“Did he pick the candidates himself?” Eric asked.
“According to Dad, the women had to pick one of the farmers, complete a form, write an essay and send their applications to the station. Nolan received five hundred and twenty-three replies to whittle down to twenty.”
“I imagine that must have been difficult—oh, my! That poor girl,” Josie said.
Tyler watched the screen, spellbound as a woman with long, straight brown hair and a fire-engine red dress struggled to free her shoes from the turf. His brother strolled over, a smile twitching his lips as his gaze did a brief scan of her trim body.
“I’m not usually this clumsy,” the woman said, the color in her cheeks matching her clothing.
“No problem,” Nolan said. “Let’s get you safely to the meeting spot so we can have a chat.” He whisked the woman into his arms, and Tyler experienced a surge of envy. His lips twisted wryly. Maybe he needed to take advantage of his in-laws when they volunteered to babysit and get out more.
“Oh my,” Josie repeated.
Eric let out a slow whistle while Tyler didn’t bother wasting breath. He stared at the curve of the woman’s bottom and the tiny pair of lacy black panties she wore beneath her red dress. Her flustered expression when Nolan set her on the tartan blanket cried out for a hug. Tyler grinned at the careful way the woman positioned herself on the ground. She didn’t intend to flash again.
Once Nolan offered her a drink, he started his questions. “I believe you work in an office? What do you do in your spare time?”
The woman—Susan—hesitated. “I’m r-really excited to be here, N-Nolan, and it’s great to meet you. Um…I…ah…like to dance. I go out with my f-friends to clubs and r-r-rugby matches. Sometimes we go shopping or to m-movies.” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth before releasing it to offer a strained smile.
“The poor girl is nervous,” Josie said with a sympathetic tut.
“Not many shops out in the country,” Nolan persisted.
Tyler focused on the woman’s face. She had a quiet beauty, the type that would creep up on a man and steal into his heart. Damn, was Nolan trying to kick her off-balance?
“No, I don’t suppose there are.” Her smile wobbled. “The internet works well for shopping. You can buy just about anything online these days from farm equipment to dresses.”
Josie gave a laugh of delight. “I like this one. She’s handled the situation well and isn’t letting Nolan bulldoze her in the same way he has with the other girls.”
Onscreen, Nolan nodded at Susan’s reply, and Tyler could tell he was enjoying his moment of fame.
“Do you enjoy your job?” Nolan asked. “If we hit it off with each other, would you miss not working in an office?”
“I don’t work in an office anymore,” Susan blurted.
Something in her tone had Tyler leaning forward, eager to hear what she’d say next.
Nolan’s eyes narrowed as the camera panned across his features. “You gave up your job? You must be very certain of your future.”
The woman gritted her teeth, and Tyler caught a flash of irritation in her pretty blue eyes. “No, I have a new job. One of my friends owns a club, and I work for her now.”
“What sort of club?”
Susan ignored his demand for an answer. “What qualities do you want in a wife?”
“Interesting,” Tyler said.
“I wonder what sort of club she works at,” Eric mused.
Josie cocked her head, her eyes alert behind the lenses of the tortoise shell-rimmed glasses. “A strip club? A dance club? A casino?”
“I’d like a wife who answers questions. What sort of club?” Nolan insisted in a stern, don’t-mess-with-me voice.
“A burlesque club,” she said, her face blooming again with that charming color. She shot a furtive glance at the camera, and Tyler and the rest of the viewing public received an eye full of scowl.
“You said you like to dance.” It sounded like an accusation.
“Now that sounds like a judgment,” Josie said. “She’s gonna deck Nolan if he’s not careful.”
