Relief flooded me, even if I did feel that familiar tinge of disappointment. There was once a time when he looked at me like I was everything he ever wanted, but that time had passed and I needed to accept it. At least this way I knew he’d keep his distance if I did decide to take the job. The ‘friendship’ label would make things easier for me, like a wall of safety I knew not to pass.

“Okay, well, I still need some time to think about it.”

Trev gave me a tender smile and reached forward to squeeze my upper arm for a second. Worrying butterflies flooded my belly at the momentary contact, but I ignored them. “Let’s go talk to the others then, yeah? Maybe they’ll help you make a decision.”

He led me back out, calling, “I need you for a minute, guys.”

The assistants, Jo and Neil, continued working, while the others congregated on the couch. I sat down on the single armchair across from them and tried not to let my nerves get the better of me. I rubbed my palms discreetly on my skirt. Trev was still wearing the same outfit from this morning and it was having a weird effect on me. When I glanced at him his eyes traced the curve of my hips then rose to my face. He shifted in his seat then turned to address his friends.

“So, you all know how difficult it’s been finding someone to fill in for Jo? Reya is a friend of the family and I’ll vouch for her. I think we should give her the position, at least while we’re filming.”

“She has my vote,” said James right away.

“Mine, too,” Paul added with a boyish grin that made my chest flutter. It was nothing like what Trev did to me, but it was still pleasant. I hadn’t had that feeling of being appreciated since I broke up with David. Still, I needed to get a hold over my crush on him because it made me feel like a perv. Paul was five years my junior.

“And mine,” said Leanne, which surprised me because she seemed a little standoffish before. Then again, from what I’d observed on the show, that was how she was with most people.

“Hold up,” said Callum. “I want to know a little more about her before we just hand over the job.”

Leanne narrowed her gaze at him. “She’s Trev’s friend. Why do you always have to be such a dick?”

“Because you love my dick,” Callum shot back crassly and I stiffened.

“Oh, hon, are you confusing love with sympathy again?” Leanne crooned. “I don’t love your dick. I feel sorry for it because it’s so tiny, remember?”

“Leanne,” Jo called warningly, having overheard the comment, though she was still on the phone. “Enough of that.”

“Whatever. He started it,” Leanne grumped and folded her arms while Callum shot her a triumphant grin. I was surprised Jo spoke with such authority, given she was only a PA. Then again, she was in her thirties, a good few years older than the group, and she had a natural air of bossiness about her. Would I have to be like her if I took over her role? I wasn’t sure I could handle that.

“Do you watch the show?” Callum asked, his attention returning to me.

“Yes,” I answered, lacing my fingers together in my lap. “Like Trev said, I’m a close friend of his family. We watch the show together all the time.”

“You think it’s good?” he went on, and Trev shot him a disgruntled look.

“Of course,” I said politely. “I think you’re all very talented. I know I couldn’t do what you do. Some of your stunts are downright terrifying.”

That seemed to assuage him a little, and I knew Callum was the one I was going to have to win over. Most people considered him the leader of the group, which he was, sort of, but it was more complicated than that. By all accounts, Callum and Trev held the most power, with Callum appearing to be the top dog. However, if Callum was the king, then Trev was the kingmaker, the one who pushed him forward and pulled his strings, whispered in his ear.

And everyone knew kingmakers held far more power than kings.

Obviously, I’d spent way too much time thinking about all this, watching the show and analysing the mechanics of the group.

“Oh yeah, and what’s been your favourite so far?”

I considered my answer. “When Paul dove off the roof of that office building to land on the window-cleaning scaffold. My heart was literally in my throat the entire time I was watching it.”

Paul made a little flourish and shot me another smile. “I aim to please.”

“Mission accomplished,” I said and smiled back.

When I glanced at Trev, his expression was slightly pinched. He didn’t like the natural rapport between us, that much was clear. I could tell he still remembered me claiming Paul was my favourite, but I was glad he didn’t mention it. That would’ve been awkward.

“Okay, I guess you can’t be any worse than some of the others we’ve seen,” Callum finally allowed, and Trev’s irritation visibly increased.

“I’m gonna have to echo Leanne’s sentiments, Cal. Don’t be a dick.”

He shrugged and rose from the couch, going to grab the basketball again.

“I better go inform those waiting that the position’s been filled,” said James as he headed for the door.

“He needs a fucking reality check,” said Leanne quietly, speaking of Callum. “I’m sick of his attitude. It’s like he thinks he’s better than the rest of us.”

“You know he’s always been like that, even before we were on TV,” said Paul as he threw his arm around her petite shoulders.

“Mm-hmm,” she mumbled, but she still seemed unhappy. I didn’t know it was possible for such a tiny person to hold so much tension in their body. She practically hummed with it, and I was suddenly curious to know the whole story behind her animosity towards Callum, and vice versa.

When I glanced up, Trev was standing over me, his hand outstretched. I let him pull me up to stand and we stared at each other for a second.

“Made up your mind yet?” he asked.

My throat ran dry, but my gut still twisted with indecision. “Not yet.”

His eyes sparkled a little at the challenge. “Guess I’ll have to up my game then.”

Five.

“Sometimes I’ll be driving around the city and I’ll see an interesting building and be like, we could do something there,” Trev explained to the unseen interviewer behind the camera.