Summer of Love

Chapter 18

Declan

Two and Half Weeks Until Finale

Neil Steel: And the hits keep coming for Declan King…

James Rowe: ‘That is so you, Decs, trying to fight your way out of this.’

Neil Steel: It looks like Declan’s not willing to go down without a fight – though some swings may be landing a bit too close to home.

Oliver Wright: ‘What the [bleep] is wrong with you?’

Neil Steel: Watch out!

Declan’s on a warpath!

Declan walked into the Love Shack for the first time without having a good sound bite prepared.

He had been sure it would be him, not Rhys, going home during the recoupling – fame and followers could only excuse so much, and he’d been slipping up for the last week.

It had taken almost being eliminated for him to realise how much he wanted to stay, just to have more time with Oliver.

Paige watched him carefully.

‘Big night for you,’ she said, turning on the camera.

Declan shifted his eyes away from the blinking red light.

‘Yes, it was.’

‘Did you know Imogen would pick you?’

He tried to remember the few words he and Imogen had exchanged on the date to figure out what kind of edit the producers had given it, but it was useless.

There was little chance they hadn’t aired that scene as the absolute shit-show it was, and he had forgotten to give them any follow-up material.

If he had been thinking, he would have spent the past two days focused on winning Imogen back in full view of the cameras.

‘Honestly?’ he said.

‘Not in the slightest. But I’m grateful she did.’

He’d spent the last hour trying to figure out Imogen’s strategy.

It made sense on a basic level: she was an influencer, and for anyone making money off Instagram, followers outweighed poor social conduct.

‘I was surprised,’ Paige said, ‘given what happened on your date.’ She inflected the sentence like it was a question, but Declan only shrugged.

‘I guess she likes me enough to overlook that.’

‘I guess she does,’ Paige said, and Declan couldn’t decipher her tone.

He blinked at her and she turned the camera off, rubbing at her eyes.

‘You must know your image hasn’t been great recently.

I mean, between the fight with James and that date with Oliver, you seem like an entitled prick who doesn’t like people messing with his stuff.’

‘Zoe mugged me off,’ Declan said.

‘I’m allowed to be upset.’

‘Sure,’ Paige said easily.

‘But that doesn’t give you the right to act like an ass.’

She sighed. ‘Look, people love to root for the slighted party. And if you hadn’t flown off the handle, maybe the audience would still be on your side.’

That gave him pause.

‘The audience isn’t on my side any more?’

Paige pursed her lips.

‘Your ratings aren’t what they used to be.’

‘What can I do?’ Declan asked, realising how thoroughly he’d messed up.

He’d let his guard down, operated solely on emotion, and now he was paying for it.

It had been days since he’d even considered the audience.

Paige cocked her head.

‘You lost Zoe because she didn’t know you cared.

Putting your heart on your sleeve and actually showing some vulnerability would give the viewers a reason to like you again.’

‘Right,’ Declan replied, dismissing that idea automatically.

The last week had been the most real he’d been on the show.

Clearly, his lowered ratings had to do with him dropping the act he’d been carefully crafting his entire career.

And showing people the real him, all of him, wasn’t an option.

Paige turned the camera back on.

‘So, let’s hear it honestly, how are you feeling?’

‘Well, I’ve had quite the week…’

Declan said, stalling as he figured out the exact wording and cadence of his next words to maximise sympathy.

‘Zoe dumped me and I acted like a prat and pissed off one of my best mates. I’m deeply ashamed of what I’ve done, and I’m so glad to have this second chance at love.

Imogen gave that to me, and I’m going to spend the rest of my time here making it up to her.’

Paige’s eyes narrowed.

‘Hmm… and what exactly was going on with you and Oliver on the date? I don’t think we discussed that last time.’

Declan took a deep breath.

This question he’d at least prepared for.

‘It was… misplaced emotions. I was still angry about James and I took it out on Oliver.’

She stared at him for a moment too long, but just as Declan started to feel uncomfortable, she sighed.

‘Fine, thank you. Off to bed.’

Declan walked back into the now-claustrophobic bedroom.

An extra bed had been shoved in to accommodate the additional couple, leaving barely enough space to walk between them.

Imogen was waiting for him, brushing her long curls over her shoulder.

She wore a matching pale pink pyjama set and she smiled when Declan settled on his side of the bed.

‘Just FYI, I’m a bit of a restless sleeper,’ she said cheerily.

‘I don’t want to accidentally kick you, so it may be best that we don’t cuddle.’

‘Oh, er… sure,’ he replied, taken aback.

