Chapter 5
Declan
Seven Weeks Until Finale
Neil Steel: Welcome back, everyone, for another long, hot summer.
And we’re already off to the races with Niall and Stella leading right out of the gate.
Stella Reyes: ‘I saw him and it was like I’d known him in another life.’
Neil Steel: But others might have had a false start…
Maeve Kostas: ‘Callum would not have been my first choice.’
Callum Morgan: ‘She’s a frigid [bleep].’
[Neil Steel: Yikes!
Well, it’s anyone’s game, so place your bets now.
Tune in nightly to see who comes in…
and don’t forget to vote for who goes home!
Declan pushed himself out of bed at dawn.
He’d always been an early riser.
When he was younger, his dad would wake him and his brother every morning to train before school, and the habit had stuck.
It was quiet when he walked outside; the lights were still out in the bedroom, which meant he had time to himself before the crew arrived.
He cherished every moment off camera.
Keeping up appearances was already exhausting him, and the charade wasn’t made any easier by the proximity to a certain dancer.
Swimming had been his doctor’s suggestion, an exercise designed to work his arm back into its full range of motion.
Declan hadn’t been excited at the prospect, but had come to love the silence of being underwater.
He slipped into the pool, treading water for a few minutes so his body could adjust to the near-frigid temperature before beginning his laps.
Even though this had originally been pitched as a holiday by Georgia, he didn’t intend to let himself slack off – he needed to be in top shape when he got back in the ring.
He swam until his wrist ached, then slowed, floating lazily and enjoying the quiet of the villa after the exhausting night before.
They had danced for hours before they’d finally been allowed to go to bed.
By the end, Declan had been hot, tired and a bit miffed that he hadn’t been able to get drunk enough off their two-drink allowance to take the edge off.
The creak of the gate announced the arrival of the production crew, and Declan pulled himself out of the pool, heading towards the kitchen to put the kettle on.
Oliver was the first to make it out of the bedroom when the lights flicked on, shuffling over to Declan and staring blankly at the kettle as it came to a boil.
Rubbing at his eyes, he started to rummage through the cabinets, his oversized sleep shirt slipping to reveal a bare shoulder.
He set four mugs on the counter by Declan.
‘Thanks,’ Declan said, awkwardly thrusting the box of tea at Oliver.
He was standing close enough for Declan to feel the heat radiating off him, and when he made to take a step back, their elbows accidentally knocked together.
‘S’all right,’ Oliver said, tiredness giving his voice a soft timbre.
Declan poured the boiling water and retreated to the other corner of the kitchen with his two mugs, wanting to get out of Oliver’s immediate vicinity.
He blew on his drink distractedly, watching Oliver pull a carton of milk out of the fridge and splash some into the tea.
He held the carton out silently and Declan shook his head, trying to end the interaction.
Oliver shrugged, humming and stirring absently, his delicate fingers dwarfing the mug.
Declan realised he was staring and glanced away, catching the glare of a camera hidden in the rafters above their heads.
Jack had read somewhere that there were seventy-five cameras in the villa, and they’d made a game of trying to find them.
Declan would have to let him know about this one.
He took a sip of his tea and grimaced, wishing he had added milk, as Lara walked out of the bedroom with Zoe.
Declan dumbly pushed a mug of tea at her.
‘Oh, thanks,’ she said, sighing happily.
‘You’re such a gentleman.’
Declan inclined his head, watching Oliver present his own cup of tea to Zoe.
Niall and Stella walked into the kitchen next, holding hands.
There was a tension in the air brought on by what Declan supposed was the awkwardness of sharing a bed with a stranger, the stress of the competition, and the fact that they were under constant surveillance.
‘So, let’s have it,’ Declan said brightly, ‘how did you all get desperate enough for a date that you wound up here?’
Jack, who was making his way to the fridge, snorted.
‘Why don’t you start, King?’
he said, pulling a jug of orange juice out.
‘Wouldn’t think a famous bloke like you would have any trouble finding a bird.’
Though he was closest to Jack in the villa, Declan was still wary of how much he seemed to know about the other contestants.
He wouldn’t let himself be fooled into opening up by easy smiles and wisecracks.
Years of experience had taught Declan that the less people knew, the safer he was.
‘Maybe I’m finally ready to settle down,’ Declan said.
He knew how he came off to the public; he and Georgia had done their best to construct a certain reputation for him.
The reality wasn’t far off, with all of Declan’s romantic entanglements taking place in crowded clubs and only ever lasting the night.
The difference was the level of care Declan took to make sure no one noticed him slipping out the back door with another man.
