Ty pulls open the door wearing only board shorts. His face is weary, as though he hasn’t slept in days.

She can see the flood of shock hit him. She’s the last person he expected to be on the other side of the door. But then the happiness and relief come soon after. ‘Penny …?’

‘Hi.’ She can feel her whole body shaking.

She sees the tears sting his eyes. ‘You came?’ There’s apprehension in his voice. He doesn’t want to get carried away.

She goes to speak but feels herself falling, lost in his eyes.

He takes her in properly now and concern rushes over him. ‘What’s happened? Are you all right?’

She shakes her head, she doesn’t want to tell him. Her heart starts to ache …

‘Ty, how about we go inside?’ Darcy suggests, indicating for him to lead them into his hotel room.

Ty looks surprised by Darcy’s voice. ‘Yeah, right, okay.’

Penelope wonders if he’d forgotten about the cameras and crew. She follows him into the luxurious hotel suite. Her hand reaches up to touch her neck; she’s sure she can feel the lump in her throat.

‘How about you guys sit there?’ Darcy points to the lounge.

It feels weird to have their conversation interrupted, paused and redirected, but she supposes this has come to feel normal for Ty. He simply does as she suggests.

Penelope doesn’t know how close to sit to him. There’s a natural magnetic pull that makes her grip the side of the lounge as though she’s clinging to a branch trying not to be swept downstream.

Darcy nods to Ty. ‘Okay guys, whenever you’re ready.’

‘What’s going on?’ His eyes are wide as he stares at Penelope.

Penelope swallows hard. Why did she agree to do this? She hopes the producer, Darcy, is being paid well—she had been very convincing on the phone.

‘Penny,’ Ty says, staring at her, his expression fixed. Somehow he’s learned to block out the rest of the room.

But her heart is racing. She can hear it thumping, she can feel it trying to escape her chest.

‘It’s okay,’ his voice soothes. He reaches out to take one of her hands. Her own are freezing, like always, and she can see he’s slightly warmed by the familiarity of this. It could be a thirtydegree day and somehow her hands would still be cold. He cups hers in his own, like he always did, attempting to warm them.