‘Great!’ Imogen leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before diving over to her side and pulling the duvet up, effectively ending their nightly pleasantries.

Declan turned away from her and saw Oliver lying on the opposite bed, close enough that Declan could’ve reached out and touched him.

Their eyes met, twin smiles playing at their lips.

Hi , Oliver mouthed at him.

Hi , Declan mouthed back.

They were grinning like idiots, but Declan didn’t care.

Looking at Oliver’s face, he knew he didn’t need to take Paige’s advice.

No need to bare his heart on national television; that wasn’t what people wanted to see from him anyway.

He’d be the Declan King everyone loved, and he and Oliver could continue on the way they had been the past few days.

It wasn’t much, just a few stolen glances and secretive smiles, but it was more than Declan had ever let himself have before.

He couldn’t believe that what had started as a desperate attempt to fix his fake love life had resulted in something as real and extraordinary as Oliver.

‘Everyone ready?’ Paige asked, bouncing from one foot to the other.

Declan had never been more excited for a day off from filming.

The producers had finally given in to Niall’s pleas for a chance to explore the island and were taking the contestants on a hike.

As big as the villa looked on television, it was small and made even smaller by the new additions.

Declan had done his best to avoid James and Zoe, but the sly smirks from James and the apologetic eyes from Zoe were slowly driving him mad.

Watching Paige practically buzzing, Declan realised he wasn’t the only one going stir-crazy.

‘Yes?’ she asked, when she received no response.

‘Great, let’s move.’ She turned and climbed into a van, gesturing for the others to follow.

‘Oliver and I can take the back,’ Declan said to Imogen and Eavie, slapping Oliver on the shoulder.

‘How chivalrous,’ Eavie teased.

Imogen giggled. ‘And that’s only from one night with me.

Give me a week, I’ll get him back on the straight and narrow.’

Declan grinned sheepishly as he and Oliver piled into the back of the van, squeezing their bodies into the tight space.

Oliver’s knee pressed firmly into Declan’s and their arms jammed together in a way that would have been uncomfortable if it had been anyone else.

Instead, heat spread along every inch of his body.

‘You two look cosy back there,’ Imogen said, settling into her seat.

Eavie peered over her shoulder at them and laughed.

‘Are you sure you’re okay?’

‘Your comfort is our utmost priority,’ Oliver said, doing his best to look put out, but his dopey grin ruined the effect.

‘Everyone strapped in?’ Paige called from the front seat.

They nodded. ‘Great! We’re off!’

she said, turning the radio up.

Oliver shifted minutely against him so that their sides were pressed firmly together.

Inane pop music blared in the background, but Declan was too fixated on Oliver to hear a word.

Leaning sideways as much as he dared, he gently rested his cheek against the hot skin of Oliver’s shoulder.

Oliver turned his head, and Declan felt a slight pressure as Oliver pressed a kiss to his forehead.

He didn’t move, keeping his head perfectly still as his heartbeat rushed in his ears.

‘Aww, don’t you two look cute!’

Imogen squealed. Declan jolted awake, opening his eyes and immediately regretting it as the daylight assaulted him.

They had arrived.

He shot up straight, blinking slowly at the girls before tentatively glancing sideways at a sleep-riddled Oliver.

‘What can I say,’ Declan muttered, grasping desperately for a joke, ‘he’s so dreamy.’

The girls giggled as they piled out of the van, Declan following close behind and leaving Oliver to collect himself.

He continued to blink as his eyes struggled to adjust to the bright morning sun, and he grabbed at his shorts for his sunglasses.

Jack walked over, grinning.

‘Got a good nap in, then?’ he said, taking in Declan’s befuddled expression.

‘Me and Niall spooned the whole way – the man is surprisingly comfortable for such a big hunk of muscle.’

‘Yeah, snored the whole way too.’ Owen quipped.

‘Back off, Jack,’ Oliver said, emerging from the van and slinging an arm around Declan’s shoulders.

‘We’re the only bromance on this show.’

‘All right!’ Brian called out.

He was dressed like he was going on a safari instead of a short walk to the cove, wearing khaki shorts and a wide-brimmed hat.

‘It’s an out and back trail, about two miles each way.

We’ll be stopping for lunch and a swim before we head back.

Got it?’

‘Sir, yes, sir!’ called Jack.

Brian gave him a tired look before turning on his heels and heading for the trailhead.

Declan and Oliver hung back with Niall and Jack, the four of them picking up the rear of the group.

‘Now that we can speak freely,’ Jack said, ‘what’s the first thing you’re going to do when we finally finish this fucking torture chamber of a show?’

