Summer of Love

Chapter 13

Declan

Four Weeks Until Finale

Neil Steel: You know what they say: where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

And we’ve seen quite a few sparks this past week!

Zoe Park: ‘It was such a romantic first kiss! It’s a moment I’ll remember forever.’

Neil Steel: Sounds like Declan more than delivered on the fireworks.

But the King wasn’t the only one with a flair for the dramatics.

Imogen Vichare: ‘I’m absolutely gutted that Jack has gone and two-timed me.

You think it’s all sorted, that a guy’s solid, then he pulls a move like that.’

Neil Steel: I say this on behalf of all the men out there: thank God I’m not Jack Obiaka.

The group woke to a message from Darcy: ‘Ladies, all this fun in the sun must be hard on you. That’s why we’re sending you to get primped and pampered.’

‘Oi,’ Jack grumbled at no one in particular, as he sank back into the duvet.

‘What about us? Where’s our spa day?’

The girls ignored him, murmuring excitedly as they went to get ready and leaving the boys to groggily fume at being passed over.

Declan was the first among their ranks to pull himself out of bed, going to find Zoe for a touching on-camera goodbye.

The kiss under the fireworks the week before had fixed everything.

On their day off, she’d admitted the whole spat had been a ploy to get them more screen time, and that the kiss had been the perfect conclusion.

Leaning against the doorframe of the dressing room, he watched as Zoe twisted her hair into a pair of effortless-looking braids.

He’d always enjoyed watching Georgia get ready for events, and he found the same calm watching Zoe.

She finally spotted him as she finished the second braid.

‘Hi, you,’ she said coyly.

Declan noticed that she had taken a seat in clear view of the camera in the corner – he envied her instinct to always place herself at the perfect angle.

The past few days had reminded him how lucky he’d been to find someone with the same goals.

With Zoe, he’d found everything he had come on the show for.

He came up behind her, keeping eye contact in the mirror.

‘You look beautiful.’

‘Aww,’ Imogen cooed from the next vanity over.

‘Couple goals.’

Declan leaned down and wrapped his arms around Zoe, smiling at their reflection.

She turned and pecked him on the lips.

‘We’d better go,’ she said, standing.

Declan nodded. ‘I’ll walk you out.’

He escorted Zoe downstairs, the other girls trailing behind them.

‘Wow,’ Jack said from the bottom of the stairs, staring at Maeve, ‘you look amazing.’

Maeve flushed, and Jack dropped a kiss to her cheek when she reached him.

‘We’ll be back soon,’ she said, squeezing his hand.

The girls departed in a van, and the boys were left to sit around the pool and look bored for the cameras.

‘I miss Maeve,’ Jack said petulantly.

‘I miss Stella,’ Niall agreed.

‘I hope the girls are having a good time,’ Declan said.

Oliver snickered. ‘You lot are pathetic; they’ll be back soon enough.’

On cue, the loudspeaker chimed with a new message.

‘Boys, we know you miss your girls, but love is a battlefield. The girls won’t be coming back today, but we’ve found some new recruits to keep you busy.’

The boys traded bewildered glances.

‘Hello!’ a voice called, and Declan turned to see four girls walking out onto the patio.

One for each of them, he noted.

The two groups made their introductions.

Faye, a tall, dark-skinned expat from America, was the one who had greeted them, and a redhead named Eavie was by her side.

The others, a set of identical twins, introduced themselves as Amelia and Annabelle.

From Declan’s position on the patio, he could see through the large glass windows of the villa straight to the front door.

The production staff was clearing out the other girls’ suitcases, loading them into a van.

Paige sent the new girls upstairs to change into bathing suits and instructed the boys to have a chat.

‘The crew is stretched thin between the two locations, so I’m expecting everyone to be on their best behaviour,’ she said sternly.

‘Your girls are in another villa right now meeting brand new boys, so it may be in your best interest to keep your options open.’

‘Are the other guys as hot as me, though?’ Jack joked.

‘Hotter,’ Paige deadpanned.

Jack had the good sense to look nervous.

‘Fair enough. All right, boys, let’s talk about our feelings, yeah?’

The boys nodded and Paige waved a cameraman over.

From Declan’s casual viewing of the show, he knew the rival villa was the hardest test for the couples.

The introduction of a new set of contestants sent specifically to try to steal them away from their established partners made for good drama, but it was also a trap.

