‘Smile, Oliver,’ she said brightly.
‘Don’t much feel like it,’ he muttered.
‘Look, I don’t know exactly what’s going on with you,’ she said. ‘But Idoknow that Declan’s ratings are fine right now, so no need to worry about him.’
‘Yeah, fine.’ He hadn’t even considered the ratings for the last few days, and now it was one more thing for him to worry about. The thought of going back home empty-handed, of the long hours he would have to put in to afford his move, seemed impossible.
She nudged his shoulder. ‘You’re about to go on your date,’ she whispered. ‘You might want to make it look like you’re not walking to the executioner’s block.’
Oliver did feel better at the prospect of leaving the villa for the afternoon – a date had never sounded more appealing.
‘Go back behind the counter with Eavie and sell it,’ Paige instructed. ‘The cooking thing was cute.’
Eavie smiled at him, flipping a piece of bacon as he came up beside her. Maeve and Jack and Stella and Niall sat on either end of the counter, with Imogen happily wedged between them.
‘Declan’s not eating?’ Eavie asked.
‘Nah, he’s not hungry,’ Oliver said.
Jack gave a worried glance over his shoulder. ‘It’s not like him,’ he said quietly.
‘I’m sure he’ll cheer up soon,’ Imogen said, taking a large bite of bacon. ‘Ooh, Eavie, this is delicious.’
‘I think we should give him some space,’ Oliver said to Jack just as the chime sounded.
‘Oliver,’ Darcy announced, ‘time for you to get a little lucky. Take the Lover of your choice out on a date. Third time’s the charm, right?’
Oliver looked at Eavie with what he hoped was a thoroughly adoring expression. ‘Eavie, will you go on this date with me?’
She side-stepped towards him, their elbows knocking together. ‘Of course.’
Oliver saw Paige watching them expectantly in his peripheral vision. She had told him to sell it, so he leaned down and kissed Eavie for good measure. Jack wolf-whistled, and when Oliver looked up, the other contestants were grinning.
The chime sounded again.
‘Declan, you and a lucky Lover will join Oliver and Eavie on their date.’
Oliver noticed that Declan was standing behind the others, face carefully blank, his stare trained between Oliver and Eavie.
‘Oh,’ Oliver said, his stomach sinking. The fact that Paige had failed to mention this aspect of the date made it even more ominous.
‘Imogen, how about it?’ Declan asked, looking down the counter at her.
‘I’ve been waiting my whole life for those words, Declan King,’ she said dramatically. He rewarded her with a small smile.
‘Let’s crack on, then?’ he asked, eyes back on Oliver.
Chapter 16
Oliver
By the time Oliver joined the others by the van for their double date, the sun was fully overhead, beating down ferociously on the asphalt driveway. A drop of sweat made its way from Oliver’s nape to his lower back as they piled into the van. To his surprise and apprehension, both Paige and Brian had met the four of them out front, offering no explanation for the additional producer oversight. Oliver couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with the fight.
The ride was awkward. He and Declan sat next to each other in total silence as the van made its way down the winding road. Declan was determinedly staring out the window, an unreadable expression on his face. Despite the shower, he looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, pale, with slight purple bruises under his eyes. He hadn’t bothered to style his hair or shave.
Oliver’s long legs meant he had to make an effort to keep his knee from touching Declan’s. He had the feeling that any accidental contact between them would make the afternoon completely unbearable. He kept thinking of their hands touching when they had been in bed together.
‘All right,’ Paige said with forced cheer, as they finally pulled into a driveway. ‘Let’s get this show on the road.’
