Chapter 14
Declan
Unsurprisingly, Declan woke up feeling like he hadn’t got any sleep.
He had been in agony the whole night, replaying what had happened over and over in his head.
He couldn’t believe he had tried to kiss Oliver.
There was no way his intentions could have been misconstrued, nothing else he could have been doing leaning towards him like that.
Declan was exposed, with no facade to hide behind any more.
Oliver had stripped him of it.
He couldn’t resist looking at the man sleeping soundly next to him.
Aside from the small puddle of drool on his pillow, Oliver looked as perfect as he had the night before.
Declan carefully slipped off the daybed to get ready for his swim.
He lingered over the workout, swimming more laps than he normally would.
When he finished, it was Eavie, not Oliver, waiting poolside with a cup of tea for him.
Oliver was in the kitchen with the rest of the contestants, and Declan tried not to read anything into that.
‘Hi,’ Eavie said, concern in her eyes as he shifted his gaze back to her.
‘Are you okay?’
He smiled, trying to wipe away whatever honest emotion she had seen.
‘Yes,’ he said, pulling himself out of the pool and sitting beside her.
She handed the mug to him wordlessly, one eyebrow arched, and he sighed.
‘You’ll find, if you stick around, that this isn’t exactly a holiday.
The pressure has got to all of us one way or another.
I guess it’s finally getting to me.’
Eavie frowned. ‘Having a change of heart for Zoe?’
‘No,’ he said emphatically.
‘I’m fully committed to her.’
Her mouth pulled down at the corners.
‘That’s not exactly what I asked.’
And something in him broke.
He wanted nothing more than to be off the island and away from Oliver and the rest of them.
He was so tired of being Declan King for the cameras, pretending nothing could touch him.
He wanted to go home, to see Georgia again, to train his ass off and win back his title so that no man in England could dare call him soft.
He knew he must look mad staring down Eavie, but he couldn’t lie to her.
He didn’t want to lie to her.
If she asked him again how he felt, he couldn’t be sure he wouldn’t blurt out every non-platonic thing he’d ever thought about or done with Oliver Wright.
To his relief, she backed off.
‘It’s fine,’ she continued, waving dismissively.
‘My real motivation for coming over here was to ask for your help in seducing Oliver to my side. Don’t get me wrong, Faye is great, but Oliver is too amazing to pass up.’
‘He is.’
She laughed like he’d made a joke.
‘Oliver already likes you,’ he said, looking her over.
She really was beautiful – she and Oliver would look good together.
‘No seduction necessary.’
‘Well, put in a good word for me, if you can,’ Eavie said.
‘Based solely on what I’ve seen, he does have a tendency to be thick.’
Declan chuckled at that.
‘Come on, let’s join the others.’
The contestants were finishing their breakfast when the PA system chimed.
‘Girls,’ Darcy said, ‘the sun may be setting on your time in the villa. Tonight, we’ll see which couples stayed true and who will be saying adieu.’
‘So that’s it, then?’
Jack asked. ‘We pick our girls and hope they haven’t cracked on with some new bloke?’
Niall nodded, his eyebrows drawn together, staring glumly at nothing in particular.
‘Well, that’s shit,’ Jack said, crossing his arms and looking distraught for possibly the first time ever.
Seeming to remember the new girls, he looked around sheepishly.
‘No offence.’
Amelia put a hand on his shoulder.
‘Jack, I had my tongue on your nipple. If that wasn’t going to sway you, I don’t have much else in my arsenal that would.’
Annabelle snickered, and Jack cracked a smile.
‘Chin up, boys,’ Declan said, looking around the table.
‘Stella and Maeve are head over heels for you two. Me and Zoe are sound. We’ve got nothing to worry about.’
At least only the newcomers were at risk of elimination, so that was one less anxiety for the boys.
‘Except for whatever sorts they’re flaunting in front of them,’ Niall said darkly.
Paige called them into the Love Shack one by one to discuss who they were going to pick that night.
When Declan arrived, she looked worn down, regarding him with a trepidation that immediately made his stomach twist.
‘Nice to see you,’ she said, with a tight smile.
‘Right, well, have a seat and let’s get through this.’
Declan slumped onto the stool.
‘I’m excited to see the girls back here tonight,’ he said, unprompted, plastering on his signature smile.
‘I’ve missed Zoe; it’s been so boring here without her.’
‘Good,’ Paige said.
