Heat Wave (9 page)

She might have been half a foot shorter than me, but she still seemed to tower over my head as she brushed past. I watched her stride out, headed for Tanner with an expression of pure determination. ‘Hi, I'm Severe,' she barked in an Aussie accent. ‘My name is Ric and I run a boot camp for fat people.'

‘Uh …' Tanner seemed amused rather than frightened, and I begged him silently not to piss her off, lest she crush his head between her muscular thighs. ‘Nice to meet you, Ric.'

And Ric was just the first in a line of gorgeous woman. The next introduced herself as Serenity, also known as Sara, the meditation teacher. She wore a flowing layered skirt in a rainbow of colours, while her unruly hair snaked down to her bottom. After her came Riley, the Silly circus performer and the Smart Wendy, a PhD working in neuro-science.

‘What's with all the S adjectives?' I whispered to Greg.

‘I dunno. It's a thing. Apparently viewers have trouble tracking so many different names so they're giving them these S titles to make it easier.'

‘That's stupid. There's an S-adjective for you …'

Shy, Strong and Sassy quickly followed, a petite single mother, an air force pilot and a funky Sydney stylist with attitude. Tanner was courteous and charming to each of them, but I watched his face like a stalker with binoculars, waiting for any sign that he was impressed. It never came.

The next girl to push past us on the stairs had a silky fall of auburn hair, and a body to rival Jessica Rabbit.

‘Holy shit!' I whispered to Greg as she crossed to meet Tanner. ‘Is that who I think it is?'

Sure enough, the buxom beauty introduced herself as, ‘Tabitha Yves, and I'm a Star.'

‘You certainly do shine bright, darlin'.' Tanner shook her hand, oblivious.

Tabby wasn't having that. ‘You don't know who I am, do you?'

‘I know you're a mighty pretty gal.'

‘How does he not know her?' asked Greg.

I shrugged, trying to hold back the giggles as the flummoxed Tabby tried to regroup. ‘She's only done stuff in Australia. They don't watch Aussie soaps in the States.'

‘Yeah, but she did that ad campaign.'

The ‘
Bugger me!
' series of ads had been an ambitious gamble by the Australian Tourist Commission. They'd put our best-known TV star in a skimpy bikini, then posed her in a variety of iconic Aussie situations—snorkelling on the Barrier Reef, feeding a crocodile, climbing the Harbour Bridge. During each commercial, Tabby had accomplished her assigned task, then uttered the mild curse, ‘Bugger me!' in her slightly squeaky voice while flashing a white smile to camera.

The campaign was meant to be tongue-in-cheek and just different enough to make people pay attention. Instead, the ads made international news for being controversial around the globe, especially in countries where a pretty girl saying, ‘Bugger me!' meant something much more scandalous and was grounds for stoning.

The drama had only increased the Australian public's obsession with Tabby. Despite being a total self-confessed air-head, she was still regularly invited on panels and talk shows, and had her own column in the
Herald-Sun
where she touted her own unique beauty tips, including her advice for skipping meals so you could drink more, and the pros of enemas for that flat stomach.

Finally, she managed to speak. ‘Um, yeah. So, I'm a pretty big deal in Australia. You should probably be really embarrassed that you don't know who I am, yeah?'

‘No,' said Tanner, deadpan. ‘Nice to meet you, Tabitha.'

‘But …' He waved her off and the so-called star was speechless. ‘Right. Bye …'

She left the deck and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. Immediately, Tanner's gaze snapped to the darkness where he knew I was hiding, and his grin was all the confirmation I needed—none of these women held a candle to what we had.

‘What are you giggling for, missy?' Greg said, curious.

‘Nothing. I just … I don't think he really liked any of them much.'

A voice behind me made me pitch forward. ‘That should make this easier, then.'

I turned to see a slender brunette standing behind us, the final competitor. She was eerily similar to me in a few respects—her long, dark hair, her height accentuated by seven-inch heels, and her simple dress style. In dark jeans and a white cotton shirt with embroidered edges, she reminded me of myself dressed for school, wearing my boots and an open smile.

‘Excuse me,' she said, giving us a knowing glance before heading past and out to meet Tanner.

