“Oh my gosh, what do you think of this, Demi?” Brinley interrupted my thoughts and twirled in front of me like she was auditioning for a country music video—tight bootyshorts, tied-up plaid shirt, cowboy boots, and a straw hat that probably had a designer label.
“You look like a hoedown princess,” I forced myself to say, reminding myself that I was everyone’s cheerleader and bestie. And that I was on camera. Always on camera. Except in my cabin.
It was harder than I’d thought—this whole “team spirit” thing. Having a locked heart didn’t exactly make me the poster child for emotional generosity. But I was trying my best to fake it until I made it. “Made it” meaning survived reality TV hell and made sure every woman cast member got what she’d come looking for.
To my surprise, I genuinely liked all of them. Each woman was sincere and openhearted and truly seemed to want real love. Last night had been . . . fun.
You know, aside from the part where I realized I was a monster.
We’d stuffed our faces with s’mores, and somehow I’d ended up playing therapist. My divine half had taken over. She whispered relationship tips like we were running a bootleg Bureau hotline and I knew what I was talking about. She’d turned us into Dear Abby. And she was so here for it.
But the real test of her powers? That would come tonight.
We were finally meeting the male cast members.
And while the rest of the women were buzzing with excitement, Cassie and I were . . . less than enthused.
I supposed I should have been excited. For all I knew, the man who could unlock my heart could be among them. And I assumed my goddess would know who it was. But then again, she kept telling me it was Roman, so apparently she didn’t know what she was talking about and I was basically screwedunless one of these guys happened to be myactualtrue love. It was a long shot. And one I wasn’t even sure I deserved.
“You’re the best.” Brinley kissed my cheek before prancing off to join all the other besties who’d come walking out in some variation of hoedown couture.
Maggie braved a modern-dayLittle House on the Prairiedress with puffed sleeves. Jessica rocked a mini with a plaid crop top that said,Yeehaw, Cowboy.Paloma went hoedown glam with a corset top and rhinestone cowboy hat. It was enough sparkle to blind a bull. And then there was Cassie—dressed in a pink plaid jumpsuit with rolled sleeves and a cinched waist, paired with snakeskin ankle boots that looked ready to stomp on some poor guy’s soul.
If you hadn’t guessed already, we were attending an actual hoedown. Oh yes, this show was going full spectacle. Our mode of transportation to get to said hoedown? A covered wagon pulled by horses. Because apparently nothing said “modern love” like frontier cosplay.
Could this thing get any weirder? Probably. Mostly likely.
Cassie flitted my way, grinning at my very nonblack attire. I’d had to fight Marcie and her glam squad every day to keep them from dressing me like a funeral director. Not that I didn’t miss the comfort of hiding behind the black. But there was no turning back now.
“Look at you,” Cassie trilled.
I bit my lip, feeling a little ridiculous and a whole lot exposed.
Cassie wrapped her arms around me and whispered, “You got this. You’re doing great. Or at least you’re faking it well.”
I laughed and clung to her.
“Thank you.”
She’d been my rock for the past few weeks. Honestly, for years—I just hadn’t noticed. I wanted to change that. I didn’t want to just keep going through the motions of life. I wanted my heart back.
Could tonight be the night that nudged me one step closer to fulfilling this quest and, hopefully, feeling fully alive again?
Would Blaine, Jax, Carter, Todd, Diego, or Braden be the key to unlocking my heart?
Oh yes, I already knew all the male cast members’ names. Cassie had made good on her promise to find out everything she could about these potential disasters, I mean true loves.
She’d given me the rundown like she was briefing me for our morning team meeting. I wondered how my team was doing. Never mind. No time for thoughts of the Bureau. The Bureau I may never see again if one of the following men wasn’t my true love:
Blaine: trust fund kid
Jax: model
Carter: former NBA star
Todd: accountant
Diego: archaeologist
