Page 14 of Groomsman to Groom

“Give me what you have,” I hear myself saying before I can overthink it. “I’ll take a look when I can.”

Seth’s face breaks into a wide grin. “Absolutely. Thank you, Brielle. This means more than you know.”

“Just don’t make me regret it,” I say, but I’m smiling too. “If anyone finds out—”

“They won’t,” Seth assures me. “I know this place better than anyone. Meet me here at 6:15 a.m. on Friday, the day of the next Lock & Key ceremony, and I’ll hand my script over.”

“Okay.”

As he stands to leave, he pauses, looking down at me with a thoughtful expression. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re different from the typical contestants we get on this show. In a good way.”

“Thanks,” I say. “I was going for ‘atypical reality show contestant’ when I packed my Vulcan ears.”

He laughs as something darts toward us—a little brown and white spotted dog wearing a pink bow. She comes right at my feet, and looks up at me with eyes that instantly melt my heart, and I start petting her. “Look at you! Where did you come from, sweet girl?” She’s clearly a Shih Tzu, and right now, her tail wags so fast it’s flipping around.

Seth says, “Skye brought her here. She was at the shelter so Skye wanted to give her a place to run free here in the gardens until she gets adopted.”

“She’s so adorable.” The dog jumps in my arms, which makes me laugh. She’s kissing my face when I say, “Does she have a name?”

“Yeah—it’s Onion. The shelter gave it to her.”

“Onion.” I laugh. “Okay, that’s different, but I dig it.”

Seth turns to leave, and I hold Onion close, not able to get enough of those eyes, the sweetest things I’ve ever seen.

As Onion and I watch Seth disappear into the foliage, I realize that surviving this show just got more complicated, but also more interesting—and hopefully helpful to someone who really needs it.

5

Not So Trivial Pursuit

HAYES

I’m not supposed to have favorites. That’s rule number one of being the star ofGroomsman to Groom. Treat every woman equally, keep an open mind, and for God’s sake, don’t let the cameras catch you staring at one contestant too long. But as I watch Brielle tuck a strand of hair behind her ear while the producers explain today’s trivia challenge, I’m finding that rule tough to follow. Friday night, I was reminded of how easy she is to talk to. And I’ll never forget exactly how those lips felt against mine on that moonlit beach—a detail the other nineteen women in this mansion would probably love to throw me into the pool over. Well, throw me inagain.

“Excited for today, Hayes?” Skye swoops in beside me, her muumuu creating a breeze that smells like flowers and sandlewood.

“Sure am,” I say, which is only a half-lie. I’m equal parts excited and nervous. Yesterday was Sunday, our blackout filming day, and it was some quality time needed to clear my head.

I called August, and he thinks this situation is hilarious. “Dad, are you kissing all of them?” he giggled during our last phone call. I cringed, wondering what kind of therapy bill this show is racking up for him.

I’m brought back to the moment when Skye claps her hands. “Let’s do it. Remember, this is a test of compatibility through shared interests.”

“Yup.”

“Places, everyone!” Tanya herds the women toward an elaborate setup on the stage of the Wolfe Theater. Twenty podiums form a semicircle around a larger one where I’ll be standing. Above us, a massive screen displays the show’s logo—a key and a lock box with an engagement ring inside.

I take my position, scanning the faces before me. Luna twirls a strand of hair around her finger, confidence radiating from her. Gabby examines her nails, looking bored already. Annabelle fidgets nervously, while Serena stands with the calm assurance of someone who knows her stuff. And then there’s Brielle, who catches my eye for just a moment before looking down at her podium, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

She should be the confident one—she’s got this nailed. The memory of our conversation on the beach flashes through my mind—her passionate breakdown of why Kirk was actually the more logical captain than Spock in certain situations. God, that was hot.

“Women Warriors!” Skye’s voice booms through her mic. “Welcome to our first challenge—Fandom Feud! Today’s test will reveal which of you shares the deepest connection with Hayes through your knowledge of three epic sagas—Marvel,Star Trek-Wars, andGame of Thrones.”

Excited murmurs ripple through some contestants, while others look like they’ve just been told they need to perform emergency surgery. Luna’s smile falters.

“The rules are simple,” Skye continues. “I’ll ask questions, and if you ring in first and answer correctly, you earn a point. If you answer incorrectly, you lose a point. The contestant with the most points at the end wins a special one-on-one date with Hayes!”

The cameras pan across the women’s faces, capturing their reactions. Brielle’s expression shifts from surprise to excitement. She catches me watching her and quickly composes herself, but not before I see that spark in her eyes.

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