Straying from Zoe now would only make him a villain to the audience – all he could do was trust that she wanted to win as much as he did.

‘So…’ Jack said, after an awkward pause, ‘what do we think of the new birds? Decs, what’s your assessment?’

Declan straightened and raised his hand to his forehead in a mock salute, feeling ridiculous.

‘Faye seems sound, Eavie is gorgeous, and who doesn’t like twins, sir!’

‘At ease, soldier,’ Jack said, immediately taking to the bit.

He turned a solemn face towards Niall.

‘And you, Private O’Connell?’

‘Yes, the girls are fit, sir!’ Niall said, with equal commitment.

Declan could see Paige roll her eyes in the corner of his vision.

‘Permission to engage, sir,’ Oliver cut in, sitting at attention.

‘Hold tight, Sergeant, we still need to determine a plan of attack,’ Jack said, throwing a look back at the villa.

Niall let out an offended huff.

‘Why does he get to be a sergeant and I’m relegated to private?’

he complained, dropping the charade.

‘Can it! No backtalking to your superiors,’ Jack said.

‘We move out in five minutes. Ready, men?’

‘Aye, aye, Captain!’ the boys said sarcastically.

Paige sighed. ‘Very funny. But give these girls a real chance; they may surprise you.’ She gave Oliver a pointed look, and the two seemed to share a silent conversation.

The night progressed like all the others, with too-loud music and too little alcohol to cope with the awkwardness of having to dance in such a small group.

Declan was tiring of the endless parties, even with new girls around to keep the conversation fresh.

Without Zoe to distract him, Declan found his gaze wandering to Oliver, and saw the same exhaustion reflected on his face.

He inclined his head slightly and the two peeled off from the others, heading towards the pool.

As they sat, Declan struggled with what to say.

It had been difficult to be around Oliver recently.

Declan had avoided him since the night of the fireworks and found things noticeably easier when he concentrated on Zoe.

He didn’t have to worry about forgetting the cameras, and he could focus on what the audience wanted from him.

But despite all that, he missed Oliver.

‘So,’ Declan said, reverting to the mechanics of the show to keep them in neutral territory, ‘what do you think of the girls?’

Oliver didn’t meet his eye.

‘Well… Eavie is pretty.’

It wasn’t much, but Declan could work with it.

‘She is, mate,’ he agreed.

‘What’s the plan?’

Oliver finally looked at him, his expression blank.

‘I suppose I’ll have a chat with her and see what happens?’

Declan already regretted bringing the girls up.

He’d thought it would be a safe topic, but he detected a hint of irritation in Oliver’s tone.

‘Do you know what you’re going to say?’

‘Not really,’ Oliver said lightly, ‘but I’m sure I can manage on my own.’

Declan couldn’t stand his affected cheer.

‘Is everything all right?’

‘Why wouldn’t it be?’

Oliver asked, not dropping the painfully polite tone.

‘I don’t know,’ Declan said, wanting to goad him into a real response, ‘there are four beautiful women for you to choose from and you don’t seem excited at all.’

Oliver’s eyes flashed to his, regarding him coolly.

‘I mean, this isn’t about the other night, is it?’

Oliver stiffened beside him.

‘What do you mean?’

‘With me kissing Zoe.’

Oliver gave him an odd look.

‘I know you liked her before.’

‘No,’ Oliver sighed.

He pinched his nose under his glasses and scrubbed at his eyes, looking like himself again.

‘I don’t know – I guess I’m just feeling a bit adrift.

I haven’t connected with any of the girls.’

He looked at Declan, his green eyes glowing in the soft light.

‘I’m not sure I will.’

‘Of course you will!’ Declan said, wanting to wipe away his lost look.

‘Just get out of that head of yours and focus on how she makes you feel. It should feel good to be with her. She should make you happy.’ He leaned towards Oliver without thinking and their bare shoulders grazed.

Oliver stared at him for a few more moments before nodding slowly.

‘Focus on what makes me happy?’ he said with a wry smile.

‘Not exactly what I’m used to.’

He stood, stretching his arms over his head, the muscles along his stomach fluttering at the movement.

‘Wish me luck.’

Declan stared at him.

‘Always,’ he said, his throat dry.

Declan woke to Jack’s soft snores in his ear.

