of accommodations, hired all her own transport, and knew exactly where she was going. Now, she felt confused, out of sorts, and uncertain about where the vans were taking them. There had been no indication in the contracts where this villa would be set up, and Avery had kept herself up many a night studying the map of Siren Island and using Google Maps’ street view to try and find an image of villas big enough to fit all the contestants. Some might call her neurotic, but Avery liked to think of herself as being organized. Or at the very least, prepared. And nothing could have prepared her for what she’d gotten herself into, Avery realized, as the babbling women in the van threatened to overwhelm her with their inane chatter about what were the best shoes to wear on a beach. Didn’t these women know that wearing shoes in the sand was all but inviting a sprained ankle?
Cherylynn nudged her and whispered quietly, “You okay?”
&
nbsp; “Um, sure? I don’t know. We’ll see.” Avery blew out a breath and offered her new friend a weak smile.
“We’re almost there. It’ll get better once we’re out of the vans and we can unpack a bit, get settled in. You’ll feel more comfortable, I’m sure.” Cherylynn had obviously already gotten a clear read on Avery’s misgivings.
“It looks like we’re arriving. Is this the east coast of the island?” Avery craned her neck around to look out the window. “I think it is. Which means, if we’re lucky, we’ll have good trade winds and fewer bugs.”
Cherylynn’s eyes widened as she stared at Avery. “You studied the wind patterns?”
“I… um… well, I just read about it in a travel forum is all.” Avery felt a blush tinge her cheeks – the curse of many a redhead – and shrugged her shoulders.
“I hate mosquitos.” The beauty next to them scrunched her delicate nose and shivered.
“Who doesn’t?” Cherylynn rolled her eyes and Avery bit back a smile.
“I agree, they’re the worst,” Avery supplied before the beauty could get in a huff. If she even had the brains to get in a huff, Avery wondered, while the girl held up her phone and made kissing faces into the camera.
“We’re here.” Cherylynn nudged Avery as the vans turned onto a dirt road and rolled past several villas – one that had “The Laughing Mermaid” brightly scrolled on a sign above the door – until they came to the end of the street. They parked in front of a massive white-washed villa with a huge burnished-wood double front door.
“Wowza,” Avery said. “This place looks massive.”
“It has to be if it’s gonna fit all of us, plus it has to have like communal rooms for filming and all that.”
“Where do the producers sleep? The cameramen?”
“No clue. I’ve never done one of these before.” Cherylynn laughed, as if to say, Who would possibly go on a dating reality show more than once?
“I have.” The beauty next to them reapplied her lip gloss and tucked a loose tendril of hair behind her ear. “The producers and cameramen will also stay on site, or very close, just in case of any drama. They’ll have cameras set up in every corner of the house, so remember that too. You’re always being watched.”
“Even in the bathroom?” Avery gasped.
“Well, you obviously get some privacy there. But not much.”
“Just how many reality shows have you been on?” Cherylynn asked the girl.
“I don’t know, probably six or seven? It builds my Instagram followers. I’m an influencer, so I have to stay on top of all the new trends.”
“Um…” Avery wasn’t sure what to say to that. She’d never considered being a “influencer” a career choice, and had about a gazillion questions as to how one could make money from that. But since the van doors were opening, she changed course. “I’m Avery, by the way.”
“I’m Lisette. Girl on the Go.”
“Girl on the go where?” Avery tilted her head at Lisette in question.
“That’s my Instagram handle.”
“Oh, right. Got it. I… huh. I suppose I should get on Instagram one of these days.”
For the first time, true emotion ran over Lisette’s face as she looked at Avery in shock. The rest of the van had quieted, all turning to look at her, while Roman stood by the door, a weird little smirk on his face as he measured her.
“You’re. Not. On. Instagram?” Lisette choked out. She might as well have said something like, ‘You murdered your father?’
The rest of the van all shook their head sadly at Avery as they piled out of the car; Avery just looked to Cherylynn, who shrugged. Clambering over the seats, Avery allowed Roman to help her from the van.
“I think you just broke all their brains,” Roman whispered and Avery laughed at him, surprised at his wit.
“I didn’t realize it was a bad thing.”
“It’s not. At least to the likes of me. For them? It might as well be a punishable offense. Good luck,” Roman said, sliding the van door closed and nodding to where the women shot Avery suspicious glances.
“I mean… what am I going to take pictures of? My gym routine every day? My houseplants?” Avery grumbled to Cherylynn, who chuckled softly under her breath.
“It’s okay. Not everyone has to be on social media. I think it’s just that a lot of these women come on shows like this to build their followers and their social currency. It isn’t just a game to them – it’s a platform to launch their brands and all that.”