His eyes immediately widened at seeing her. ‘Well, howdy, pretty lady.'

‘Hi, Tanner,' she said, addressing him by his favourite name. ‘I'm apparently Savvy, but I'd really love it if you called me Callie.'

‘Callie,' he repeated, his features rapt.

Something tightened inside me. I had a mad urge to race out and scream, ‘
Mine! Back off, bitch!'
Instead, I chewed on a cuticle and watched Tanner lift her hand to his mouth and brush the back of her knuckles with his lips.

‘I hope you don't mind,' said Callie, oblivious to my pain, ‘but I brought you a present.'

She produced a small paper bag from her back pocket and Tanner accepted it. ‘You didn't have to do that, Miss Callie.' He peeked inside. ‘Pig's ears!'

‘For Blue,' she explained. ‘I have an American Staffy at home, and he loves them so much.'

‘You have a dog?' said Tanner, grinning goofily.

She nodded, fluttering her lashes. ‘Chilli. He's my best friend. I would have brought him on board, but apparently it wasn't allowed.'

‘Well, sweet Callie, perhaps I can have a yarn with the powers-that-be and see about getting Chilli to join us too. He can play with Blue.'

‘That would be wonderful. He's staying at the stables where I work.'

‘You like horses?' Tanner's voice was high in excitement, and bile rose in the back of my throat.

‘They're my life.' She tossed her long ponytail forward over her right shoulder and played with it coquettishly. ‘My parents are city folk, but I've always dreamed of having land somewhere, where I can ride all day and watch the sun set over my fields.'

‘Callie, you and I have a lot in common,' said Tanner, unguarded for the first time around a competitor. ‘Will you save me a dance later?'

‘I'd be honoured.' She smiled at him then exited, a charming quality emanating from her, a peaceful aura that made every man in the area tilt his head and grin dopily.

Shame all she made me want to do was tie a sack over her head and toss her overboard.

‘She's awesome,' said Greg, using a normal volume now the cameras were off. ‘I bet he picks her.'

I couldn't answer; nothing but swear words would have come out.

Greg didn't seem to notice. ‘Maddie, can you please dash down and grab me a spare battery pack? Use the other stairs, it'll be quicker.'

‘Sure.' A few moments before, I would have blushed furiously as I crossed the deck in front of Tanner, aware of his eyes on my skin and the connection that still tugged between us.

But after Callie, he was staring wistfully down the staircase after her, only glancing up when Marc called him over. I slipped down the steps, unseen.

As I reached the stairwell at the bottom, I paused; Callie was in front of me, perusing a small slip of paper and muttering to herself, ‘Check, check … check. Good.'

She tossed the note in a trashcan by the railing, before a makeup girl whisked her away for a touch-up.

I should keep walking. I shouldn't go dumpster-diving, no matter how unlikable I find that girl …
That was what I told myself as I plunged my hand in to the bin and fished out Callie's handwritten list. I crumpled it inside my fist, and dashed off to the stack of equipment behind a curtain.

Once I was certain I was sheltered in the darkness with the gear, I unfurled the note and read Callie's precise penmanship.

·
Use his last name

·
Mention dog

·
Mention horses

·
Talk about love of country life

Something started broiling inside my belly
. What the …?
The list could really be taken one of two ways. Perhaps it was just the innocent notations of a nervous girl trying to remember some interesting topics of conversation while facing cameras and a very attractive and famous bachelor.

Or maybe it was the strategic plotting of someone trying to hook a celebrity hottie by using artificial enthusiasm for his favourite subjects.

With my fingernails pressing into my palms, I slid the note into my bra, grabbed Greg's battery pack and returned to the top deck, trying to put my uneasy feelings to the side.

After all, Tanner and I are over. Don't I want him to find love?

Yeah, but real love, not a fame chaser, or someone just out to win at all costs.

Before I reached the top of the stairs, my calves protesting, Greg appeared. ‘Come on, Maddie. The party is starting!'

