His face is friendly with a dark, thick beard. He reminds her of a cuddly teddy bear; there’s a warming reassurance about him. Bonnie knows it’s another ploy to get her down there, but now she’s curious and it’s enough to make her take that first step. She can feel her whole body shaking with nerves, but her feet keep moving in the right direction.

She rounds the curve in the garden path and there he is. Oh my.

Most definitely a nine. Maybe even nine and a half. She feels a little smile form on her face.

‘Wow,’ he says as she approaches.

She wonders if he’s struggling to come up with new things to say to every girl, but then remembers her promise to herself that she won’t focus on the others.

‘I know you, Bon,’ Paige had said. ‘You won’t cope if you even think about the other girls. The jealousy will eat you up.’

‘It’s really off-putting when one of them mentions the other girls,’ Carla had told her. ‘Just focus on you and him.’

‘Wow yourself,’ Bonnie tells him, knowing it’s not all that original but it’s true. The man is gorgeous.

The ideas Carla and Paige had presented her with to make a lasting first impression—perform a poem or song, pretend to take his photo, tell a joke, dance—all fly from her mind. Carla’s list had been endless; she was more dedicated to The One than any religion.

‘I’m Bonnie,’ she manages, extending her hand to shake his. Carla had insisted she should go straight in for a kiss on the cheek to immediately establish a physical connection, but to do that she has to break eye contact and that currently seems impossible.

‘Ty,’ he tells her, taking her hand in his own and not letting go of it.

His skin feels warm. Tingles pulse through her body and a warming in her tummy spreads rapidly. She wonders if he can feel the burn in her fingertips.

There’s silence between the two of them. She feels like time could stop completely and she’d contentedly stand here, admiring him, their hands touching, desire starting to brew.

‘I’ll find you inside,’ Ty says suddenly, with a sense of promise. His face is somewhat regretful that he’s sending her on her way.

Bonnie suddenly remembers it isn’t just the two of them. Her eyes fall on one of the producers, gesturing for Bonnie to move on to the house. Then she sees the cameramen and lighting guys. Her cheeks feel a little warm, her throat tightens.

‘It was good to meet you, Bonnie.’ He says her name purposefully, testing it out on his tongue. He holds her gaze, offering her reassurance that she’ll be okay.