Craft Beer & Roses

Chapter 42

"I can't believe this is it."

Saoirse looked over briefly before turning her attention back to the camera, "You've still got a few hours." She fiddled with a few buttons before the device blinked to life, "Have you and Finn started packing yet?"

Aviva wiggled deeper into the wicker chair. The cushions hugged her sides like a soft, warm goodbye, "Yeah, we're both just about done."

The producer, apparently satisfied with the settings on the camera, lowered herself into her seat with a noisy sigh. She rubbed her eyes beneath the lenses of her glasses, "Okaaay... let's get to it. Last night's dumping."

"Last night's dumping," Aviva repeated mechanically.

Saoirse arched her brow, "Were you surprised that Kat and Eddie were voted out?"

"At this point? No, not really. They were the least compatible. Didn't stop me from thinking me and Finn would be leaving, though."

"Still?"

Aviva nodded, "I guess I'm still not convinced this is real."

Saoirse tapped her pen against her thigh, "Do you still feel bad about what happened with Kat and Alife?"

"...A little? But like I said last night, I don't regret anything. It's just weird – Kat and Eddie were there since day one. At least Alfie's found someone. Kat and Eddie kind of..." Aviva clutched at her knees, still stuck on the consequences of her actions, "...happened out of circumstance."

"That's just how the game goes, though, isn't it? People don't always work out." Saoirse responded honestly, "Speaking of - you and Finn are now in an official relationship. Do you think everything will work out even after you've left?"

Aviva found herself nodding before Saoirse even finished her question, "Absolutely."

"Well, look at that. Look how far you've come." Saoirse remarked with a tinge of admiration.

"It feels different with Finn. With Suresh, there was always this...underlying sense of dread. Like something could explode at any minute, and I thought that if I ignored it and just kept pushing on, then maybe it would all be fine. Obviously, we know how that turned out. But Finn seems so...so open?"

Saoirse held Aviva's gaze, "Green flags?"

"In every shade." Aviva chuckled.

"Glad to hear it." Saoirse replied, "So... tonight's the night. Who do you think will win it all?"

Aviva twisted her lips, pondering the question seriously, "Maybe Meera and Alfie? It's that whole reunited trope – I think the public might vote that way."

"You don't think they'll vote for you and Finn?" Saoirse probed.

"Do you?"

Saoirse smirked at the question, "I'm not the one in the wicker chair."

"Right. Well, who knows? We were voted most popular boy and girl that one time, so I suppose it could swing in our favor."

"Very possible." Saoirse agreed with a knowing smile, "So if you happen to pick the £50,000 envelope, are you splitting it? Or are you keeping it all to yourself?"

Aviva's cheeks distended as she sucked in a breath of air. Over their time in the villa, the topic of what the islanders would do with the money was brought up relatively frequently. She knew Finn wanted to expand the brewery's brand to other areas. He'd also mentioned wanting to take a vacation from his vacation', especially if he wound up actually finding someone. At the time, she didn't think that someone would be her.