“Ah, I suppose that makes some sense. I still can’t understand why anyone would do this, but at the very least, if they’re brand-building that means there’s some sort of concentrated effort toward benefiting from this experience.”
“If you can’t understand why anyone would do this, why are you here?” Roman asked from behind Avery’s shoulder, making her jump.
“Um, on a dare?” Avery said, cringing that she’d essentially called his show worthless.
“What was the dare?”
“To break me out of my comfort zone.”
“What’s your comfort zone?” Roman asked, and Avery felt her back go up. She wished she could see his eyes behind the mirrored sunglasses he wore.
“None of your business,” Avery bit out, causing Roman to smile.
“But it is my business. I’m filming you and we’re all about making people vulnerable so we see who they truly are at their core.”
“Cool. Great.” Avery huffed out a breath and turned away from him, wondering why this man put her on edge so much. It was like he wanted to peel all her carefully built layers away.
“You still didn’t answer the question,” Roman said, his voice soft at her ear.
She felt a little shiver run down her neck at his nearness. “I’m not obligated to answer all your questions.”
“You kind of are. You agreed to it during filming, especially when we do our confessionals and one-on-one interviews.”
“Is this a confessional? Right now? Doesn’t seem that way to me.” Avery spun around, hands on her hips as she went toe-to-toe with him. Finding her eyes at his chest, she tilted her head way up until she could glare at his sunglasses.
“Fair enough. I’ll add it to my notes for our interviews.” Roman grinned at her, coolly unflappable, and Avery felt a perverse need to punch him in the gut. Instead, she turned away from him, rolling her eyes at a grinning Cherylynn. Roman moved past them to bring the group together, the women quieting down as he raised his arms above his head to get everyone’s attention.
“I don’t like him,” Avery decided.
“Don’t get on his bad side. Remember – he can edit you any way he wants.”
“Shit,” Avery groaned, belatedly realizing that the cameras had just filmed all of that.
“It’ll be okay. Just don’t let your temper get the better of you and you’ll be fine. Be you, first and foremost. Don’t act for the cameras. At the end of the day, you have to live with yourself and your behavior.”
“That’s sound advice.”
“Take it from me, girl. Daddy was a preacher.”
“Well, then, amen to that.”
Chapter 4
“Welcome to Swept Away, ladies,” Roman said, and all the women – except Avery – cheered. “This is Villa Azul, and will be our home base for filming, hanging out, and relaxing. Your bachelor will not stay here with you, but will be close by.”
The women booed at that.
“I know, I know,” Roman said, shrugging his shoulders. “But that’s the way of things. We’ve lucked out with this villa that instead of having four to a room, there’ll be two to a room, and each room has its own bathroom. Which, as you are aware if you know anything about reality shows, is a positive luxury.”
More cheers from the women.
Lisette looked so relieved that Avery thought the woman might faint in gratitude.
“Roomie?” Cherylynn asked.
“Please,” Avery breathed.
/> “On it,” Cherylynn said.
Avery looked at her in confusion until she realized that all the women were poised to run.
“Wait… what?” Avery said, and then almost jumped when the women took off running into the villa, Cherylynn included, all squealing and shrieking as they raced up the stairs. Shouts echoed through the open-air villa as people found their rooms, the cameramen following closely to record any potential drama.
“You sleeping outside?” Roman asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he studied her.
“No way. I just… I wasn’t expecting everyone to take off running. There were no instructions on how to pick a room,” Avery said, hefting her tote bag on her shoulder and moving toward the villa.
“It’s kind of a free-for-all. It appears that women don’t follow instructions well.”
At that, Avery stopped and turned, glaring over her shoulder at Roman.
“That’s incredibly rude. You’re painting all women with a wide brush stroke.”
“I’m sorry.” Roman pinched his nose and sighed. “You’re absolutely right. That was an asshole thing to say and I do try not to be an asshole. I just find that, sometimes on these shows, no matter how carefully you spell things out, nobody follows the instructions anyway.”
“I can understand that. But that could be due to the intelligence or personalities of your candidates, not their gender.”
“That’s fair, and again, I apologize. I’ll work on filtering myself better.”
“That would be appreciated. This is already stressful enough without the peanut gallery making rude comments. Isn’t your job to make us feel more comfortable and open up?” Avery had no idea why she was unloading on this man, but all her nervous energy was building up to make her want to take someone’s head off. And Roman had just provided her with the perfect excuse.
A Good Chance (The Siren Island Series Book 3) Page 2
