Chapter Twenty-One
Olivia
I ran blindly out of the main resort building and down a cobbled path lined by hedges. I didn’t know exactly where I was going, but if I couldn’t leave the island and go home, I at least wanted to be alone somewhere. Somewhere away from Dec.
I missed my little apartment back in New York. I missed Audrey. I missed my jewelry business, and even my boring library job. Most of all, I missed the time before I met Dec. Before I could let my heart get stomped on so thoroughly.
Tears were still gathering in my eyes, and I tried to push them back. I couldn’t be sad. Shouldn’t be. I had no claim over him, after all. I was just a silly girl, reading into events that didn’t mean a thing. I’d built up all this stuff in my head, and while it all felt real to me, that was probably because I was so young and naïve. I needed to grow up and get over it. I needed to be alone.
“Liv?”
Well, so much for being alone.
I whirled around grumpily, and my face softened when I saw Shayla standing nearby, holding a camera. It looked like she’d been taking photos of some pretty pink and red island flowers, but she lowered the camera when she saw my face. “Liv,” she repeated. “Are you okay?” She quickly approached me, eyebrows knitted with concern.
I wiped my eyes and sniffed. “I’m fine. But thanks.”
“You don’t look fine, sugar.”
“It’s just…” I couldn’t tell her the real problem, obviously. She and the other contestants were oblivious to my true identity. Dec’s, too. I couldn’t very well say ‘well, Shayla, I’ve fallen for my brand new stepfather, oh and by the way, we’re pretending to be contestants on this show. Surprise!’
“What is it?” Shayla’s eyebrows were furrowed even more now.
“Man issues,” I finally said. Hey, that was actually true.
She nodded sagely and folded her arms. “Ah. With Dec, I presume?”
“Yeah.”
“And now you wanna run away, lick your wounds?”
“Something like that.”
Shayla was quiet for a second. “Well, I get that. I have somewhere you can go. But…um…”
Her voice trailed off and I arched a brow. “What?”
“You have to promise not to tell anyone.”
“Of course,” I said, curious now.
A pink blush seeped into her cheeks. “I know you all think I’m a goody-two-shoes. But I’m not always good.” She reached into the little purse she held and pulled out a set of keys. “Ta-da!”
I frowned. “What’s that?”
“Remember the huts we stayed in the first night here? Well, apparently the show rented them out for a whole month, even though we only got to stay in them for one night. And the cameras have all been shut off there now, seeing as they aren’t being used for the show anymore. So let’s just say I managed to…erm…borrow the keys to all of them in case Paul and I want some private time away from the cameras. You’ve probably seen that we’ve been getting along quite well.”
“Shayla! Oh my god!” I was so shocked that I almost forgot how sad I was. “Wait, how do you even get there? We had to take boats there last time.” Her blush deepened, and I shook my head incredulously. “Don’t tell me you stole a boat key from the crew as well!”
“It’s not stealing! It’s borrowing!” she said.
I laughed. “All right, all right. I won’t tell anyone.”
“So you’ll let me take you to one of the huts?” she asked. “You can relax, have some time to yourself to think things over. Or I can stay and we can have a girly chat. Whatever you want, babe.”
I nodded. “That’d actually be really nice. Thanks, Shay.”
“No worries.” She looked over her shoulder to make sure no one from the show crew was around to see us. “All right, let’s get down to the marina quickly before anyone realizes what we’re up to.”
We dashed down to the pier like naughty schoolgirls, and Shayla directed me into a little silver speedboat which was floating in the water, tied to a pole. “One good thing about growing up with four brothers? You end up knowing how to do stuff like this.”
She threw the rope off and slid a key into the speedboat’s ignition, and I giggled as she started the engine.
“Hey!” A familiar voice sounded in the distance, and I turned my head to see Isobel standing near the little marina, hands on her hips. “Hey, what are you doing?” she went on.
“Just um…taking the boat for a spin. It’s okay, we have permission!” Shayla called out.
Isobel narrowed her eyes and looked at me before turning her attention back to Shayla. “You shouldn’t hang out with her if you know what’s good for you. Why don’t you ask her why she’s really on this show? Or what she’s really up to?”
My entire body immediately stiffened. Shit. Did Isobel know I wasn’t a real contestant? Did she know I only came on the show for my mom’s sake, and that I never had to go through an application process like everyone else? It certainly sounded like it.
“What’s that about?” Shayla asked, giving me a puzzled stare.
“Nothing,” I said hurriedly. “She’s just crazy. Let’s go.”
Whatever Isobel’s problem with me was, I could deal with it later. I had enough on my plate right now, and if she knew my true identity and hadn’t said anything thus far, then surely she wouldn’t open her mouth about it to everyone at any point within the next few hours. I hoped that was the case, anyway.