‘Marry Stella,’ Niall said, without hesitating.

The boys laughed, but he continued, earnestly, ‘Well, I suppose I’ll have to ask her first.’

Oliver made a strangled noise.

‘Marriage, already?’

Niall’s eyebrows drew together.

‘I came here to find someone to spend my life with. Marriage is only the beginning.’ The rest of the group exchanged furtive glances, and Niall’s look of confusion deepened.

‘Why else would you come on this idiotic show, if not for love?’

‘A laugh?’ Jack offered.

‘Followers,’ Declan continued.

‘A hundred thousand pounds would be nice,’ Oliver said.

Niall looked scandalised.

‘Don’t get me wrong,’ Jack said quickly, ‘Maeve is a remarkable woman, but honestly, this was only meant to be a bit of fun. Maybe I’d get a good bit or two for my stand-up, but I didn’t think I’d last a week.’

‘But you and Maeve are so good together,’ Niall said.

‘I have no clue what she sees in me, but I’ll be spending the rest of my life trying not to bugger it,’ Jack said, slinging his arm around Oliver.

‘You probably don’t care about the money either, now Eavie’s here.’

Oliver laughed and made a face at Declan.

‘Spoken like someone who’s taken up with a rich solicitor.’

‘And you?’ Niall said, turning accusingly to Declan.

‘You’re here for more followers?’

‘Come on,’ Jack said, saving Declan from having to explain the concept of dishonesty to Niall, ‘that can’t be surprising to you.

The man is a walking Instagram ad.’

‘Hey! I have depth!’ Declan protested.

Jack rolled his eyes.

‘Of course you do, but does Declan King?’

‘He can put on quite the performance,’ Oliver said, but he sounded more impressed than judgemental.

‘He even had me convinced he was into Zoe.’ He shot Declan a wry look.

Declan’s attempt to respond was interrupted by Stella and Maeve calling for their men to join them ahead, leaving Oliver and Declan alone.

They walked in silence as the trail snaked inland, falling further and further behind the others.

Declan nudged Oliver the moment the rest of the group had drifted out of eyesight.

‘I wonder if there’s a nice view up that way,’ he said, pointing towards a massive boulder to their right.

It was a razor-thin excuse, but Declan was desperate to get Oliver alone.

‘Wanna go check it out?’

They scrambled up the boulder, stopping at the top to look out over the expanse of ocean.

It was Declan’s first glimpse of the sea since the day at the beach, and the sight of the cresting waves unknotted some of the tension in his shoulders.

He breathed in the salty air as Oliver absent-mindedly lifted his shirt to wipe the sweat from his brow.

Declan stared at him, forgetting the view entirely.

Oliver grinned at his expression.

‘Should we sit?’

Declan didn’t understand how Oliver was acting so calm when he was vibrating out of his skin.

‘Uh-huh,’ he managed.

They sat. Oliver was unnervingly close again, his side brushing Declan’s.

They looked out at the glistening sea for a moment, and Declan was struck by how content he felt, maybe for the first time in his life.

He sensed Oliver’s eyes on him and turned towards him instinctively.

‘Hey,’ Oliver murmured, the midday sunlight filtering through the sparse trees casting his face in soft speckled light.

After days of concealed glances in front of the cameras, seeing him like this, staring at Declan with such open affection, felt miraculous.

But Declan had looked for long enough.

‘Come here,’ he said, leaning in.

He could feel Oliver’s smile against his lips as he snuck a hand into his hair, pulling him closer.

It seemed impossible that he could already miss the feeling of Oliver’s lips against his own, but he had.

Declan gripped the nape of his neck and Oliver moaned, the soft sound in his throat vibrating against his lips.

He grabbed at Declan, hands skating up his arms, long fingers digging into muscle.

The warm scent of amber invaded Declan’s senses, and he was overcome, lost in the feeling of Oliver’s hands on him.

Six weeks, that was how long it had been since he’d first laid eyes on Oliver – six weeks of avoiding him, hating him, holding in his feelings, driving himself mad with want.

Now he had him. Oliver was in his arms, hair a mess, eyes wild, lips pressing at Declan’s neck, nipping at the junction where jaw met throat.

Oliver’s hand drifted to his hip, pulling Declan firmly on top of him, thighs slotting on either side of his hips.

Declan kissed him again, biting gently at his bottom lip, feeling a burning deep within him.

Having spent his whole life either in pain or trying to dull it, the pleasure of feeling Oliver move against him was completely new to Declan.

He ran reverent hands along Oliver’s body.

