I nod in understanding.
‘I don’t usually bring anyone here. It’s my special place.’
My heart flutters at his confession, but I try not to read anything into it.
‘Documenting wildlife, especially those close to extinction, is my absolute passion. Filming anything else seems meaningless,’ he says, twisting the giant lens and swinging the camera round. ‘I’d love to film in the UK someday. Man, you have some spectacular scenery and wildlife. But you just gotta take what work’s offered, you know? Even if you don’t enjoy it.’
‘I totally get that,’ I say. When my mother died, so did my zest for life, my ambition, my passion. Everything seemed meaningless afterwards, so I allowed myself to drift, doing crappy supply jobs for hardly any money, and even less respect, while I took time to figure out how to cope.
While Cam has his head down, peering through the camera and twiddling with buttons, he starts speaking to me in hushed tones.
‘I filmed here once. In this exact spot. In fact, it was while I was here on location that Megan and Pete first hooked up behind my back.’
Oh. This must be hard for him. He keeps his face hidden behind the camera. Just because he’s comfortable and trusting enough to confide in me and because I’m incredibly easy to talk to, doesn’t mean he has romantic feelings for me. I try not to let my hopes soar.
‘Must have been so tough to lose both your best friend and your girlfriend at the same time,’ I say quietly. ‘That’s why you don’t mind being away from home so long.’
A comfortable silence settles between us and for the next hour we simply watch the jungle come alive in all its glorious technicolour. When we pack up and trek back to the car, Cam says, ‘Thank you, Libby. That meant a lot.’
One look into his kind, sad eyes and my heart melts for him. I reach out to take his hand lightly. ‘It’s okay to still be sad.’
He clears his throat, dropping my hand. ‘We’d best hurry. Porscha will be calling soon. I’ll need to be at my desk, or she’ll get suspicious.’
‘You could tell her to back off.’
He gives me a tiny half-smile as we set off, navigating the difficult compacted terrain in partial light.
‘Yeah. She’s been after me for a while. It’s kinda difficult because, well, for one she’s my boss and two…’
‘You’re not interested? She’s not your type? Too bossy? Too scary? Too in-your-face?’
‘I was going to say I never mix business with pleasure.’
My chances with this glorious man are plummeting by the second.
‘I could tell by your body language,’ I say, ignoring this devastating blow. ‘Usually, if a woman muscles her way into your trailer under false pretences, twirls her hair and gives you a year’s supply of condoms, you’d do more than hurry away at the speed of light.’
Cam chortles. ‘Was it that obvious?’
‘For your sake, I hope she’s not one of those women who loves the chase. From what I hear, she always gets what she wants.’
‘Are you sure you’re a schoolteacher and not some spy from a rival TV channel? You seem to know an awful lot about things.’
‘I am a teacher therefore I gossip.’
‘Did you just coin a new phrase?’ Cam looks at me and waggles his eyebrows.
It’s almost like he is flirting with me.
‘How do you fancy continuing this over dinner?’ he says.
He is. He’s flirting with me.
A bubble of joy rises from my chest. I must try to play it cool whilst also letting him know that I am very, very available. ‘Sure. I’d love to.’
‘As a teacher, I’d appreciate your take on using documentaries to drive home the need to save the planet in schools. Is it a mandatory part of the National Curriculum over there? How about the rest of Europe?’
I have never been so disappointed.