He had shifted during the night to Declan’s side of the bed and was spooning him tightly.

When he opened his eyes, he found an amused Oliver watching from the next bed over, where he’d slept beside Niall.

Paige had been cross when the boys refused to share with the new girls the night before, but they’d presented a united front and she’d eventually given in.

‘Comfy?’ Oliver whispered, a sly grin on his face.

Declan’s brain was too soft from sleep for a witty reply.

‘Piss off,’ he muttered, shoving a grumbling Jack with his shoulder.

He headed outside, Oliver trailing behind him.

It felt good to get back to their morning routine, and it reassured him that the awkwardness of the past few days had dissipated.

After his swim, they met by the weights as the crew set up around them.

‘So,’ Declan said, while Oliver lay back on the bench press, ‘how’d it go with Eavie?’

Oliver’s eyes shifted from where they’d been focused on the bar to Declan.

He was beautiful with his hair splayed out around him, looking up at Declan like that.

‘Um,’ he huffed out.

‘Good, I think?’ He went for another rep.

‘She thinks I’m funny.’

‘And you? Do you like her?’ he pressed.

Oliver finished his last rep and sat up.

‘I think so?’ he said, grabbing a towel.

He wiped the sweat from his brow before turning back to Declan.

‘Honestly, she’s the first girl here that I could see myself with in the real world.’

He sounded wistful, and Declan prayed he was playing it up for the cameras.

‘What do you like about her?’ Declan asked, not wanting to hear the answer.

‘She’s a dancer, which is nice,’ Oliver said, standing and letting Declan take his spot on the bench.

That was much better – Declan could focus on lifting the weight from his chest rather than the pit in his stomach.

‘Her parents are academics and thought the whole thing was silly. My parents thought I was mad and I’d be broke.

So I guess we’ve got a shared experience to bond over.’

‘She sounds like your type,’ Declan said, masking his frustration with physical exertion.

Oliver frowned slightly.

‘Well, yeah, isn’t that the point?’

Declan shrugged as he pushed the bar back into the rack and stood to switch positions.

‘I think you should keep your options open, get to know the other girls. I mean, you’ve got the pick of the lot.’

Oliver considered him carefully and – not for the first time – Declan worried he’d overplayed his hand.

‘I’ll think about it,’ he said finally, and they continued in a not-quite-uncomfortable silence.

Starving after their workout, Oliver and Declan made their way to the kitchen, where Eavie and Faye were chatting over a cup of tea.

The twins were nowhere in sight, which was a relief since Declan had already forgotten their names.

‘Morning, you two. Fancy some breakfast?’ Declan asked, grabbing a carton of eggs.

‘How was your first night?’

Eavie cast a sidelong glance at Oliver.

‘Oh, good. You boys sure know how to make us feel welcome.’

‘Yup,’ Faye agreed.

‘It’s like a full-service bed and breakfast.’ She stole a banana from the fruit bowl and sat on the counter to watch the boys cook.

When they served breakfast, Oliver asked Faye for a chat and the two took their plates off to a corner of the patio, leaving Declan with Eavie.

‘Don’t worry,’ Declan said gently, noticing her glum expression and nudging the loaded plate closer to her.

‘He’s just getting to know her a little better.’

‘Right,’ Eavie said, straightening.

‘So, what can you tell me about him?’

‘Trying to get some insider information?’ Declan teased, but Eavie nodded earnestly.

‘I like him,’ she said simply.

‘And I think he could be good for me.’

There was no doubt in Declan’s mind that she was being genuine – she didn’t speak with any of the practised coyness of someone like Zoe.

He swallowed, desperately trying to crush down his own feelings for Oliver.

‘Yeah, well, he’s a good guy,’ he said, his tone coming out clipped.

Eavie gave him a funny look.

‘So you’re the protective type, then?’

‘Something like that,’ Declan said, regaining his composure.

‘Don’t worry,’ she said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

‘I’m not one to give up on a good thing.

I’m not going to break his heart, or leave him behind like Zoe and Maeve.’

That, somehow, only made him feel worse.

‘Oh,’ Declan said dully.

‘Well, good.’

Before she could reply, Jack and Niall interrupted them.

‘Ooh,’ Jack said, eyeing Declan’s untouched plate.

‘Are you planning on eating that?’

Declan pushed it towards him.

‘Knock yourself out.’

