And that doesn’t even begin to tackle what happens if the show ends up ordered for an entire season. Initially, I wasn’t planning to stick around. I thought I could do the pilot and then they could replace me, or even better, let Shelby carry it. She’s plenty capable. But that was before I started apprenticing under Daniel—and before I kissed Shelby.

All of which should bother me. If for no other reason than Rivera is new to the documentary scene. He’s another Columbia grad chock-full of ambition who’s been breathing down my neck the past year. If I lose the project to him, it could be a pretty huge blow to any progress and credibility I’ve earned over the last half decade. Things are that precarious in our field.

And yet, Fiji feels really far away from Michigan and Shelby. Too far to worry about when I have a house that needs rebuilding.

Before long, the rest of the very real crew arrives, both film and demo. Daniel and I go over the plans I made yesterday, and he seems impressed, offering to talk to a few of his contractors this morning to price things out. Then, I do a practice walk-through with him, explaining what we have in store for viewers this episode. He makes a few suggestions, but by the time I finish, he’s slapping me on the shoulder.

“You’re gonna do fine, Cam. You’re a fast learner.”

I slip off my cap and run my fingers through my hair before putting it back on. “I don’t want to embarrass you and Shelby.”

“You won’t. I wouldn’t let you,” he says, and I’m struck with how closely his words echo his daughter’s. Makeup arrives and starts messing with my face, so Daniel makes a run for it, probably to dig up where the donuts and coffee have landed today. My stomach rumbles, loudly. I already ate, though my breakfast of scrambled eggs and three cups of coffee feels like an age ago. I glance at my wristwatch. It’s been a lot of hours since I gave up on sleeping and went for a run instead.

Wardrobe looks me up and down and passes me a bold cherry-red down vest. “For the talking head out front,” she says gesturing out the front window, where Shelby is already waiting, stomping her feet in the cold and cradling a steaming foam cup. Hair and Makeup flutter around her, dusting her with brushes and sponges. My stomach clenches, my coffee churning. This is new territory. Usually whenever Shelby and I get involved, one or both of us takes off for a few years before we have to confront things. And by one or both of us, I mean me.

This time, I am contractually obligated to work with her in front of an audience of contractors and film crew. So, this should be fun.