Not coming out hadn’t been a conscious decision; he had just never thought it was the public’s business who he saw behind closed doors.
He hadn’t wanted to sacrifice that final piece of information, the one thing in his life that still truly felt like his.
That, and being known as the gay boxer was a responsibility he wasn’t ready for.
‘And what about you? Nobody hot for teacher?’ Declan teased.
Though he wanted to look like he was stirring the pot, really, he was assessing weaknesses – like he’d do with any opponent before a match.
Jack’s expression transformed into mock annoyance.
‘One viral video of my stand-up set on a failed engagement and suddenly the dating pool dries up. Figured I might as well take drastic action.’
Declan nodded while immediately discounting the story – being a teacher and an amateur comedian, Jack was certainly on the show for the prize money.
‘Not a single woman in London left? Brutal,’ Holly quipped as she joined them, Maeve scoffing at her side.
Jack pointedly ignored Holly, turning to Maeve instead.
‘What about you, jetsetter? Run out of foreign dignitaries to get entangled with? Or are they all wanted for human rights violations?’
‘Not all of them,’ Maeve said casually.
Jack persisted. ‘What’s your reason for coming here, then?’
She took a long sip of tea.
‘My mates signed me up. They think having a boyfriend in the UK will mean I’m in-country more often.’
Declan scanned the group, trying to figure out who would be the easiest to crack next.
Niall and Stella were completely oblivious to the conversation, huddled in their own little world on the other side of the counter, while Zoe, Lara and Holly lamented the horrors of modern dating.
Oliver was the only one who seemed uncomfortable with the line of questioning.
‘What about you?’ Declan asked, unable to help himself.
Oliver’s eyebrows drew together.
‘Dating would involve getting out of my flat every now and then, and that’s a non-starter.
I’m a bit of a hermit,’ he said, hands tight around his mug.
His tone was wry, and Declan couldn’t tell if he’d imagined the strain in it.
‘Just what a girl wants to hear,’ Declan said, with a mean laugh.
‘Call me a romantic.’ Oliver pushed his glasses up from the tip of his nose.
Green eyes met Declan’s, and he swallowed.
‘Zo?’ Declan said, turning away.
Zoe shook her head noncommittally.
‘I guess I’ve been a bit lonely.
I’m so focused on my work, I haven’t had time to meet a nice bloke.’
The way she delivered the line made Declan sure she’d rehearsed it.
She was going for the workaholic angle, and that was something he could use.
‘I know exactly what you mean,’ he said.
‘I feel like I spend all my time in the ring. It’s been impossible to meet the right girl.’
It was a line he used with the press often.
He and Zoe locked eyes, and she gave him a tentative smile.
‘Well, I’ve been on nearly a hundred dates this year with no luck,’ Lara said, laughing at herself.
‘I’m hoping being locked in a villa with someone will improve my chances significantly.’
The look she threw Declan made him uncomfortable.
‘Same here,’ Holly said.
‘I’ve got to beat them off with a stick at work, but as soon as it’s time to actually make a go of it, it’s crickets.’
Niall and Stella finally emerged from their bubble, seeming to notice the others for the first time.
‘I thought it was a sign from the universe when they asked me to come on,’ Stella said, glancing at Niall.
‘I was perfectly happy with my life as it was.’
Niall, the absolute buffoon, was blushing.
‘I thought I was too, but now…’
The two were staring at each other again.
Jack made a retching noise and walked away, effectively ending the conversation.
Declan spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon working through what he’d learned.
He was surprised by how genuine most of the contestants had seemed.
Perhaps he’d been too quick to assume everyone had ulterior motives – he hoped their lack of strategising would make winning that much easier for him.
‘Chime!’ Jack yelled out from his perch on a nearby daybed, where he was lounging with Maeve and Holly.
‘Yes, thank you. We can all hear it,’ Callum drawled, leaning over the railing of the second-floor balcony.
Darcy’s voice came through the loudspeaker.
‘Jack and Callum: tonight, Poppy is entering the villa, and she’s hungry for love.
Do you have what it takes to satisfy her?
Go and get ready for your dates; new meat is on the menu.
Ta!’
There were some hoots and hollers as the two made their way inside.
Moments later, a woman with a blonde pixie cut walked out onto the patio.
After introductions had been made, Paige ushered everyone except for Poppy and Callum upstairs.
Apparently, the dates would take place on the patio, with other contestants watching from the balcony, light heckling encouraged.
Jack took liberties with the definition of ‘light’, shouting increasingly distracting commentary at Callum.
The others gave up after a few minutes and took to murmuring amongst themselves.
Declan glanced at Oliver, who was laughing at something Niall had said.