‘Say more about what you like about Zoe.’
Declan nodded.
‘Zoe is one of the most wonderful girls I’ve ever met, and our connection was instant.’
‘So you feel confident going into tonight?’ Paige asked.
Declan wasn’t sure what else he could give her.
‘I’m feeling confident about Zoe and I going into tonight,’ he parroted back.
‘We were rock solid when she left. I have no doubt in my mind she’ll come back to me.’
He and Zoe had never explicitly talked about how they would manage this challenge, but sticking together was the best way to win, and he knew she wanted that as much as he did.
‘Perfect,’ Paige said.
‘Thanks a mil. Could you send Oliver in next?’
Declan nodded, relieved to have been released so easily.
He walked out onto the patio, immediately spotting Oliver wedged between Faye and Eavie by the pool.
Faye tousled Oliver’s hair affectionately and he shot her one of his devastating smiles.
Declan stalked over to them.
‘Paige wants to see you,’ he muttered.
Oliver looked up at him, still grinning.
Declan searched his face for any trace of what had happened the night before, but Oliver’s expression remained infuriatingly calm.
‘Cool,’ he said, standing and gesturing for Declan to take his spot.
‘God,’ Faye said, looking after him as he walked away.
‘This is weird.’
‘It certainly is unorthodox,’ Eavie agreed.
‘I hope you didn’t feel like I was intruding on your conversation.’
‘Not at all. We’ve got, what, a few hours left before the recoupling?
Best to spend as much time as possible with him.’
And Declan was in hell, watching two girls compete for the man he had nearly kissed the night before.
‘I bet the producers would love it if you got catty,’ he said unhelpfully.
Faye raised her fists and put on a fierce expression, taking a mock swing at Eavie, who laughed and swatted her hand away.
‘They won’t get us that easily,’ Eavie said.
The rest of the afternoon passed tensely until finally Paige told them to get ready for the recoupling.
Declan had managed to dodge Oliver since sending him to the Love Shack, while simultaneously trying to figure out if Oliver was avoiding him.
It was almost a relief to be alone together as they picked out their outfits for the night.
‘Green or blue?’ Oliver asked, following the show’s script perfectly and holding two shirts.
He seemed to have decided the best way to deal with what had happened the night before was to forget about it.
Declan should have been relieved, should have been ecstatic honestly, since Oliver’s choice kept his secret.
Somehow his slip of self-control hadn’t resulted in his sexuality being broadcast to millions of viewers, and yet the only thing he could think about was the fact that Oliver hadn’t smiled at him all day.
‘Green,’ Declan said.
‘It’ll bring out your eyes.’
‘Okay,’ Oliver said, pulling it on.
‘How are you feeling?’ Declan asked, quickly adding, ‘About tonight, I mean. Have you made your decision?’
Oliver stared at him, bottom lip caught between his teeth.
‘I think so,’ he said, nodding slowly.
‘I know who makes me happy.’
‘Right,’ Declan said, his heart beating hard in his chest.
‘You sticking with Zoe?’ Oliver asked, seeming intently focused on cuffing his sleeves.
‘Yes,’ Declan said. ‘She’s all I want.’
Oliver looked up at that, opening his mouth like he might say something, and Declan panicked, turning to the mirror.
He glanced at Oliver in the reflection, willing him to leave it alone.
‘Five-minute warning!’ Brian called over the speakers, and Declan was relieved for the out.
When the contestants had gathered, Paige went over some final details.
The boys would be making their decision first, to stay coupled up or choose one of the new girls.
Then they’d bring in the girls from the rival villa, who would either walk in alone, having chosen to stay with their man, or arm in arm with their new beau.
Darcy stepped out onto the patio wearing a mod vinyl white dress and silver go-go boots, her platinum hair piled into a gravity-defying beehive.
‘Hello, lovelies,’ she cooed, in a surprisingly good mood for what was sure to be an extra-long shoot.
‘I hope you’ve all prepared for a night of drama.’
Declan shot an amused look at Oliver, but his eyes were on the girls lining up in front of them.
Paige, whispering into her headset, gave Darcy a cue, and Darcy clapped her hands excitedly.
‘Let’s get started!’ She turned to the boys.
‘At least try to make it interesting, won’t you?’
Niall went first. ‘Well, I had a lot of fun getting to know these girls over the past few days, but my heart was won a long time ago. And it’s the most real and rare thing of my life.