Oliver and Faye were off by themselves for hours, though Declan couldn’t fathom what they were talking about for so long.

The afternoon found the contestants lounging by the pool, chatting inanely and feeling more than a little bored.

Like clockwork, the telltale chime went off and Darcy’s voice echoed through the garden.

‘Lovers,’ she cooed, as Oliver and Faye walked back over and Declan tried not to analyse their body language too closely, ‘we’re kicking this game up a notch.

Time for a relay race against the other villa.

Complete challenges the quickest to win a night out on the town.’

There was a pause, before she continued, ‘Jack, choose a girl…’ The contestants glanced around at each other, unsure.

Jack shrugged. ‘Amelia?’

One of the twins nodded.

‘Now pour a condiment all over your chest, and have the girl lick it off.’

He and Amelia jumped into action immediately, running to the kitchen.

Jack whipped open the fridge and grabbed the blue-raspberry-flavoured syrup from their neon party cocktails.

Amelia grimaced at the selection, but Jack had already ripped off the cap and doused his chest in blue goo.

She shrugged, pushing him against the fridge and dragging her tongue up his torso in long strokes.

‘This tickles,’ Jack said, squirming as the others laughed at them.

‘Done!’ Amelia called triumphantly, wiping some blue from the corners of her lips.

Jack grabbed her by the hand and the two raced back to the group.

‘One point to our boys!’ Darcy called, and the group cheered.

‘Everyone get into a sex position with someone of the opposite gender.’

The team didn’t hesitate this time, each of them grabbing the closest contestant and tumbling into what could feasibly be a form of fornication.

‘I don’t think I’ve done that one, mate,’ said Jack, studying the tangled mess that was Niall and Faye with horror.

Niall winked at him.

‘Try it sometime, darling.’

‘Looks like the girls are quicker to fall into bed, one point for the girls’ villa!’

‘Dammit!’ Declan exclaimed, and the rest of the group stared at him.

‘What?’ He crossed his arms, pouting.

‘I like to win.’

The next challenge came through the loudspeaker.

‘The shortest girl must kiss the tallest boy.’

All heads turned to Eavie and Oliver as they leaned towards each other.

It was a chaste peck, or at least that’s what Declan tried to tell himself before seeing a flash of tongue.

Irritation must have shown on his face, because Niall gave him a friendly slap on the arm.

‘Buck up, I’m sure Zoe is only doing it for the game.’

Declan blinked at him, confused, before remembering that as the shortest girl in the other villa, Zoe would be kissing another man.

Declan glanced back at Oliver and Eavie; they were blushing and not making eye contact .

He needed to pull himself together.

‘Right,’ Declan said.

He heard cheers around him, and must have missed that they’d won the point.

‘All right, boys, time for the oldest among you to give the tallest girl a lap dance, and don’t forget to make it sexy.’

Jack grinned at Faye, already making his way over.

‘How about it?’

Watching Jack overdramatically grind, twerk and whip his non-existent hair on Faye cheered Declan up significantly.

By the end of it, he was back in the competitive spirit.

‘Sorry, boys, not sexy enough. Girls’ point!’

Darcy laughed delightedly.

‘That’s bollocks!’ Jack shouted.

‘We’ll win the next one,’ Annabelle said.

‘The girl with the shortest name must plant twenty kisses on a boy of her choice.’

Faye turned to Oliver with a sly smile.

‘Do you mind?’

‘Not at all,’ Oliver said, visibly gulping.

Faye sat in Oliver’s lap, kissing his cheeks, his forehead, his lips, his throat.

Declan watched them together, Faye’s mouth on Oliver’s neck, hating that he’d pushed Oliver to pursue her.

He clenched his teeth, possessiveness tightening his chest.

‘Oh, boys,’ Darcy tsked, and Faye reluctantly slipped off Oliver.

‘You’ll need quicker lips to win next time.’

‘This game is rigged,’ Jack said, laughing.

‘No way Zoe did that faster than Faye.’

Declan finally ripped his gaze away from Oliver when Darcy gave the next challenge.

‘The boy with the first name alphabetically, snog the girl you fancy most.’

He glanced back up, eyes dragging over Oliver to Eavie beside him.

Declan didn’t think about it.

He kissed her, harder than he meant to, the frustration of the day pouring out of him.

When they broke apart, he forced himself not to look at Oliver.