***

The wide pool deck had been themed to look like an exotic island setting; lanterns burned, greenery waved in the night breeze, and luridly-coloured drinks were lined up at the bamboo bar. Large curtains screened the doorways to create the illusion of being somewhere truly magical, and round tables held vases filled with clear marble and tropical flowers.

The ten ladies milled around the beautiful pool, which was flood-lit from below in hues of purple and aqua. Greg hadn't been exaggerating; looking at the ten of them together was like viewing an eclipse—so beautiful, it was almost dangerous.

I lurked behind Greg as he began filming, pretending to stare at my tablet while furtively looking around for Tanner. When he finally appeared from around the corner of a fluttering curtain, every girl present burst into raucous applause; Severe even stuck four fingers in her mouth and wolf-whistled lasciviously.

‘Thank you, thanks, y'all.' Tanner waved them down, pink-cheeked but grinning. ‘I can't tell you all how excited I am to be here, and to have you pretty ladies join me on this quest for love.'

He touched the rim of his hat, an old sign that he was feeling shy. ‘I … I know that this is a TV show, and that people don't believe being on something like this could ever lead to true love. But I've seen it happen to my friends on
Erotic Island
; Jen and William, Tara and Chris … I want what they have. I do. I want someone to wake up beside every day, to grow old with, to raise babies with and share every moment with.

‘So, all I ask is that if that's not why you're here, please let me know. I don't mind if you have different priorities to mine, but please, y'all, be honest with me.'

I narrowed my eyes, staring at Callie, who stood nodding, her eyes just a little too wide and innocent for my liking.

‘Other than that, the bar is open and this shin-dig is officially starting!' A beer bottle sat on the table to his left; he raised it and shouted merrily, ‘Hit the music!'

A beat blasted from hidden speakers, the lights began to strobe, the ladies screamed and it was all on. A gaggle of the girls immediately swarmed towards Tanner with determined looks on their faces; others aimed for the bar. Sugar and Sassy immediately began to dance together, grinding into each other's crotches and sliding their hands everywhere, while Greg and several other crew members just about passed out watching them.

Savvy, on the other hand, crossed to a lone chair by the railing and stared out to sea, a dreamy look on her face.

Bitch. How did she know?
The first time I'd met Tanner, I'd been sitting on the steps of our high school, day-dreaming alone. He'd been drawn to me like gravity, interrupting my thoughts and making me smile.

And sure enough, as I watched, Tanner gently detangled himself from the enthusiastic female fan-club, and crossed to where Callie sat. As he approached, she glanced up, her face alight with pleasure.

‘Shit! Maddie, move! We need to get in there and film or Marc will have our arses.' Greg began hustling me forward, but I hung back.

‘Let someone else film,' I said, unwilling to stand within breathing distance of Callie, lest I was tempted to mash her stupid face into the deck.

Greg turned, his voice low. ‘Listen, Maddie, whatever's going on here I need to know about it, because if it's affecting your ability to work, it affects my job.'

‘So, what?' I felt petulant, but I was beyond caring. ‘It's one shot. Look, why don't we get a grab of the dirty dancing going on over there? Surely, the pseudo-stripper fest happening there is better viewing than—'

‘Than the star of the show?' His tone was incredulous. ‘Maddie, come on.'

‘I'm telling you, let's go this way!' I gestured wildly, with much more force than I'd realised. The anger racing through my veins caused my fist to connect with a massive vase, tipping it backwards.

Horrified, I watched as it tilted, precariously wavering for a second before it seemed to change its mind, listing back towards me. I relaxed; it was going to land back on its base, no harm done.

It rolled back through its arc, but didn't stop at the bottom. Tipping the other way, it smashed heavily to the small table, spilling Birds of Paradise flowers and glass marbles everywhere. The flowers scattered the deck, but the marbles caused everyone in the vicinity to turn. They clacked and cracked as they fell in wave after wave of noisy debris. They rolled all over dance floor and the poolside, some of them plonking in the water.

Greg shook his head. ‘
Really?
'

‘I didn't mean it,' I said despondently. I walked towards the mess, but my heeled boot stepped on a marble and my body flailed dangerously.

‘Nobody in heels move!' A boom operator appeared as I regained my balance. ‘Here, love, hold this.'