Page 74 of Alice Chen's Reality Check

EDEN:I can believe it. Between a once-in-a-lifetime freak tropical storm and the nonstop relationship drama, this has it all. Reality TV is my sport, andDawn Tay’s Infernois my Super Bowl. Plus, this is coming from Peter Dixon. If you’ve been paying attention in the reality TV world, Peter Dixon’s career is on fire.

MIN:True, but it could just be he has a killer casting department for finding the right people to really bring the drama.

EDEN:Of course he’s got a team to support him, but Peter Dixon just gets how to make good TV. Problematic, and often lawsuit-worthy, based on the last couple court cases to come his way, but good TV nonetheless. We have to respect the hustle. Combine that with an icon like Dawn Taylorand a bunch of hot couples rolling around on the beach and, well, it’s not going to disappoint.

MIN:To be honest, it’s a little contrived for me. Like, don’t you think that relationship swap was totally planned in advance? I’m not even sure this “storm” is real.

EDEN:The storm is so real. I’ve been tracking it—don’t laugh.

MIN:Who’s laughing? Not me.

EDEN:Uh-huh. Anyway, normally I’d agree with you on the swap being scripted, but I’ve been through enough breakups that I can sniff out genuine heartbreak. You can, like, see the exact moment when Alice’s heart shatters into a million pieces. Apparently, they’ve been together since college, which—woof.

MIN:Ugh. I felt so bad for her. Alice, throw the whole man away!

EDEN:Seriously. Chase has got that golden retriever himbo thing going for him, but Daniel is definitely an upgrade for Alice. I swear, whenever he looks at her, he’s got cartoon heart eyes.

MIN:Right? Finally, some good fucking food. I’m rooting for Alice and Daniel, and I hope Chaseliterallybreaks a leg from a palm tree falling on him. Or maybe Dominic will step up and actually do something useful and throw Chase off a speedboat or something.

EDEN:Min!

MIN:I said what I said.

Chapter Fifteen

Hell Is a Slumber Party with No Pizza

The fragrant tropical breeze and the sweltering hot weather are things of the past. Between the torrential rain and the howling wind, temperatures have plummeted.

The producers have sent the contestants into the living room, where we’re collectively sharing a single battery-powered space heater. The cots are pushed against the walls, and everyone is huddling around the one source of heat. Blankets and pillows, commandeered from the rest of the villa, are scattered on the floor. It’s like a high school slumber party—except none of these people are my friends.

I rub my arms for warmth and feel a weight settle on me as Daniel drapes a steel-blue blazer over my shoulders. I inspect the fabric. It’s surprisingly soft, and there’s a smart little handkerchief tucked into the pocket.

“Is this your suit jacket?” I ask.

Daniel offers a wry smile. “Yeah, it’s all I’ve got. Wish I had a hoodie with me, but I didn’t pack for a major storm and a blackout.”

I tug the blazer tighter. “It’s perfect. Thanks.”

I catch one of the cameras swiveling toward us, and I plaster on a smile that I hope looks adoring and not like I’m experiencing rigor mortis. Daniel settles beside me.

“Aren’t you cold?” I ask. He’s changed into dry clothes—shorts and another button-down.

“I’m good. And you’ll keep me warm, right?” he says, winking. Because we’re not alone, I don’t chuck a pillow at his head. Instead, I lift my arm up for him. For a moment, he hesitates, and then he scoots over to join me. Even now, he’s so warm, and I find myself snuggling closer to him, seeking out the comfort of his body heat.

I rest my head on Daniel’s shoulder. He drops a kiss on my temple, his lips pressing against my skin for the span of a heartbeat. My face heats at the contact, and I will myself to not react any more than that.

If you’d told high school me that I’d be voluntarily cuddling with Daniel Cho in paradise, I’d have told you to get lost. Well, first I’d grill you on the mechanics of time travel, and then I’d tell you to get lost.

“Aw, you guys are so cute,” Zya drawls. She’s curled up next to Dominic by the space heater, clad in an oversized plaid shirt. “You two sure got together quick after you were cheated on and dumped.”

Dominic smirks. “Level with me here. Were you that desperate for a rebound or are you just in it for the competition?”

“We’re in love,” Daniel says coolly.

I can feel the rumble of Daniel’s voice, and it grounds me enough to simply say, “If you have a problem with us, take it up with the producers.”

“What, you gonna snitch on us?” Zya taunts.

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