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‘And maybe do in-person events, like an open day so you can see how potential guests interact with each other,’ I added. ‘I get that some people are introverts so they might hate that, but it’s good to see people’s personalities in real life instead of just relying on what they put on a form. Anyone can lie when they’re filling out a questionnaire. Some things you can only tell about a person when you meet them in the flesh.’

Maybe if someone had met Edward in advance, they might’ve realised that he was a lying bastard.

‘Another good suggestion, thank you.’

‘I’m tired and don’t feel like socialising, so I’m going back to my room.’

‘Of course,’ Victoria said.

‘You will be okay on your own?’ Romeo asked.

‘Thanks. I’ll be fine. At least now I know he’s not bloody coming back!’ A weak laugh fell from my lips. ‘Night,’ I said, as I headed to my room.

* * *

I sat up in bed and stretched my arms to the ceiling.

Considering what happened last night, I’d slept surprisingly well.

Now that I wasn’t in limbo any more with Edward, I wondered what would happen to me. Was there any point in staying if I didn’t have a match?

Based on what Stella had told me, now that I’d been here a week, today I’d leave this room and get transferred to a couple’s villa. But I wasn’t sure if moving to a bigger place was a good idea. It’d just remind me that I was there alone, whilst everyone else was happily matched up.

I knew that what Romeo said was true: I shouldn’t waste any more time thinking about Edward, but I couldn’t help feeling shitty.

It wasn’t about Edward per se – if I was honest, I didn’t feel the connection with him from the start. It was just I was tired of the constant rejection. The feeling of never being good enough.

Romeo was kind to say all of those sweet things about me, but in a way, it only made things worse. It didn’t matter if he thought I was funny or smart and sexy (I still wasn’t sure if he meant that or was just trying to make me feel better), because even with Edward out of the picture, it didn’t resolve the issue of relationships with guests being forbidden.

Yes, I fancied Romeo like crazy and I’d wanted to kiss him, but I saw how angry Victoria was when she saw us together. Imagine if she caught us doing more? I wasn’t going to be responsible for Romeo losing his job. I didn’t need that kind of karma.

Especially given what he’d told me before about how determined he was to secure the opportunity to work in the US. That was his dream and he’d made it very clear that he wouldn’t let anything, especially a woman, jeopardise that.

And even if Victoria declared that as compensation for Edward screwing me over, she’d allow me and Romeo to fuck once to get it out of our systems, it wouldn’t solve the issue. I was tired of hookups. I wanted more. And as much as I felt the connection with Romeo, he couldn’t give me a committed, long-term relationship.

Now that I thought about it, I was glad that Victoria had interrupted us.

She’d stopped us both from making a terrible mistake.

I had no idea what I was going to do for the rest of my stay here, but one thing I knew for sure was that it definitely wouldnotinvolve kissing Romeo.

30

ROMEO

As I finished clearing away the chairs from this morning’s briefing, my heart hammered in my chest.

Victoria had summoned me to her office, which could not be good. Especially after she caught me with Sammie yesterday.

Although Sammie had told Victoria that it was innocent and I had been a gentleman, I knew the truth.

There was absolutely nothing gentlemanly about the thoughts going through my head about what I wanted to do with Sammie just seconds before Victoria had arrived.

Until I received that message from Victoria ten minutes ago, I thought I had been lucky and that my job was safe.

After Sammie returned to her room last night, Victoria was about to talk to me but she got called away. There would be no more hiding now though. It was time to face the music.

I strode to Victoria’s office, frustrated that my plan to check on Sammie had been disrupted. She had not come for breakfast and she had also missed the last morning briefing.