‘I think Bonnie’s going to win,’ one of the girls declares, possibly Natalie but Penelope can’t be sure. ‘I think she’s the one.’

The one.

Penelope has to take a deep breath. Is that even a thing? Her mum died without having a great love while Miranda died leaving her great love behind. Neither situation seemed fair. But that isn’t something she can bring up. These women aren’t here for a deep and meaningful conversation. They’re here for laughs, eye candy and hope in a happily ever after.

‘I don’t know.’ Lara shrugs. ‘He’s good-looking, but he’s not like the other suitors. Sometimes he seems really hot and cold. I wonder if he’s genuinely into any of them.’

Penelope turns her heard sharply at this.

‘Imagine walking away from this and not finding anyone.’

‘It happened in one of the American seasons.’

‘He’ll choose someone. Look at him, he’s like sex on legs. The girls will all be dying to get into bed with him.’

‘Stop,’ Penelope murmurs. She can’t listen to this. She can’t hear them talk like this.

‘Sorry?’ Lara turns to look at her, her mild expression indicating she hasn’t heard what Penelope said.

Penelope swallows down the tennis-ball lump in her throat. ‘I’ve got to go.’

‘What?’ Lara protests. ‘But tonight we find out whose hometowns he’s going to. Don’t you want to see who he sends home?’

‘Cassie.’ Penelope’s confident. ‘He’ll send Cassie home.’

‘No way,’ Nicole crows. ‘He’s into her.’

Penelope is pleasant as she says her goodbyes, telling them it was lovely to meet them all, and tries to leave before Lara can make too much of a fuss. But just as Penelope is about to escape out the front door, Lara catches up to her.

‘Is everything okay?’ Lara’s face is painted with concern.

‘Of course, it’s just not my thing,’ she says.

‘Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought you might want to meet some other people. We try to get together once a week to watch it. It’s a good excuse to have some wine and a bit of a laugh.’

It sounds so normal, so reasonable, and of course extremely generous that Lara was willing to invite her into her group of friends. And for a split second Penelope considers telling her everything.

‘It’s back on!’ one of the voices calls from the lounge room.

And then she shakes herself. She promised herself she wouldn’t tell a soul. ‘I’ll let you go.’

Lara nods, clearly eager to keep watching. ‘I’ll give you a call in a couple of days.’

Penelope nods, but knows she’ll have to start dodging her calls. She’s letting herself get too close. It’s dangerous.

Chapter 34

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