‘Yes.’ Bonnie nods, her face serious as memories likely fill her head. ‘More than once. I fall hard and fast.’

Even though there’s a raw honesty about the words, it seems she’s hoping they’ll only lightly skim the subject and she won’t have to reveal too much history. The show needs girls who will fall in love fast. Darcy scrawls on the paperwork. She’s developed her own code of scribbles in case the girls get a glimpse of what she’s writing.

‘You’ve said here that you’re not sure why your relationships haven’t worked?’ Darcy refers to the application form in front of her.

‘My sister filled that out,’ Bonnie says, a slight annoyance in her voice that she tries to hide with amusement. ‘I know perfectly well why the relationships haven’t worked out.’

This surprises Darcy.

‘I’m always more in love with them than they are with me.’

Oh, this just about breaks Darcy’s heart.

Bonnie must realise this because she quickly bolsters a smile. ‘It’s okay. You don’t have to feel sorry for me.’

But Darcy does and suddenly has a longing to call Drew. She left home this morning when he was still asleep. ‘You mentioned your sister,’ Darcy comments. ‘What’s your relationship with her like?’

For the first time since the interview started, Bonnie glances at the camera self-consciously, her brown eyes almost hidden by a forest of lashes. ‘We’re close.’ Her voice is higher than it was before.

Darcy recognises the opportunity. ‘Were you annoyed she filled out the application for you?’

Bonnie glances at the camera again and tucks a dark strand of hair behind her ear, allowing herself a moment to pause before answering. ‘Carla just wants me to be happy. She’s married with kids and can’t understand how anyone can be happy without that.’

The tone in Bonnie’s voice isn’t lost on Darcy. ‘Can they?’ Darcy knows she’s treading on dangerous ground. Of course the answer is yes! But why is there a natural instinct to feel sorry for anyone who is unable to have children or hasn’t found a partner to share their life with?

‘Can we be happy without being married and having kids?’ Bonnie clarifies.

Darcy wonders whether she’s repeated the question purely to give herself more time to answer. She nods, curious to know her response.

Bonnie exhales on a breath of laughter. ‘I hope so.’

Bonnie can hear how nervous she sounds. A pounding hangover has wedged itself right behind her eyes. She’s trying her hardest not to stare down the barrel of the camera, but it’s too big and intrusive. She’s starting to realise what it must be like for the shy brides she photographs. It’s actually much harder to relax and pretend the camera isn’t there than she thought.