His fingers ghosted up Oliver’s neck, resting on his cheek, his thumb grasping Oliver’s chin to pull him even closer, pressing their lips together.

Oliver huffed out a laugh, leaning back.

‘I thought I was going crazy,’ he said, his fingers tightening on Declan’s arms. ‘That night you almost kissed me’ – he pressed a lingering kiss onto Declan’s lips – ‘and then pretending like it didn’t happen.

And all that shit with James.

I thought… honestly, I don’t know what I thought, just that I must be mad.’

‘Fuck,’ Declan said, leaning his forehead against Oliver’s shoulder and then sinking his teeth into the skin there.

‘I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.

After that day on the beach, when I acted like a drunken fool…

Hell, even from the first day on the plane.

You looked at me and I was gone.’

‘From the first day on the plane?’ Oliver murmured, his eyes wide.

‘Yeah…’ Declan said, sitting back to look at him properly.

He took in Oliver’s dishevelled appearance, insides knotting at the state of his hair and the pink of his cheeks.

Oliver cocked his head to the side, waiting.

‘I’m gay.’

Oliver didn’t respond immediately, turning to look out over the water, and Declan moved off him, suddenly apprehensive.

He watched Oliver’s profile; it looked like he was considering his words carefully.

‘I take it you’re not,’ Declan said slowly.

‘Unless you were lying about your ex.’

Oliver shook his head.

‘No, Sophie is real.’ He paused for a moment, turning to consider Declan.

‘That doesn’t mean this’ – Oliver gestured between them – ‘isn’t.’

He looked back at the ocean, and Declan stared at where the tendons of his neck folded into his jaw.

‘I suppose I figured if I liked men I would’ve noticed by now.

But it was impossible to ignore how I felt about you.

I mean, when I saw you kiss Eavie…’

Declan couldn’t help but laugh.

‘That’s what did it?’

Oliver grinned. ‘It was confusing at first. I kept getting mad at you and I couldn’t understand why.

First, because you stole Zoe from me, then I thought I was jealous of how well you were doing.

But when you kissed Eavie, I realised I was just jealous.

You’re like no one I’ve ever met before.

So infuriatingly hot and absolutely annoying – I didn’t stand a chance.’

Declan ducked his head, pushing into Oliver’s side.

Oliver picked up his hand and studied it intently, lacing their fingers together.

‘I suppose I’m a little more fluid than I originally thought,’ he said.

‘Bisexual, maybe.’ He said it like he was testing the word out, squinting as he tilted his head back and forth.

He waited for a beat before nodding.

‘Yeah, pretty sure that’s the one.’

Declan looked at their intertwined hands.

Oliver made this all seem so easy, accepting his new sexuality with little more than a shrug and an air of certainty that terrified Declan.

He turned away, glancing back towards the shade of the trees, unsure of what to say.

‘If you knew you were gay, why come on the show?’ Oliver asked after a moment.

‘Why put yourself through this? Surely not just for followers?’

Declan shrugged.

‘It was my best mate’s idea, actually.

We auditioned together, but she pulled out.’

‘But you agreed to do it without her?’ Oliver pressed.

‘I’m doing it for her.’

Declan sighed, dropping Oliver’s hand to rub the back of his head, thinking of how to describe Georgia and everything they were to each other.

‘She’s the only person outside of my family that knows about me.

We’d be photographed together to keep the tabloids off my back about my dating life, but it made things more complicated for hers.’

Implied in Georgia’s pitch for them to go on the show was something deeper – she couldn’t play that role in his life any more, and he needed to find someone who could.

‘She was your beard,’ Oliver said simply.

Declan frowned at the term.

‘We never confirmed anything, always kept things circumstantial. I didn’t want to lie.’

‘But you didn’t want to tell the truth either.’

Oliver said the words without malice, but Declan flushed with shame all the same.

‘No, I didn’t,’ Declan admitted.

‘But Georgia getting involved was a mistake.’

Oliver blinked.

‘Georgia is James’s ex?’

Declan gave him what must have been a thoroughly confused look, and Oliver clarified, ‘James told us that you stole his girlfriend.’

Declan gave a short, bitter laugh.

‘Always playing the victim. He never believed that there was nothing going on between us, so he treated her like shit. And he came on the show to humiliate me, since it wasn’t enough to make her miserable.’

‘And then you punched him,’ Oliver said flatly.

Declan squeezed his eyes shut.

‘I’m not proud of that – I shouldn’t have taken the bait.

Now the whole country thinks I’m a possessive lunatic.’

