Declan glanced at the cameraman again as he said it. Oliver’s eyes followed his and understanding dawned in them – he’d forgotten about the cameras too.
‘You have a point,’ Oliver said stiffly.
Declan forced himself to smile. ‘Which is excellent news, because Maeve fancies Jack!’
Oliver blinked. ‘How doyouknow that?’
Declan shrugged. ‘Women like to tell me about their feelings. I’m a trustworthy sort.’
Oliver ran a hand through his hair before pasting on a grin, deflecting with a joke. ‘It wasn’t learned under duress, then?’
‘Freely volunteered,’ Declan declared. Then, lowering his voice conspiratorially, ‘But I think she wanted to be careful to not hurt your feelings, because she likes you.’
‘So she sent you in, since you’re so careful with my feelings?’
‘I would guard your heart with my life,’ Declan said dramatically, placing a hand on Oliver’s breastbone.
That finally got Brian’s attention, and he looked over at them from behind his phone. ‘Good stuff, you two. Do it again, but this time try to ham it up a bit, yeah?’
Chapter 11
Oliver
Five Weeks Until Finale
Neil Steel: Things are heating up in the villa this week. Everyone’s talking about the newest romance in the house, Declan King, champion boxer, and Oliver Wright, ballet dancer!
Oliver Wright: ‘They say keep your enemies close. And if they know how to box, keep them even closer…’
Neil Steel: Apologies, must have read the cue card wrong… The newest BROmance in the house! Did I get it right that time?
When Paige asked Oliver to have a chat with her in the Love Shack, he wasn’t sure if it would be his last. He’d successfully avoided Maeve in the days since his conversation with Declan, but he knew his time to form a plan was running out.
‘Perk up,’ Paige said cheerily, indicating for him to sit. The red light wasn’t on yet. ‘It’s not your execution day yet.’
He tried to remove the worried expression that he was beginning to fear was permanently etched into his features. ‘You sure about that?’
She gave him a look. ‘Where’s quippy Oliver? I don’t like broody Oliver. That scowl doesn’t suit you.’
‘Maeve fancies Jack,’ he said flatly. ‘If they couple up, I don’t know what I’ll do.’
‘Right,’ Paige said. Oliver realised that she, of course, knew that already. ‘Is that all? I wouldn’t worry about it. You’re in a good position with ratings, and the villa works in mysterious ways.’
He tried for a smile, figuring that complying with her optimism could only help him. ‘You’re not planning my dramatic exit as we speak?’
‘Never,’ she said. ‘The audience likes you, which means I like you. If you hadn’t spent the past day staring into the distance moodily, I would like you even more. Your bromance with Declan has beenmassiveon socials. It’s what I told you in the beginning: the audience wants to root for you. You’re a likeable guy.’
‘Oh,’ Oliver said awkwardly. ‘Um, thanks?’
She studied him, but looked more concerned than calculating. ‘Is that all that’s bothering you?’
He sighed. ‘No, that’s not all of it.’ He cleared his throat, feeling like the walls might close in on him at any moment. ‘I, er, forgot that Declan and I were being recorded when I told him about Sophie. About the break-up. I probably sounded pathetic.’ He’d been doing so well keeping her out of his head to focus on winning, and now the hollow feeling that had consumed him since her departure was creeping back in.
Since his talk with Declan, it had sunk in how long eight months really was. The fact that he hadn’t talked to Sophie in weeks felt more like closure than their break-up had.
Paige frowned. ‘You didn’t sound pathetic. Honestly, you gave Sophie a lot of grace, and I assumed it was because you were conscious of the viewers.’
He shrugged, not meeting her eye. ‘It’s how I feel. It wasn’t an act.’