He had managed to stay away from Oliver all week, but that hadn’t stopped him from looking – try as he might, his gaze always drifted back.
Ignoring him almost made it worse, with Declan’s body seemingly calibrated to know exactly where Oliver was at all times.
Jack slapped him on the shoulder, and he remembered to yell over the railing again, wrenching his eyes back to the patio.
‘Callum, do try to smile. It’s a date, not a dentist appointment.’
Callum turned his head to retort, but stopped himself.
Poppy, to her credit, was ignoring them in a spectacular display of self-control.
Paige walked out onto the balcony, signalling to Jack.
‘Your turn.’
‘Wish me luck,’ Jack said, giving the other Lovers a mock-salute before following her away.
Declan leaned on the railing, tipping himself forward to call out: ‘Time to turn on that charm we’ve heard so much about.’
Jack flipped him off as he walked out to the table where Poppy sat, and Niall and Oliver snickered.
‘Give Jack any tips?’ Declan turned his head to see Zoe standing at his elbow.
‘You seem to know what you’re doing when it comes to women.
I’ve seen the tabloids.’
Her voice was soft, not drawing the others’ attention.
Declan raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
‘I can assure you I don’t.’
‘I find that hard to believe,’ Zoe said, eyeing him slyly.
‘Well, you’ve only seen me on my best behaviour…’
Declan trailed off.
She gave him a calculating look, assessing him as he had her that morning.
He’d suspected Zoe had the competitive edge he was looking for in a partner, and now he was sure of it.
‘Nothing wrong with behaving badly,’ she said, giving his forearm a brief squeeze and letting her hand rest there.
Declan spared a glance over his shoulder at Oliver, but he was shouting down at Jack as Niall egged him on.
‘Oi, Jack, you want her to laugh with you, not at you.’
Declan hadn’t expected a girl to make a move on him so early in the game, but he was relieved it had been Zoe.
She may have found him attractive, but he was under no illusions that she would have gone for him without thinking through all of her options.
This wasn’t about finding love – as the contestant with the second-largest social media following after her, Declan was a safe bet.
He had no doubt she would make a perfect fake girlfriend.
As he watched Oliver and Zoe chatting over the kitchen counter, thinking about his next move, Paige appeared at his side.
‘Hey, Declan,’ she said, in her typical no-nonsense way.
‘Could we have a chat?’
‘’Course,’ Declan said, following her into the villa.
Brian, his usual interviewer, was always positively charmed by his soundbites, so he felt confident walking into the Love Shack.
‘So,’ Paige said, flicking on the camera, ‘first week is almost over; what are your impressions of the girls?’
‘The girls are great,’ he said vaguely.
‘I’m happy with Lara, but we agreed to keep our options open and get to know everyone.’
Unlike Brian, Paige didn’t seem content with that response.
‘I noticed that you and Zoe shared a nice moment the other night on the balcony,’ she said, her expression like the reporters Declan had so often dealt with, pen poised on her clipboard.
‘Oh? You caught that?’ Declan asked, stalling.
He considered the implications, but supposed there was nothing wrong with admitting it.
He’d been waiting for his interest in Zoe to come up organically, and Paige was leading him right to it.
‘Yes, I did,’ Paige said, looking at him expectantly.
‘Anything you want to talk about?’
Declan laughed, running his hand through his hair and doing his best to act bashful.
‘Well… what can I say? She’s obviously gorgeous, you’d have to be blind not to notice.
And I think she and I understand each other, we have similar careers, we want the same things, you know.’
‘You like her,’ Paige said.
It wasn’t a question, but Declan nodded anyway.
‘Yes, I like her.’
‘Enough to throw over Lara?’ It was impossible to tell how she meant the question.
‘Well, it’s hardly throwing her over,’ Declan said, backtracking.
‘I obviously would tell her before I tried anything with Zoe. It’s only polite.’
Paige made a note on her clipboard.
‘What about Oliver? Are you going to talk to him too?’
He shrugged, trying for nonchalance, conscious not to reveal too much.
‘I’m not in a couple with Oliver.
As far as I’m concerned, it’s not my place to say anything to him.’
‘So you don’t think Oliver has any right to know?’
Paige asked, straightening in her seat.
Declan wished he could just ask her what she wanted him to say; she was clearly angling for something specific.
He didn’t mind playing the role that she wanted him to, if he knew what it was.
He blinked at her, and she sighed, turning off the camera.
‘If you want to go for Zoe, that’s great, but be honest about it,’ Paige said, studying Declan carefully.
‘Sometimes you have to be the bad guy to get what you want.’