Shayla grinned. “You got it, girly.”
We took off, salty water spraying up on us as we powered toward the smaller island where the huts sat on wooden walkways stretching into the water. I nervously turned my head over my shoulder for a second, and I saw that Isobel was still standing on the wooden planks of the marina, glaring with her hands on her hips as we headed away.
“Which hut was yours?” Shayla asked over the roar of the motor as we approached the right side of the smaller island.
I pointed to the third hut from the shore. “That one.”
“We’ll go there, then.” She pulled the boat to a stuttering stop, then tied it to a wooden pole on the little dock to secure it.
After pulling out the hut keys again, she opened the door to my honeymoon hut and stood there with her hand out. “After you.”
I stepped inside and sighed happily. This hut had only been my home away from home for one night during this whole experience, but I’d really loved it here. It was so relaxing, so peaceful. I collapsed onto the dove-grey sofa with a heavy sigh, and Shayla grabbed a forgotten bottle of champagne and opened it up.
“You look like you need this,” she said, locating a glass in the kitchenette.
I accepted the glass and sighed again. “Men, huh?”
“Hey, you don’t need to tell me,” she replied, taking a seat next to me. “I’ve dated enough assholes in my time. Do you wanna talk about whatever happened with you and Dec?”
I chewed my bottom lip. “Um. I just overheard him saying some stuff, that’s all.”
She puckered her brows. “What stuff? To who?”
I waved my hand, knowing I couldn’t possibly tell her the whole story. “Doesn’t matter. Point is, I don’t trust him now.”
Shayla was quiet for a moment. “Y’know, I’m a little older than you. I hope a little wiser, if only from experience.” She paused, then went on. “Did you actually talk to him about it? Because communication is key to making a relationship work. It’s honestly so important.”
“I think I heard everything I needed to,” I muttered.
She gave me an exasperated look. “Okay, this is exactly my point. You think you know everything. You think you heard and understood everything correctly. But how do you know if you don’t ask? Perhaps you misheard. Misunderstood. Or maybe he had a reason to say whatever it was he said to whoever it was he was speaking to, but he didn’t mean it. At least not in the way you think.”
“I’m pretty clear on what was said.”
“But you haven’t confronted him. You haven’t talked to him. Right?” she insisted.
“Well…no,” I admitted. “I just ran out.”
“So there’s a chance you could be wrong or misinterpreting things. Sure, you might very well be right, sugar. But you can’t know for sure unless you talk.”
I nodded slowly, considering her words. She had a point. I’d hidden from Dec and then hightailed it out of the resort after my chat with Mom, and my first response had basically been, ‘Run! Go home!’. But Shayla was right. Whatever it was Dec said, no matter how douchey it was…I had a right to know exactly what he meant. If it was true. If he really had faked all the little moments we’d shared over these last few weeks.
It honestly didn’t make sense that he had. I mean, I was so sure of how he felt about me, just from that kiss yesterday and the look in his eyes. Could he really be that good of an actor? Or was he just lying to Mom earlier?
Whatever the case, I intended to find out. If he truly had zero feelings for me, which could very well be the case, then fine—I would accept that. But at least I would know for sure how he felt.
“You’re right,” I admitted. “I should talk to him.”
Shayla smiled, eyes crinkling around the sides. “Good. I would hate to see you guys bust up. Honestly, you two are the cutest couple. I wouldn’t even be mad if you beat us all out to the finale. Everyone loves you together.
“I guess.”
“I know there’s an age gap, but age is just a number. Doesn’t matter when it comes to love.”
“Who said anything about love?” I said, raising my eyebrows.
She laughed. “Oh, come on. Anyone with eyes can see the way you two look at each other.” She paused to steal a little sip of my champagne, then stood up. “So, should I take the boat and hunt him down? Make him meet you here for a chat?”
“You’d really do that?”
She shrugged. “Sure, why not? It’s a free day from filming. I was just gonna roam around and take some photos of stuff while Paul went for a jog, but I don’t mind. It won’t take long.”
“You’re amazing.”
Shayla smiled. “Thanks, doll. So should I go grab him?”
I nodded. “That’d be great.”
She took the keys and headed outside, and I heard the boat engine starting a moment later. While she was gone, I paced nervously in the hut, wondering what I would say when Dec arrived. Wondering what he would say.
The low roar of the speedboat engine alerted me to his presence fifteen minutes later, and I lay back on the sofa, not even daring to look up as I heard his footsteps approach the door.
“Liv? Where are you?” he called out. “You know, a little girl can’t hide from her stepdaddy forever…”
I finally sat up to see Dec entering the hut, lazy grin on his handsome face. “I’m here,” I said stiffly.
