I’m getting carried away.

‘Let’s win it, then,’ Freddie says casually. ‘Well, win it together, but you can have it.’

‘What?’

‘Let’s play – properly, without cheating – and let's win. If we take this seriously, I think we have a good chance. We’ve done the part where we answer questions… We’ve got a real shot, Lila.’

‘But… we’re not even a real couple?’

‘So what?’ He laughs. ‘What’s the difference? There’s two of us, we were going to spend the holiday hanging out together anyway. The only real difference between us and the others is that they share a bed.’

‘So we’re more like a married couple, is what you’re saying,’ I joke. ‘Do you really think we could win?’

‘I do,’ he replies. ‘And if we don’t, we’ll have fun trying. Wasn’t tonight fun?’

‘It certainly was. Seeing that look on Daniel and Eva’s faces – my gosh.’

‘So…’

‘If we did win together, I couldn’t just take the whole prize,’ I say.

‘Lila, I’m doing OK for money,’ he responds. ‘The movie industry pays quite well.’

I smile.

‘Okay, sure, I’m in,’ I say.

I can feel the excitement rushing through my veins, giving me life. To be on such a high, after feeling so down in the dumps… it almost makes it all seem worth it.

I hug myself as a cool breeze glides over the beach. I don’t know if it’s the sea air, the excitement of the day or a combination of both, but a wave of tiredness washes over me. I yawn.

‘Shall we head back?’ I suggest. ‘I’m pretty tired and it’s starting to get a bit cold, isn’t it?’

‘Sure,’ he replies. ‘I’d offer you my jacket if I had one.’

‘What a gentleman,’ I say with a smile.

‘People never think I am,’ he says. ‘People think I’m going to be the arrogant, sex-mad deviant I play in the movie.’

Okay, I am going to have to watch this movie. I need to see this version of Freddie for myself. I just can’t imagine the sweet, charming man standing in front of me being a raging pervert, even if he is just acting.

Freddie offers me his arm for the walk back to the villa, which makes me smile.

‘Can you hear that?’ Freddie asks, stopping in his tracks.

I listen carefully and hear those familiar little squeaks I heard a few days ago.

‘Oh, my gosh, that’s my buddies,’ I tell him, hurrying over to the bushes.

‘Your what?’ Freddie asks me, following close behind.

I carefully move the branches to show him the kittens that live there.

‘Oh, wow,’ he says. ‘I'm usually more of a dog person, but these guys are cute.’

Today their mum is with them. She rushes over to us, to see if we have any food.

‘Hey, cutie,’ Freddie says, reaching down to pet her. ‘Wow, she’s so tame for a stray.’

‘She is,’ I say. Then again, who wouldn’t want to be all over Freddie, human or feline?