He smiles, but she can tell he’s unsure whether she’s exaggerating.

‘Sadly, I’m not kidding.’ They are walking fairy-step slow down the supermarket aisle, Ben the cameraman expertly taking backward steps with the large camera resting on his shoulder.

‘Maybe another time I can cook for you,’ Ty says, so genuine that Bonnie tingles with hope.

‘I’d offer to be your apprentice, but I’m pretty sure I’d just get in the way,’ Bonnie says. ‘I can keep your glass full of wine?’

‘Sounds like a deal to me.’

Bonnie smiles. She wishes again that she had been able to meet Ty outside of The One, where they could just date like normal people.

‘You had me fooled. When we were talking about food on our date, your whole face lit up. I assumed you must have been a bit of a gun in the kitchen.’

‘Yep, fooled you.’ She grins as she reaches for a carton of eggs.

‘You’re actually going to make eggs on toast?’

She can tell he doesn’t know whether to be amused or appalled.

‘I was going to try an omelette thingy that I’ve watched my sister make.’

‘The fact that you call it an “omelette thingy” is concerning.’

Bonnie winces, already anticipating the disaster she’ll create.

‘You can’t be that bad.’ He has too much faith in her.

‘Oh, you’re going to be so let down,’ she says, laughter on her breath. ‘But I’m sure watching me in the kitchen is going to be very entertaining. Probably something you won’t forget in a long time.’

A few hours later and back at her cooking station, Bonnie has burnt two pans, has ingredients splattered all over her workspace, has a dish that resembles rubber and is feeling totally dishevelled. Bright studio lights are set up, the heat causing sweat to run down her back.

Ty approaches her station for taste-testing. The other girls have been ushered off for more touch-ups. ‘You weren’t lying.’

Bonnie grimaces. ‘I honestly don’t think I can let you eat this.’ She screws her face up just looking at the plate she’s presenting. The omelette looks a lot more ‘thingy’ than omelette.

Ty looks down at it. ‘I think they’re going to make me try it.’ He gestures to Mel standing next to Ben and his camera.

Bonnie puts her hands up in defeat. ‘I did warn you I was terrible.’

‘You did,’ he agrees. ‘And you were right—I don’t think I’ll ever forget watching you in the kitchen.’

Laughter tickles the air between them.

Bonnie shrugs. ‘Anytime you want to watch a stressed-out girl try to make something that should take ten minutes ruin an entire kitchen, you just let me know.’ That’s the closest she gets to flirting.