His smile grew wider as he caught sight of me. “So you wanted a little rendezvous away from the cameras, huh? I don’t blame you. I’ve been wanting a moment alone with you to tal—”
I cut him off. “I heard you talking to Mom earlier, Dec.”
His smile immediately faded. “You heard what?”
I stood up, narrowing my eyes as I crossed my arms. “I heard everything. What you said to her about me. How this has all just been some big fake game, and how you have no feelings for me.”
He shook his head and rubbed his chin. “Oh, shit,” he said softly.
“It’s fine,” I said. “Really, it’s my fault. After the way you’ve treated me and helped me over these last few weeks, I guess I started to read into things. See stuff that wasn’t really there. And that kiss on the sand yesterday…I misinterpreted that too. Didn’t realize you only did it for the cameras. But of course you did. It’s all so obvious to me now. I don’t know why I ever thought—”
Dec cut me off. “Hey, hold on, Liv. Please, can you let me talk first?”
“Look, I just wanted to hear it from you in person, that’s all. So say it. Tell me you have no feelings for me.”
He took a step closer. I shrank back. “I’m not gonna say something that isn’t true, Liv. You know that,” he said.
“I thought I knew a lot of things about you. But you’re a good actor, Dec.”
“I wasn’t acting! Can you let me explain what you heard today?”
I uncrossed my arms and looked at the floor. “Okay. Fine.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “Shit. Where to begin…” he said. “Okay, Liv, what you heard….well, you weren’t meant to.”
“Obviously.”
“I didn’t mean it. It made me sick to say it. It was all total bullshit. But I had to.”
“Why?”
“Well, for one, I don’t want to cause issues with your family. You and your mom, I mean. Your dad and brother are gone. You might not get along with each other famously, but she’s all you have left and vice versa.”
“I guess.”
“If you heard me earlier, then you heard her too. She made herself clear—don’t touch her daughter.”
I looked up at him. “So you’re really trying to tell me this is all about protecting me and my relationship with Mom? You’re just that selfless?”
“I asked you to let me finish, Liv,” he said in a warning tone. “And no, that’s not the only reason. You know the other reason. Surely you do.”
My face softened. “Your sister? Mom threatened to cut her money off?” I asked. I felt stupid for not having thought about it properly earlier.
He nodded. “Yes. Believe me, I wanted to admit everything to Ellen; tell her to fucking shove her money, so I could be with you out in the open. But I can’t afford to lose the deal she’s offered me, Liv. I wasn’t exaggerating the amount it costs for Amelia’s treatment. It doesn’t matter what I do, how hard I work. It’s too much. Last year I pulled in well over a hundred grand with my work for the family companies, and it still wasn’t enough. It’s never enough.” He sighed and sat down. “Then your mom approached me, as you know. Offered me this deal. It sounded too good to be true. Just legally marry her, be seen with her sometimes. Three years, and then it’s over. And while we’re married, she’d pay everything my family needed. Amelia’s bills included. I just didn’t think…”
“Didn’t think what?”
“That I’d meet anyone. That I’d meet you. And that you’d just so happen to be her damn daughter.” He sighed heavily again. “I know I’m an asshole for worrying about the money over everything else. But fuck, Liv…my sister. She’s only twelve. I’m in my thirties. I’ve lived. She hasn’t; she’s still a kid. I want her to be able to do that, want her to be able to experience life. She deserves that much. And if it means lying through my teeth or giving up all the things I love…all the people I love…that’s how it’s gotta be.”
I sat down too, letting him go on.
“So I lied to Ellen. When I realized she was starting to suspect that I had feelings for you—which I do, Liv. Christ, of course I do—I was worried. Worried she’d void it all and send me packing without a dime. So I made up all that bullshit. Said it was all for the cameras. Like I said, it’s not true, but…” He hesitated for a moment. “I know I’m a piece of shit. You deserve better than a guy who does crap like this.”
I frowned. “No. Dec…I understand now. I didn’t realize you were lying to Mom back there. But really, I get it. I would’ve done the exact same if I were in your shoes. Your sister is literally dying, and Mom is holding her treatment money over your head like that. It’s awful.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m a prick. You have every right to be mad at what you heard.”
I chewed my lower lip as I mulled it all over. Then I spoke, slowly and haltingly. “No. You aren’t some gold-digging asshole like I first accused you of being when I found out about the sham marriage to Mom. You’re actually an amazing person. You’re sacrificing everything you can for Amelia because she’s sick. I understand why you said what you said. I just needed to hear you explain it, that’s all. Needed to know what you said to Mom wasn’t true.”