‘That’s how you do it!

Boys win that point.’

Declan hesitantly turned to Oliver.

He looked stunned, blinking at Declan as though seeing him for the first time.

Declan felt split open, his bitterness dissipating instantly.

There was a beat where no one said anything, and the contestants waited with bated breath.

‘Was that i—’ Faye started.

‘Everyone jump in the pool!’ Darcy cried.

The contestants scrambled out of their seats, tripping over each other as they ran to the pool’s edge and jumped in, ignoring the shouts from Paige about their mics.

As they clambered back out of the pool, laughing and shoving each other playfully, Darcy’s voice came over the loudspeaker: ‘Tough luck! You weren’t quite fast enough to catch the speedy lovebirds in the rival villa.

Nice guys really do finish last!’

Declan had given up on the game as soon as the shame of the kiss had sunk in, so he wasn’t put out by the loss.

The others didn’t seem to care either, and the boys spent the night getting to know the new girls better, any tension cut by the challenge of the afternoon.

It turned out Annabelle and Amelia were actresses, doing mainly local commercials and modelling gigs, which led to Faye regaling them with the movie-star encounters she’d had living in LA.

‘What made you move here?’ Jack asked.

‘You could’ve had George Clooney eating out of the palm of your hand with a smile like that.’

Faye flashed her teeth at him insincerely.

‘I followed a man out here, if you can believe it. We were engaged and everything.’ She looked away.

‘He called it off two weeks before the wedding.’

‘God,’ Niall said, ‘I can’t imagine.’

She recovered quickly.

‘Luckily, I’m hot as shit, drinking wine and surrounded by four gorgeous men now.’

The contestants laughed and Paige called for lights out in thirty minutes.

‘Ready for a cuddle?’ Jack asked, slapping Declan’s knee.

Declan shook his head.

‘Nah,’ he said. ‘If it’s between your snores or the mosquitos, I’ll take the mosquitos.

I’m sleeping out here tonight.’

He hoped that a night away from the other contestants, from Oliver, would help to clear his head.

Jack raised a hand to his chest in mock affront before shrugging.

‘Whatever, more room for me.’

Declan avoided the others as he got ready for bed.

He didn’t want anyone to see the emotions he worried had been written across his face all night, the confusion and guilt over what had happened with Eavie.

He stripped down to his boxers before heading back outside, where he was startled to find Oliver sitting on one of the daybeds, Paige and a cameraman close by.

Declan paused. Talking to Oliver would certainly make Declan lose his final measure of control, but he couldn’t think of a way out of it in front of the cameras.

‘Fancy a spoon?’ Declan asked, donning his easy-going facade as he sat on the opposite side of the daybed, hoping in vain that Oliver couldn’t see right through him.

Oliver was wearing his old grey T-shirt with the crew neck stretched to its limits from use.

His hair was a complete wreck, sticking up on all sides, and his glasses hung low on his nose.

He looked so perfect Declan could scream.

‘I thought it’d be nice to chat.

I could use some advice,’ Oliver said, picking at a loose thread on the hem of his shirt.

‘All right,’ Declan said hesitantly.

He was confused by Oliver seeking out his company after what had happened that afternoon.

‘I’m conflicted,’ Oliver said, turning to face him fully, ‘between the girls. I had a good chat with Faye. We talked about her engagement ending, and I felt like we had a lot in common there.’

‘Because of your ex?’ Declan couldn’t stop himself – he needed to hear more about Sophie, to understand why Oliver would move continents for someone who had broken his heart once already.

Oliver nodded with a far-away look in his eyes.

‘We weren’t engaged, obviously.

But I was sure it would happen someday.’

‘Right,’ Declan said, ignoring the ache in his chest. Jealousy crept in, and he was surprised to find it wasn’t directed at Sophie but at Oliver himself, for being capable of loving someone so wholly, for experiencing heartbreak and letting himself be open to it again.

‘But how were you sure?’

‘I don’t know.’

Oliver stared at him.

‘The things I thought I was sure of then – I don’t feel sure of them any more.’

‘And you’re okay with that?’

Declan traced the line of Oliver’s collarbone with his eyes, unable to comprehend how someone could be so willing to live in uncertainty.

It took a form of bravery he didn’t possess.

Declan only felt comfortable in situations he could control.

‘Yes.’ Oliver glanced at Paige, and cleared his throat.

