It’s weird that this observation comes from someone like me. With my set of issues, my self-esteem has been wonky for ages, but to see how someone else grows under your instruction, steady support, and love is like watching an orchid bloom, one flower at a time until the breathtaking display is there for all to see. This is how Georgiana is now, showing off our kitchen and skylights and making Jack smile.
Even I feel more comfortable with the film crew and have gone from mute to a few short sentences today that weren’t a tangle of words. Jack shot up an eyebrow and nodded but kept on interviewing Georgiana since she’s been their champion from the start.
We’re working on the final touches of our tiny house, and this is the last session with the production crew. We’ve been good at hiding our relationship from them, but Jack seems like the type to read between the lines, and I caught him volleying glances between me and Georgiana over the last few weeks and especially since he arrived this morning.
When they’re done shooting the interior of the tiny house, we scoot out and gather next to it.
“It’s looking good,” Jack says. “You’ve pulled it all together perfectly. The detail in the woodwork joinery and bathroom is something else. Unparalleled. I’ll bet the crowd is going to rave over it.”
That’s great to hear. Jack’s been annoyingly quiet about how other teams’ builds are going, but given that this is a competition, it’s for the best.
“Since this is our last shoot, we’d like to round it off with a stroll out of the barn and a wide angle of the place once you’re outside.” Jack gives us a happy grin. “And then maybe you can show the viewers what’s been building behind the scenes during the weeks of your tiny house construction?”
“What do you mean?” Georgiana asks.
“You’d have to be blind not to have noticed that you two have…eh…” Jack gestures with his hands as if he’s bringing two things together.
Georgiana’s eyes widen. “You’re on to us?”
“Since week three. Now be kind and seal this episode with a kiss?” Jack asks, and the camera is still rolling.
I don’t want to know what they’re going to do with all the surreptitious footage they’ve been shooting while we weren’t paying attention. I cough a laugh and sweet, darling Georgiana blushes rose pink. I step closer to her and snake my arm around her waist and whisper in her ear. “What do you say, sweetheart? Should we make Jack happy and give the viewers that Aww moment they’ll be begging for from the start?”
She glances up at me, a smile twitching. “If you don’t mind. It can’t get more official than national TV, can it?”
“Nope. But are you ready to go down that final abyss of reality TV?”
We’re still whispering, but Jack shifts from one foot to the other as if he heard every word I said. “No need to get overly dramatic,” he says. “I only want a visual of you two, like you are now, with a kiss to seal the deal in front of the barn.”
“Okay.” Georgiana nods.
“Are you ready for this?” I say as I take her hand and lead her outside the barn.
“I sure am, but I don’t think Jack is.”
We both chuckle and watch Jack and his cameraman do some pre-kiss footage. When the camera zooms in on us, the plan is to give Georgiana only a lingering kiss on the lips, but the chemistry is explosive and soon her hand drives into my hair and I cup her cheek for better purchase as our lips open with an insatiable hunger for each other.
We only hear Jack’s pained voice calling “Cut…cut!” around the third time and break out into husky chuckles as we pull apart.
“Well shit, the chemistry is spot on if we were making something X-rated.” Jack shakes his head with a roll of his eyes. “Now we’re going to do a retake and for heaven’s sake, keep it contained!”
We laugh as we lean into each other, and with a demure peck, we finish filming this unscripted and very scripted final shoot to satisfy Jack’s desire to only make good TV.
“The truck will be here first thing on Friday morning to hook you up for the drive to Boston,” Jack says as he plucks out one of his cigarettes. “What are your plans? We need to do a shoot for the record once you’re at the convention center, and a professional photographer will be there to take photos of your tiny house for the convention’s magazine before we go live on the weekend and the crowds trample the place. The judging is also happening on Friday, so you’ll need to be in tip-top shape.”
“We’re planning to follow the transport truck and be there when the tiny house arrives,” Georgiana says. “We’ll make sure everything is in place after the move and perfect for presentation.”
“Great, I’ll see you there then. It’s been a pleasure, you two.”
They pack up and once they’re gone with a crunch on the gravel and a cloud of dust, I pull her into a side hug. “Thank God that’s over.”
“Towards the end there, you were a real star. How many hearts do you plan to steal with that kiss, Raiden Logan?”
“Only one heart,” I murmur, “and don’t deny that you enjoyed it.”
“Maybe…too much for what’s appropriate on family TV.” She laughs and pulls me back into the barn.
It’s lunch time and I’m hungry so I don’t let go of her hand but grab the picnic basket with our towels and lead her straight to the lake for our daily educational session.