He looked at me, and for the first time since that filmed date in the restaurant, I saw the pain in his gorgeous baby blues. He always hid it so well, acted like everything was fine, but he was hurting so much; so afraid that he’d lose his sister.
“I was only upset because I thought you actually meant it. That you had no feelings for me,” I continued in a small voice.
“No, no. I’d never mean that. But I’m sorry anyway.”
I was silent again for a moment. “So what were you planning on doing? Just ending this…whatever it is…before we even really started? Just so Mom wouldn’t ruin everything for you and Amelia? Or were you going to just keep lying to Mom and sneaking around with me?”
He sighed. “I’ve been thinking about it non-stop since that conversation. I thought the first option would be the right thing to do. Let you down easy before it gets too far, so we don’t have to hide and sneak around. But at the same time…I know I can’t. I can’t stay away from you, Liv.”
“I don’t want you to stay away from me,” I said softly. I suddenly leapt to my feet. “Let’s just go to Mom now. Come clean. Tell her we have feelings for each other.”
“Liv—”
Before he could reply, I cut him off. “The money she’s giving you doesn’t matter, Dec. I can give you the money for Amelia instead. I still have some left over from the little nest egg gift my grandparents gave me, and I get access to my inheritance from Dad as soon as I turn twenty-one. That’s just a year and four months away. So that’s enough. Tell Mom you want out of the fake marriage. Void the contracts. Take my money instead.”
“Liv, I can’t do that.”
“If this is a pride thing...”
“It’s not. It’s just that it’s your money. Your future.”
“Exactly. My money to do whatever I want with. And I want to help you.”
Dec sighed. “Liv, I love you for offering. But I can’t ask you to take on my family’s debt when you and I haven’t really even…”
“Even begun?” I murmured, looking down at the floor again.
“Yeah. That.”
“Fair enough.” I sighed and chewed on my bottom lip again, shoulders deflating. Suddenly something occurred to me, and I perked back up again. “Oh my god. I have an idea!”
Dec raised his brows. “Yeah?”
“I know how we can get the money you need for your family and also be together out in the open at the same time. All without needing my mom to approve.”
He frowned. “How?”
“Screw your arrangement with her. And screw her plan for you and me to simply be backups here on Wed At First Sight.”
“I don’t follow.”
“She wanted us here just to round out the numbers and get voted off early, right? But then she changed her mind after we gave her good ratings and got a lot of viewer fans. Now she wants us to stick around a few more weeks, just for those sweet, sweet ratings numbers. So I say we give her exactly what she wants. We stick around. Only we don’t get voted out. Ever. Instead, we can win this thing!”
Dec’s eyebrows were practically on the ceiling now. “What?”
“We win! People already love us as a couple. So screw Mom’s deal with you. You and me, together—we’ll tough it out to the end of this damn stupid show. We’ll get the million bucks in prize money. And then you can take every cent for your family.”
Dec shook his head. “She can expose us if she realizes what we’re doing, which she will eventually, I guarantee; she’s smart. She can tell everyone we were just fake last-minute backups, not real contestants like the others. Imagine the backlash and uproar.”
I smiled. “But she can’t expose us without exposing herself as being the one who sneaked us onto the show, right? It’s an open secret with the crew, because they don’t care, but the network and fans would crucify her.”
A slow grin spread across Dec’s face. “Shit. You’re right. Didn’t even think of that.”
I nodded vehemently. “So if we do this, she can’t actually do anything to stop us.”
“Surely she could just kick us off the show, though?”
“No. She made it clear to me just an hour ago—the only way a contestant can leave is if there’s an emergency, or if the viewers vote a couple out! Even fake contestants like us. It’s all in the network contract. The same contract she wouldn’t let me out of this morning.”
“Shit,” Dec said, nodding slowly. “Jesus, you’re smart. I honestly wouldn’t have thought of this at all. But it works. It really does. If we can just win this thing together, then we’re golden. It’s just…” He hesitated, brows furrowing together. “We are popular with the viewers. But so are a lot of others. There’s no guarantee we’ll stay on the show. And if we don’t…”
“You’ll lose everything, because my Mom will have realized what we were up to and voided your deal with her,” I said softly. My shoulders sagged again. “I just realized that. Shit.”
His frown suddenly faded, and I saw a faint glimmer of humor in his eyes. “Well, Livvy. This can only mean one thing.”
“What?”
He smiled. “We need to figure out a strategy, and we need to get to the finale of this show, no matter what it takes. And then we need to damn well win.”
“No matter what it takes,” I said, holding a hand up. “I like that.”
He took my hand and squeezed it hard. “No matter what it takes,” he repeated. “We’re in this together. Yeah?”
I nodded, and I thought my face might crack open from smiling so much. “Yes,” I said. “Just us. Together.”