Craft Beer & Roses

Chapter 39

The camera whirred to life, red recording light pulsing a steady beat. Aviva wriggled in Finn's lap as she found a comfortable position atop his muscular thighs. His arms came to rest around her hips, placing his chin on her shoulder to bring his face into the frame. They'd never been in the beach hut together outside of larger group confessionals after a few challenges.

It was easier to pretend the camera wasn't there when it was just her in the chair. Aviva would answer Saoirse's questions like she was speaking to an old friend, spilling her secrets freely as if thousands of people wouldn't hear them the following week. She'd done maybe one or two interviews when she and Alfie were coupled, but she always felt she was holding back from being completely honest. Maybe it was because everything still felt fresh and unsure; so many things had changed since then. Now she was perched on her boyfriend's lap, and they were down to four couples left in the villa.

Saoirse sat up straighter; she looked especially strict that day, red hair set into a tight, tidy bun that gave her already sharp features an edge of severity. She peered over the tops of her rectangular frames, matte pink nails tapping the edges of her clipboard.

"Are we going to start now, or are you going to keep staring at us like that?" Aviva finally piped up after Saoirse's prolonged stare-down became nearly too much.

Saoirse's professional mask cracked, lips splitting into a teasing grin, "Like what?"

Aviva waved her hands in Saoirse's direction, "Like, I don't know, like all judgey."

"I think her face is always like that," Finn commented over Aviva's shoulder.

"Shush, you." Saoirse commanded, "I'm not judging. It's just strange and brilliant seeing you both together...finally..."

"Thank you, I think?" Aviva said, leaning her back into Finn's open chest.

Saoirse shook her head, her facial expression somehow proud and confused and relieved all at once. She ran a hand over her already pristine hair and readied her pen against the paper, "Alright, let's start. Five days left here, and we're down to the final four couples. How are you feeling in your current position?"

Aviva spoke up, her answer already pushing against the seams of her lips, "I really didn't think I'd make it this far. I honestly thought I'd be gone by, like, day three or something."

Finn gave her a squeeze, "What? That soon?

"You remember, I wanted to leave—twice! There was so much drama, and I was in the middle of it all. Never wanted to be, mind, but it's just the set of cards I was dealt. It was a really crap hand."

"Not that crap, I hope." Finn posited haughtily.

Aviva nudged him with her elbow, "You're right, not that crap. The pool was rather nice."

"You're right; the pool was very nice," Finn said flirtatiously, pinching her side.

Aviva cringed at the memory, wriggling away from his provoking touch, "No idea what you mean," She giggled nervously. The moments of that night were admittedly not her finest, and she found herself wanting to forget them more often than not.

Reading the tension on her friend's face, Saoirse swiftly changed the subject, "Let's talk about some other developments. The two of you recently made some big strides in your relationship. Interesting choice before a final recoupling."

Aviva looked down bashfully. The final recoupling happened two days prior. There wasn't much at that point that could keep Aviva and Finn apart. But when Kat's phone pinged after Dana's to make her choice, her heart nearly dropped into her stomach.