The Love Island USA season 7 finale is almost here — and the couples are celebrating with plenty of public displays of affection.
“Congratulations,” Nic Vansteenberghe told partner Olandria Carthen in a Sunday, July 13, teaser for the upcoming finale before pulling her in for a steamy makeout on an outdoor bed.
Nic, 24, and Olandria, 27, both explored other connections in the Fiji villa for the majority of season 7. After they were both dumped amid the Casa Amor twist, Nic and Olandria had one more chance to couple up with one another to avoid being sent home. While Nic and Olandria — to widespread fan excitement — tried to test out a romantic connection, they were otherwise focused on their previous relationships.
Olandria’s romance with Taylor Williams unraveled shortly before Nic’s partner, Cierra Ortega, was removed from the villa over a resurfaced racist social media post. (Cierra, 25, previously used a racially insensitive slur on her Instagram account, which she’s since apologized for.)
“We both got dumped from Casa and now it is us again. I am like, ‘Alright, let’s see what this is actually about. Let us truly navigate this couple s*** the right way this time,’” Olandria told the other girls during an episode earlier this month. “Was it supposed to be us all along?”
Nic and Olandria are in the finals alongside Huda Mustafa and Chris Seeley, Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez, as well as Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales.
While fans will have to wait until the end of Sunday’s episode to see which couple will take home the championship title and $100,000 cash prize, Olandria’s former partner Taylor is rooting for her.
“They just never had the chance to explore it. And so, now that they do have the chance to explore it, I hope it’s something real and I hope they end up working out together because that’s what that show was for,” Taylor exclusively told Us Weekly in July. “I hope they really find that they’re The One for each other because it’s, like, the second or third time they’re coupled up with each other. So it’s just like, you know, ‘S***, something gotta work!’”
Regardless of the result, the show is hopeful that fans can be respectful to the finalists no matter what.
“Huge thanks to everyone who has joined us for Love Island USA season 7. We can’t wait to celebrate our incredible islanders in tomorrow night’s finale,” a Saturday, July 12, statement read. “Love Island exists because of the real people who share their search for love with the world. Our host [Ariana Madix] and all islanders deserve respect and kindness for opening their hearts to the experience and viewers everywhere. As this season comes to a close, let’s show them our love and support.”
The Love Island USA season 7 finale airs on Peacock Sunday, July 13, at 9 p.m. ET.
