Chapter Twelve
Olivia
Four days had passed since the hiking challenge, and today was a rare day off from filming before it started up in earnest again first thing tomorrow. We were allowed to do whatever we wanted on free days without any cameras or mics stalking us around, and I’d decided to take a book down to the beach to do some reading and sunbathing.
Ben and Mom were right about the popularity of the bridge rescue footage from my GoPro—the episode had aired just last night, and viewers apparently loved it. Dec was by far the most popular guy on the show at the moment, and even though we failed the challenge quite drastically, no one cared, and we hadn’t been eliminated. Belle and her husband had been dragged in the online polls and kicked off the island instead after failing to work together properly and taking way longer than everyone else to get back with their treasure.
And then there were eleven…. couples, that is.
Truthfully, I wasn’t even slightly miffed that we were still on the show, despite my earlier promise to Dec to get us kicked off as soon as possible. Obviously we had to leave eventually, but Dec and I were actually getting along pretty well now after our little chat the other day, and the island was a damn good vacation spot when I wasn’t being followed around by cameras. So I guess a few more weeks on the show wouldn’t hurt.
I pushed my sunglasses up my nose and trudged along the sandy path that led toward the secluded private beach just a few yards down from the resort. Shayla was having a late breakfast with Paul, and she was going to join me after that for some fun in the sun. I wasn’t sure what Dec was doing, because he was gone when I woke up, but I assumed he was off somewhere with my mother, discussing their arrangement some more, or whatever it was they got up to when they were together.
A shadow darkened my path, and I looked up. Andrew was standing in front of me on the path, smiling down at me. He was the fake husband of a woman named Yvonne (one of the Snob Brigade), and he was the guy Dec and I had agreed was a massive sleazebag. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but something about him had always come across as slimy and calculating.
That was confirmed for me mere seconds later.
“I’ve been looking for you, Liv,” he said.
I crossed my arms. “Oh?”
“Yeah. I have a little proposition for you.”
I sniffed suspiciously. “Oh, you do, do you?”
“I hear you and your husband are very popular with the viewers right now. And so am I, after all that wedding reception drama last week.”
“Erm…” I raised my brows.
He wasn’t exactly popular… more like infamous. From what Mom told me when I sneaked into her office for a coffee this morning, viewers wanted Andrew and Yvonne to stick around for all the drama they’d already caused, but they didn’t actually like him. He was one of those people everyone just loved to hate. “Go on, I guess?”
“You remember last season of the show?”
“You’ll have to refresh my memory,” I said, looking past him for a second as I waited for him to get to his point. The pristine, warm white sand seemed to be beckoning me, and I wanted to get the hell away from Andrew so I could go and enjoy it.
“There was this whole cheating scandal. One of the husbands cheated on his wife with the wife of another contestant.”
“What an asshole. I mean, I know these aren’t real marriages, but still.”
He waved his hand. “Yeah, yeah. Anyway, it caused huge drama. So both couples actually made it through to the finale despite all that, because they were the only ones viewers were talking about.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
“So here’s my idea. You and Dec are popular, and Yvonne and I are too. So we should stage something similar. We’ll let the camera guys catch us sneaking around together. Maybe you’re seen coming out of my room looking guilty, or maybe the room cameras catch me in your bed when they get turned on in the morning.”
I sniffed. “Um. No thanks.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you get it? It’ll cause huge drama. It’ll help us stay in the running.”
“Yeah, so you said. But I don’t care. Not interested.”
He took a step toward me, and I gulped and stepped to the side, nearly hitting the wooden railing of the path. “Look, I know you’re a lot younger than most people on this show, but I can tell you’re smart, and I know you’re here to win. Do you think I didn’t figure that out when you and Dec staged that bridge crap?”
“We didn’t stage it.”
His lips twisted into a sneer. “Sure. I see right through you, Olivia. You’re a snake; in it to win. You’ll do anything. So do this with me.”
“I already said no. Now please leave me alone.” I tried to step around him, but he suddenly reached out and shoved me right into the railing. I cried out as my back hit the hard wood. “Ow! What the hell?”
I struggled to regain my composure, and Andrew leaned down. “You don’t want to mess with me, little girl. You’re gonna help me win, whether you like it or not.”
I rubbed my lower back. “No, I’m not,” I said through gritted teeth. If only the cameras were around today; Andrew would be off the show the second anyone saw this footage.
“Oh yeah? I think you might reg—”
“What’s going on?” A familiar deep voice cut the air, and Andrew sprang back. I looked behind us to see Dec approaching. “You aren’t bothering my wife, are you, Andrew?”
He obviously hadn’t seen Andrew shove me, because if he had, I knew he’d probably throw him into the ocean and let the sharks have him for dinner.
“Just asking for the time,” Andrew said. “Thanks, Olivia.”
He took off back towards the resort, and Dec frowned. “What was that about?” he asked.
“Nothing. He was just confirming what a sleazy prick he is. Guess people who come on these shows really can be cutthroat assholes.”
Dec gave me a wry grin. “Are you really surprised to discover that people on reality shows are cutthroat assholes?”
“I guess not.”
“The only surprising thing to me so far is you,” he said. I smiled, the pain in my lower back already forgotten. His blue eyes were unbelievably gorgeous when they sparkled in the sun, and as he stared down at me, they radiated an intense sexual heat. It was nearly enough to make me forget how forbidden a real relationship between us would be. Dec gave me an impish smile and went on. “And you know that was a good surprise.”
I raised an eyebrow, smile still firmly in place. “All right, all right, Dec. Don’t push your luck…”