‘One punch won’t change everyone’s opinion of you,’ Oliver said gently, laying a hand on his back, rubbing small circles into his shoulder.

‘So, Georgia never told James about you?’

Declan shook his head.

‘That’s us, loyal to a tee,’ he said, the words coming out bitter.

Oliver’s eyebrows drew together.

‘And why didn’t you tell him?’

Declan frowned. ‘Because he’d out me in a second.’

‘Right,’ Oliver said slowly, ‘I guess my question was more… Why not just come out?’

Declan didn’t know how to explain that his life wasn’t his own, especially to Oliver, who had taken control of his life so easily.

‘Haven’t you wanted something that’s just yours?’

‘Even if it means being alone?’ Oliver said.

‘That is why, right? It’s not because you’re too busy.’

‘People would want things from me that I don’t think I can give,’ Declan said, knowing it wasn’t the whole truth.

‘Being a gay boxer, being the face of it, that’s not easy.

And I’m not the right person for it.’

Coming out would mean giving up the public image he’d spent his career building, and he didn’t know who he’d be without it.

Disappointing the fans was one thing, but they weren’t the only ones liable to be disappointed if Declan allowed himself to just be.

Oliver considered him intently.

‘I’d never thought of it like that,’ he said.

‘No kidding,’ Declan said wryly.

‘I’m sure ballet is more accepting.’

‘Practically all my friends from school are gay,’ Oliver admitted.

‘Sophie and I were the odd ones out.’

Declan asked the question he’d been holding back for weeks.

Now felt like his only opportunity to learn everything he could about Oliver, away from the cameras.

‘What happened between you two?’

‘I dunno… eight years is such a long time. It was easy, until it wasn’t.’

Oliver frowned, studying a knot on the closest tree.

‘Somewhere along the way, our lives got all twisted up; we had the same schedule, same mates, same everything. I think she didn’t feel like she was her own person any more, and she didn’t know how to tell me, or didn’t think I would listen.’

‘You would’ve listened,’ Declan said confidently.

‘I would like to think so,’ Oliver said, meeting his gaze.

‘But I never saw her as someone with problems. When I met her, I had nothing, and she had everything – money, friends, talent, support from her family. And I put her on a pedestal, and she couldn’t stand it any more.

I don’t know, does that make any sense?’

‘Yeah, it does,’ Declan said.

‘But it doesn’t make it your fault.

She chose not to talk to you.’

‘Yes,’ Oliver said.

‘And I got lost in those hypotheticals for months. If she’d told me, if we could have talked about it…

But it’s been almost a year since she left, six weeks since I last spoke to her.’

He made a soft noise in the back of his throat.

‘It’s been nice, in a way, to not rely on her for everything.

I guess that was part of what drew me to the show.

I needed to figure out who I was without her.’

‘And I thought you were here to find love,’ Declan deadpanned.

Oliver’s eyes glinted in the sunlight.

‘No, I’ve got ulterior motives,’ he quipped.

‘I’d sell you out in a second.’

Warmth spread through Declan’s chest. ‘And use the money for what?’

Oliver blushed, breaking eye contact.

‘If I get the spot, I’ll need the money to move to New York.’

Before Declan could reply, Oliver cursed, pointing down at the beach.

Declan turned to see their group walking out into the cove.

‘We should go,’ Oliver said, and Declan nodded.

They stared at each other for a long moment, neither of them wanting to end the brief freedom of being together.

The shouts and splashes of the group below spurred them into motion.

They scrambled down the rocks and back onto the path.

Before he lost his nerve, Declan pushed Oliver against the boulder, cupped his cheeks in both hands and kissed him deeply.

As they pulled apart, Declan paused, trying to memorise the shape of Oliver’s eyes when he smiled.

‘God,’ he groaned, burying his face into the crook of Oliver’s neck and relishing the feeling of Oliver’s hands creeping up his back.

‘I don’t know how I’ll be able to stand not touching you now.’

‘There’s always next Saturday,’ Oliver murmured into his hair.

They stood like that, intertwined, for a moment more before Declan said, ‘Come on,’ and pulled Oliver along.

‘I’ll race you.’

As he turned around, Declan thought he saw a flash of something in the trees.

But then Oliver was pulling his hand, and they were off, running along the trail, yelling and goading each other the whole way to the beach.

They were out of breath by the time they reached the group.

‘Jesus,’ Jack said. ‘Where did you two make off to?’

Declan and Oliver collapsed in laughter, high off the endorphins.

‘Got lost,’ Oliver managed to say between deep gasps of breath, smiling at Declan.

He couldn’t help but grin stupidly back.