Page 37 of Hot Summer

“I’ve decided to partner up with this girl because,” Jayden began, pausing briefly to clear his throat as his voice broke, “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know her this week. And I’m hoping to spend many more weeks getting to know her.”

Cas should have been watching Jayden, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Sienna. She seemed to have frozen to the spot.

“I think she’s really funny and interesting and I can’t wait to learn more about her. So, the girl I’d like to partner up with is...” Jayden waited the obligatory five seconds before he said, “Sienna.”

As much as she looked like she was lost inside her own head, Sienna was remarkably good at rallying. She smiled as soon as Jayden said her name and made her way to him in short, sure strides. Their hug was quick, even on Jayden’s end, like neither one of them wanted to get too close.

Sienna looked over to Femi as she sat, and she smiled as he mouthed something to her. It was a softer smile than the one she just had, easier at the edges.

Charlie was next, and his speech to Lexi was short and sweet and clearly everything that Lexi had been hoping to hear. With the obvious couples out of the way, it was a toss-up, in Cas’s mind, who would go next. It could be either Femi or Reece last—Reece was probably going to change partners and Cas was the least popular girl in the villa at the minute, so either choice would be dramatic for the audience—so it would likely be Brad next. A safe middle choice, but you never could quite predict Brad, either. Especially with the way he’d acted since Tia had arrived.

Almost as though she’d summoned it into existence, Brad’s phone beeped next.

Brad cleared his throat. “I’d like to partner up with this person because I think that we’ve had a really nice start to our time in the villa together. I think that she’s smoking hot, I mean, obviously, she’s right fit, and I’d love to continue to share a bed with her.”

He laughed congenially, but Cas felt something twist in her stomach at his words.

This—this—was all he could think to say about Ada? That he thought she was sexy and he wanted to keep rubbing up against her under their duvet?

It’s understandably a part of his attraction to her, sure, but it didn’t need to be the reason that he told everyone he wanted to stay partnered up with her. It shouldn’t be the only reason that he had when Ada was clearly so much more.

“I think that I’m going to have a great time if we stay partnered up together, so for that reason, the person that I’d like to partner up with is...”

Brad waited for the allotted five seconds even though, from his wording, it was immediately clear who he was going to be partnering with.

He smiled at Ada like he’d just put fifteen lightbulbs in his mouth. “Ada.”

Brad wrapped his arms around Ada’s waist when she reached him and pressed her against him, their chests smashing together with the force. She huffed out a puff of air, and Brad just laughed and whispered something into her ear.

Ada flashed him a cursory smile as she pulled away, but rolled her eyes at Cas as she sat down.

It was three of them left now. Two choices, one of them on their way out the door.

In five minutes, they’d know. Cas would know.

Just as Cas expected, Reece’s turn was next, and in a twist that surprised no one, he decided to re-partner with Tia, leaving Maddison vulnerable. His speech was heartfelt, warm, and when they sat down on the bench, they were snuggled close, practically tangled together.

And then, finally, it was the moment Cas was waiting for.

Femi’s phone beeped. He stood.

Cas’s hands were trembling and she smoothed them down her thighs. She knew Femi was taking a risk, tying himself to her for another week, but if she could turn it around, it would be a risk that paid off. If Femi and Sienna couldn’t work it out, this partnership could take them both to the finals. It would change both their lives.

Cas flicked her gaze to Ada, sitting there on the bench, right next to the empty space where Cas would hopefully be in ninety seconds’ time. Ada had her legs crossed, toe pointed toward the fire, as many inches as was socially acceptable between her body and Brad’s. As they made eye contact, Ada nodded once and drew in a deep, exaggerated breath. It took Cas a second, her lungs kept starting and stopping, but she matched Ada’s breath. The left corner of Ada’s mouth lifted ever so slightly and she snuck Cas a wink.

It was captured on about a dozen cameras, but in that moment, it felt like it was just the two of them.

Femi cleared his throat and Cas found his gaze again. The moment their eyes locked, his smile widened.

“I’ve decided to partner up with this person because every single time I talk to her, she makes me laugh. She’s my best friend in this villa, and I know that the public has a different opinion about her, but, I have to say, they’re wildly misinformed.”

Oh Christ.

“I don’t know what they think they’ve seen of her, but I can tell you that I’ve only ever seen a friend. Someone who cares about the people in this villa, who wants us to have a good time and loves making us laugh. Yeah, she’s covered in tattoos and loves to scowl, but trust me, that’s more appearances than anything. She’s really soft on the inside. This person also always shares the duvet and has only thrown a pillow at my head once even though there’s been plenty of moments where I’ve deserved it in the morning.”

Cas laughed, shaking her head.

“I’m always going to partner up with her, no matter how low the public ranks her. The person I’d like to partner up with is... Cas.”

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