Page 45 of Pity Parade

“So you pushed me instead?” Take the hint, Heath.

“I’m sorry about that.” I don’t sound the tiniest bit remorseful.

“Did you hurt yourself?” Daniel asks him. “Can you walk?”

Heath gets to his feet and leans on the leg he landed on. “I don’t know. I think I might have pulled something.”

“Do you need me to call a paramedic?” Daniel sounds concerned.

“For the love of God …” I push Heath again. “He’s fine.” Then I tell him. “Quit being such a baby.”

He staggers to keep his balance. “You pushed me, and I fell. How is that being a baby?”

“Why don’t you sit back down, and I’ll run and get you some ice,” Daniel suggests before turning to me and adding, “Trina will stay with you.”

As soon as Daniel runs down the beach, I demand, “What is your problem?”

“My problem? What’s your problem? Why can’t I tell Daniel you’re my neighbor?” Before I can answer, he suggests, “Could it be that you don’t want him to know you’re running some kind of contest to find a man?”

Crud, he knows. “I’m not running a contest,” I tell him. “I’m simply offering some people a week away.”

“By pretending they won a contest.” He pauses briefly before adding, “Of which I’m guessing all the winners are men.”

“So, what if they are?” I demand. “How is that any of your business?”

Instead of answering, he wants to know, “Have you gotten so desperate to find someone that you’re tricking men into dating you?”

“I am not desperate.”

“Then why didn’t you just invite Daniel to come for a visit? Why pretend he won a trip to Elk Lake?”

I hate Heath Fox so much right now I could spit. I don’t want to tell him the truth, but if I don’t get him on my side, he’ll tell every man who comes to stay that I’m on the hunt. I growl low in my throat before saying, “Fine. Sit down.”

When we’re both back on the sand, I confess, “I was the reason Midwestern Matchmaker got canceled.” I explain, “The producers were intent on making a spectacle of Tim and Paige and I got in the way.”

“What did you do?”

“I deleted footage of some scenes that would have caused them serious embarrassment. When my executive producer found out, he told me that the only thing we could do to keep my brand alive was to sell a show where the matchmaker became the matched.” Shrugging, I add, “I felt responsible for so many people losing their jobs, I signed on before really thinking things through. ”

“That’s why you’re luring men out to Elk Lake? It’s part of a new show concept?” He looks around nervously. “Are we being filmed right now?”

“We are not being filmed and I’m not luring anyone,” I assure him. “I don’t want my social life to be made a spectacle of, and I figured if I could get into a committed relationship, then Tom wouldn’t be able to force me to do this new show.”

“Are you serious about becoming involved or are you just using Daniel?”

“How is that any of your concern?”

“How is it not?” he wants to know. “I feel like I owe it to my fellow man to protect him from such scheming.”

“Daniel and I previously went out on several dates,” I tell him. “We’re compatible and we like each other. There is no reason to protect him from me.”

“If you were such a great match,” he wants to know, “why did you stop dating?”

I loathe Heath Fox with every fiber of my being for forcing me to tell him this. “He had just come off a serious relationship and he wasn’t ready to commit.” I eye him meaningfully while adding, “Apparently, that’s my cross to bear with men.”

Heath doesn’t say anything right away. Instead, several long moments pass before he announces, “You really like the guy?”

“I don’t know yet,” I tell him. “I haven’t seen him in a couple of years. But I did like him, and I want to find out if I could do so again.”

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