Declan thought he understood the situation now: Paige was trying to pit him against Oliver.
He knew he would win that competition and shouldn’t mind playing along, but he was reluctant.
It meant he’d have to stop avoiding Oliver and drag them both into the spotlight.
Looking at Paige’s eager expression, Declan realised he didn’t have a choice, and at least this way he would know how to act towards Oliver.
Rivalry was far less complicated than the twist in his gut whenever he looked at the other man.
She flipped the camera back on, giving him a nod.
‘So, you don’t think Zoe and Oliver make a good couple?’
‘Well, I never thought they made sense together,’ Declan found himself saying.
‘I think Zoe needs a certain kind of man, and Oliver isn’t it.’
Paige gave him a thumbs-up, and he relaxed slightly.
‘And you are? That kind of man?’
Declan laughed.
He wasn’t the right man for Zoe either, but no one needed to know that.
‘Yeah, I suppose I could be. I am pretty great.’
Paige smiled, glancing at her clipboard again.
‘What kind of guy is Oliver?’
Declan considered the question for a moment, wishing he knew the answer.
‘I’m not sure he really fits in.
He’s a bit awkward and shy, I guess.’
He paused before adding without thinking: ‘But he’s charming when he doesn’t mean to be.’
Paige gave a nod of approval and turned the camera off.
Declan leaned his head along the edge of the pool, listening to Lara and Holly chat about their preferred mascaras, trying to drum up the courage to ask Lara to speak privately.
He was interrupted by a chime.
Declan pulled himself out of the pool and made his way over to where the contestants were huddling up.
‘Lovers, how was your first week in paradise?’ Darcy’s voice asked over the loudspeaker.
‘Hope you’re not getting too comfortable.
Tonight there will be a recoupling, and the last single girl standing will be sent home.’
Declan’s heart sank.
He had thought he’d have more time, but now it seemed like he would have to act sooner than expected.
Glancing at Lara, who was already heading into the villa to change, he realised he’d missed his opportunity to talk to her about Zoe.
The boys got ready together and had been gathered by the firepit for several minutes when Darcy finally came through the gate.
Paige was at her side, furiously writing notes on her clipboard as Darcy muttered out of the corner of her mouth.
The girls filed out to stand before the fire, looking tense.
‘All right,’ Paige said, looking at the boys.
‘You’ll each give a quick speech about why you’re picking your girl, saying her name last. On my mark.’
She ducked behind the camera.
‘Action!’
Darcy looked at the camera and smiled.
‘We’re coming to the close of our first week here on Summer of Love .
Tonight, it’s time for the boys to pick the girl they’d like to couple up with…
and the last girl standing will be going home.
Gentlemen, are you ready?’
The men nodded.
‘Niall?’
Niall picked Stella, obviously.
The crew did a few takes of his speech, directing the contestants to act shocked each time he called Stella’s name, until finally Darcy decided they could move on.
‘Declan, your turn.’
Declan stood, facing the girls.
‘As soon as this girl walked into the villa, I knew she was someone I had to keep my eye on. She’s gorgeous, and I can’t wait to see what the two of us can do together.
The girl I would like to couple up with is—’
‘Cut!’ Paige called.
‘Just a sec, Declan.’
Declan waited impatiently as a cameraman moved to get shots of the girls doing their best to look nervous.
It would have been funny if not for his very real anxiety.
‘Okay, great!’ Paige said.
‘Declan, do that last line again.’
Declan nodded, turning back to the girls.
‘So,’ he said, ‘the girl I’d like to couple up with is Zoe.’
Zoe beamed, walking over and pulling him into a hug, but Declan found himself glancing at Oliver over her shoulder.
He looked stunned, his face frozen.
It wasn’t until he locked eyes with Declan that he frowned.
Jack and Callum’s picks were less surprising: Jack chose to remain with Holly and Callum picked Poppy.
Declan felt a brief pang of regret as he made eye contact with Lara for the first time that night.
‘Maeve, Lara,’ Darcy said, glancing between the two women.
‘Whoever Oliver doesn’t pick will pack her bags and leave the villa immediately.’
Oliver looked distraught, brushing the curls out of his face and inadvertently making them stick up on one side.
Paige paused shooting so he could fix it, but he still seemed unsteady.
‘Oliver,’ Darcy said, regarding him gravely, ‘which girl do you choose?’
Oliver took a deep breath.
‘Well, this is difficult. The girl I’d like to couple up with is, um, a bit intimidating…’
He trailed off. Declan could tell he was pulling the words out of thin air.
‘I’ve only got to know her a little in this short week here, but I’m excited to see where things could go.
The girl I choose is… Maeve.’