‘And I think Faye understands that… but then there’s Eavie.’

Declan opened his mouth, ready to apologise for the kiss, but Oliver waved him off.

‘It’s fine. I mean, I don’t have anything to worry about, right?’

‘Not even a little,’ Declan said.

‘I’m too far gone on someone else.’

Oliver could stay thinking he meant Zoe; he’d never have to know how hard it was to be this close to him and not reach out to touch him.

Oliver studied him carefully, the moon reflected in his eyes.

‘It feels easy with Eavie,’ he said.

‘Like she understands me.’

‘Other people understand you, Oliver.’ Declan glanced at the cameraman, wanting to say more.

‘But, mate,’ he continued, forcing himself to sound positive, ‘I don’t think you can make a bad choice here.’

‘Thanks,’ Oliver said, resting a hand on Declan’s shoulder.

Declan stared back at him for a moment too long before clearing his throat.

‘I’m knackered,’ he said, and Oliver nodded, removing his hand.

‘Do you mind if I sleep out here?’ he asked.

‘Niall kicks.’

Declan hid his expression by leaning down to remove his mic.

‘Uh, yeah, ’course,’ he said, turning to pull the duvet over himself like a shield.

He knew the suggestion was innocent, that Oliver had no idea how close Declan was to unravelling and how he was driving him to it, but it was hard to think rationally.

‘Not a problem.’

They listened awkwardly as Paige and the cameraman walked away.

‘Good night,’ Oliver said, when they were finally alone.

‘Night,’ Declan replied, and as a final cruel reminder that they were still being watched, the fairy lights above them flicked off, shrouding the patio in darkness.

Declan willed himself to sleep, but his body remained tense as the minutes dragged on, his thoughts always drifting back to the boy sleeping beside him.

He wondered what Oliver looked like, face slack with sleep and lips parted slightly.

His hair was probably a mess, soft curls splaying out across his high cheekbones.

Declan pictured Oliver’s T-shirt hanging off his shoulders, showing the freckled skin beneath.

Oliver shifted next to him, turning over so they were facing the same direction, one of his legs pushing out and grazing Declan’s calf.

He waited, but Oliver didn’t move away.

His breathing was slow and even, and Declan was sure he’d fallen asleep.

He was acting mad. Oliver had just told him about two different girls he was interested in.

Their friendship only worked when Declan kept himself, and his feelings, under control.

He tried to make himself relax by taking in ten slow breaths, but he only got halfway through before getting paranoid that Oliver would hear him.

Finally, Declan gave up and turned over, but Oliver was much closer than he had thought, and they ended up almost nose-to-nose.

Declan retreated, leaning his head on his forearm, trying not to disturb him, but Oliver’s eyes were already on him, lit by the moonlight across his face.

‘Hi,’ he whispered to Declan, almost completely inaudible.

‘Hi,’ Declan whispered back.

The two boys smiled at each other.

Declan was struck that under the massive duvet and the moon, this was their first private moment since the beach.

Oliver looked more relaxed than he’d ever seen him, his grin soft and inviting.

How are you? Declan mouthed.

Oliver wrinkled his nose and wiggled his head noncommittally.

So-so. You? he mouthed back.

Declan grinned, Oliver’s good mood infectious.

Never better.

If Declan didn’t know differently, he’d have thought Oliver blushed at that.

Oliver moved his hand forward until it brushed against Declan’s, his fingertips grazing Declan’s palm.

Declan found it difficult to breathe.

Oliver’s eyes had starlight in them, and his gaze made Declan feel suddenly unmoored.

He looked at their hands, wondering what it meant that Oliver had reached for him.

He glanced up, and Oliver’s expression was dazed, as though realising what he’d done.

Declan desperately wanted to look away, to shrug off Oliver’s hand like it was nothing, but he couldn’t.

He glanced at Oliver’s lips, at how they parted as he drew in a shaky breath.

Their faces were closer together now, without Declan noticing he had moved at all.

Overwhelmed, like some outside force was compelling him forwards, he leaned in.

And then panicked as their noses nearly collided.

He shifted away, Oliver blinking at him.

Declan cleared his throat roughly.

Oliver let go of his hand.

‘Well,’ Declan whispered.

‘Good night.’ He turned over without waiting for a reply and didn’t move for the rest of the night.