So the girl I’d like to couple up with is…
Stella.’
Darcy looked bored as the cameraman captured everyone’s reactions.
‘Great, moving on.’
Jack’s speech had more intrigue, since he and Maeve were never officially coupled up.
‘I’m choosing this girl because she’s the most incredible woman I’ve ever met.
She keeps me in my place, and God knows I need that.
These few days apart have killed me, and I can only hope she still feels the same.
So the girl I’d like to couple up with is…
Maeve.’
Annabelle and Amelia grabbed each other’s hands and gave wobbly smiles.
‘You both are lovely girls though!’ Jack said, apologetic.
‘Oh, Jack!’ they said in unison.
‘God, I love twins,’ Darcy said, staring at them.
‘Always makes for good TV.’
Declan suppressed an eye roll.
Next was Oliver. ‘Try to get a shot of him with both girls in the foreground,’ Darcy directed.
The two girls looked sideways at each other, and Declan saw Eavie mouth good luck.
Declan finally allowed himself to glance over at Oliver, only to find him staring back.
He tried to smile encouragingly, but Oliver was already turning to the cameras.
‘Over the past few days, I’ve felt a connection with two girls in particular.’
At this, Oliver looked between Eavie and Faye.
‘This is the hardest decision I’ve had to make.’
He paused, and Declan saw Darcy twirl her finger in a cue to wrap it up.
‘The girl I’d like to couple up with, I felt like I knew instantly.
I choose… Eavie.’
Declan realised he’d been dreading Oliver picking either girl, so he found himself oddly relieved it was done with.
Eavie took Oliver’s hand and he dropped a kiss to her cheek.
Declan turned away to see Faye looking crestfallen.
He thought he knew exactly how she felt.
‘Oh, that’s perfect,’ Darcy said, gesturing for a cameraman to get a better angle of Faye.
‘All right, Declan, your turn.’
Declan cleared his throat, ‘Right, well, what can I say, I’m loyal to the bone.
These girls are amazing, but there’s only one woman I want to be with right now.
It took her being gone for a few days for me to realise how much I care for her.
I pick Zoe.’
Darcy smiled and turned to the three remaining girls.
‘Ladies, you have not been chosen by any of our boys. Please pack your things and go.’
Faye, Annabelle and Amelia filed out with small waves.
There were no touching goodbyes – it was time to find out who the girls had chosen.
Declan, Jack and Niall stood in front of the firepit as Darcy considered them.
‘Boys,’ she said solemnly, ‘the three of you have chosen to stay true to your girls, and it’s time to see if they feel the same…
But first, let’s see how the single girls picked!
Holly, Imogen?’ Darcy called.
‘Come and take a seat.’
The two girls filed in, each with a new boy on their arm.
‘Here we have Holly and the lovely Owen, who made a surprise reappearance in the other villa. And Imogen and Rhys.’
Holly grinned at the boys as she stepped up to the firepit, a familiar Irishman beside her.
Imogen followed with her new man.
The new couples took their seats next to Oliver and Eavie.
Darcy looked back at the three boys still standing.
Jack shifted from one foot to the other, and Niall kept glancing at the gate as if he’d be able to catch a glimpse of Stella.
Only Declan watched Darcy.
She had a malicious glint in her eye that made his stomach drop.
‘Now let’s see about your girls,’ she said.
‘Stella, would you come in?’
The gate opened to reveal Stella, standing alone, a look of terror on her face that faded to relief as she ran into Niall’s arms. He picked her up and spun her around, kissing her softly.
‘I knew it,’ she said over and over again as he pulled her to their seats.
‘How adorable,’ Darcy said, cloyingly sweet.
‘Maeve, darling, do join us.’
Maeve walked out, her jaw hanging slightly open in shock when she saw Jack standing alone.
She and Jack stared at each other for a moment before he enveloped her in a tight hug.
‘Oh, thank God,’ Maeve said.
‘I thought I was about to make a fool of myself.’
‘We’re fools together, love,’ Jack said, kissing her.
They left Declan alone, the last man standing.
‘Declan,’ Darcy said, ‘you’ve decided to remain faithful to Zoe after being coupled up with her for nearly four weeks.
Let’s see if she feels the same.
Zoe, come on out.’
Zoe stepped out with a tall man on her arm, and bile rose in Declan’s throat as he recognised him: James Rowe, Georgia’s ex-boyfriend.