Craft Beer & Roses

Chapter 32

Dollops of whipped cream and bits of pie crust dropped from Aviva's chin in thick, clumpy chunks at her feet. The heat of the sun caused the treat to melt; the cream curdled and dripped a sticky path down her neck and chest. She brought her manicured hands to her face, swiping pie debris from her eyes and nose while the other islanders looked on. In her periphery, she could see Kat flinging pie from her fingers, her glare burning holes into the side of Aviva's face.

Her eyes stung with the tears that threatened to spill over, and her face burned with embarrassment. It wasn't until Finn sidled up to her, boldly taking her hand in his and removing the remainder of the cream on her face that she began to relax. To fully understand the nature of the predicament she'd found herself in, Aviva had to think back to two nights before.

It was two nights before when Eddie received a text that they'd be having a little cocktail party to reacquaint themselves with the villa after the most recent recoupling. Finn still hadn't spoken to Kat, though he'd insisted he'd do it "when the time felt right". Aviva had to draw in her sketchbook for hours to distract herself from her intrusive thoughts. She tried to remind herself of what Saoirse told her, how they had a fighting chance, so long as Finn followed through with his promise. Concentrating on getting ready for the party proved difficult, what with her mind constantly wandering back to the question of when. Based on Kat's general relaxed demeanor, it would seem Finn hadn't said anything yet.

The rest of the girls were in good spirits as well, aside from Gabi. The woman had sequestered herself to the furthest vanity, despite Dana's pleas to do each other's makeup. Based on her tense expression and pinched eyebrows, Gabi must've still been thinking about Suresh and his easy dismissal of their relationship. As if sensing her eyes on her, Gabi turned her head quickly to see Aviva looking back. They shared a private, wistful smile before returning to their respective tasks. She wanted so badly to ignore Gabi and pretend everything was fine, but it was proving more and more difficult to turn off her emotions; it was hard not to care. She just hoped Gabi was stronger than she was when everything went to shit with Suresh.

One by one, the girls left the dressing room to go find their partners. As a freshly single islander, Aviva took her time applying her makeup and choosing her outfit. It couldn't hurt to put in a little extra effort in the hopes that one of the boys would take notice. Of course, she'd prefer it to be Finn, but her determination to stay in the competition had her thinking of her options.

Putting the finishing touches on her look, Aviva stood up and smoothed out her skirt.

"Stunning." A voice admired from the door.

Aviva looked up to find Finn leaning a shoulder against the frame, hands stuffed firmly in his pockets. She took in his appearance, noting his departure from his usual style. This time he was sporting a well-fitted, plain white T-shirt. It accentuated the rigid contours of his sculpted shoulders and chest, while the dark denim flattered his muscular thighs. His long auburn hair was pulled into a tidy topknot, showing off his shiny emerald eyes and carefully trimmed beard.

"See something you like?" He grinned cheekily, stepping into the room with a confident swagger.

"Hmmm...maybe." Aviva said as she pulled her lower lip between her teeth.

Finn stopped in front of her; the distance was respectable, but he remained close enough for her to inhale his scent.

"You love keeping me on my toes, don't you? It's okay to admit you think I'm gorgeous."

"More like keeping you humble, though I'm not entirely sure you're capable."

Finn shrugged, laughing under his breath, "My confidence knows no bounds."