Eva followed Brian to the trail and stood beside him. The drive to the park was laid back and calming, but her nerves surfaced again. Which men would be on the date? How would she talk to five at once? Would she meet their expectations?
“Deep breaths,” Brian whispered. “One minute at a time.”
“Mind reader,” she muttered.
“Here they come.”
Eva squinted toward the third van in the parking lot as the men began to exit and walk in a pack to the trailhead sign. She noticed Carlos right away followed by Adam, Owen, Harris and Mitch.
Mike and the crew followed behind with their cameras aimed and ready. Brian opened his arms as the group approached. Once everyone settled into a place on the trailhead, he spoke. “Welcome to Mahoney State Park.” Brian paused and rubbed his hands together. “You’re in for a real treat today. Eva enjoys nature and would like to take the five of you on a hike. You’ll get a good view of the river along this trail. You’ll also get a chance to chat with our bachelorette and get to know her a little better. Use your time wisely. We will all end up back at the studio tonight for another elimination ceremony. That being said, Eva will have the opportunity to hand out a dandelion on each of the two group dates today. This is your chance to impress her and guarantee your spot to continue on the show. The rest of you, I’m afraid, will have to wait for tonight to find out your fate with our lovely bachelorette. Without further delay, Eva, do you have anything to say?” Brian took a step back.
“Thanks again for being here. I’m anxious to enjoy this beautiful day with you and spend time getting to know one another.”
Eva glanced back at Brian who shifted his hand toward the trail.
“Shall we?” Eva held her hands out to the men.
Harris raised his fist in the air. “Let’s do this!”
Eva appreciated his enthusiasm. She took a second to inspect each man. Mitch wore tight jeans, a large belt buckle, and his cowboy hat. She wondered what his hair looked like underneath. Adam looked well groomed with a collared shirt and tailored jeans. Owen had on shorts and a t-shirt with a musical note logo. And Carlos’s tight black shirt and jeans fit him all too well. Eva was going to enjoy this hike…and the view.
As the group started down the trail, Eva quickly realized the hike would be slower than her normal pace. There a lot of them on the narrow trail and cameras surrounded them. Plus, Brian fell at the back to follow along and conduct interviews as they went. It was awkward, at best.
The men jockeyed for position and Eva found Harris next to her. She hadn’t talked to him long on the first night, but he had a dramatic flair that caught her eye.
She and Harris chatted about their jobs and what they liked to do in their spare time. Before long, Mitch sidled up to the pair.
“Excuse me, ma’am, may I butt in for a bit?”
Eva chortled. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to how he talked. It wasn’t just the accent, but also the way he said things. It was endearing.
“I’d love to chat with you, Mitch.”
Harris took a step back and let Mitch take over the conversation with Eva. They talked about the beautiful day and then Eva asked him about his work.
“I’m a rancher, believe it or not,” Mitch admitted.
“Oh I believe it.”
“I grew up down south on my daddy’s ranch. It’s been passed down from generation to generation, but I came up here for college and started working a farm south of Omaha. The owner passed away a few years ago and left the ranch to me. I call it home now. Love it like a family member.”
Eva smiled. Mitch was sweet and she appreciated his love for the land. She imagined what it would be like if his family were to visit and surround her with their accents.
“Do you ever feel like you’re in a foreign country?” she asked.
Mitch’s grin widened as he tipped his hat at the brim. “All the time. Ya’ll talk different up here. Want a pop?” he put on a Midwestern accent.
Eva laughed. “Is that what we sound like?”
“Darn tootin’.”
The walk down the trail was anything but strenuous, but Eva was glad. It gave her a chance to focus on each man and study the chemistry she had with him.
“It’s been nice talking to you, Mitch. I better give one of the other guys a little time.”
“Just holler when you need me.”
“I’ll do that.”
As Mitch dropped back, Eva wondered if his accent would rub off on her if she spent enough time with him.
Adam moved up next to her. He looked uncomfortable.
“What do you think of the park?” Eva asked.
“I have to admit, I’m more of a city guy.”
“Have an office job?”
“Is it that obvious?”
Eva was just about to ask what he did for a living when a rustling sound in the leaves just off the trail in front of her caught her attention. She stopped, halting the men behind her. The cameras swiveled and the entire group watched the leaves moving back and forth. Eva took a step back.
“Snake!”
Before Eva could react, Harris’ arm shoved her aside. She landed against a firm chest and two solid arms wrapped around her. She watched in horror as Harris threw himself to the ground, into the leaf pile beside the trail. Her jaw dropped as Harris rolled first one way and then the other, fighting an unseen snake.
A petrified squirrel burst from under the leaf pile and exploded up a tree, chittering the whole way. Harris continued to roll back and forth as the men hooted behind him. Eva wrapped her hands around the arms that held her and glanced up. Carlos. She had to admit, she didn’t mind. She didn’t smell cologne, but the soap he used was amazing.
Eva sank into his embrace and laughed along with the others as Harris put on quite a show. Finally, he stood, picking leaves from his shirt.
“Did you see that?” he asked, looking straight at her. “That thing had to be three feet long.”
“The squirrel?” Owen shouted from the back of the group. He was tall. He saw it all no matter how far behind he was.
“The snake!” Harris cried. “Oh man, I thought I had it too. It was slippery. Slid right through my fingers.”
“I ain’t no expert,” Mitch piped up from the other side. “But I’m relatively sure that you got bigger issues than a piddly ole snake.”
Harris narrowed his eyes.
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Mitch glanced at Eva, “but doesn’t the rhyme go something like ‘if it’s three let it be’?” Mitch pointed to the green plants surrounding the leaf pile.
Harris took a few steps toward Adam. “Hey, back off man.” Adam held his hands up like he didn’t want the infected man breathing on him.
“Um, medic?” Harris gulped and began to scratch his bare arm.
As much as Eva hated to, she removed Carlos’ arm from around her and crossed her fingers behind her back, hoping Brian would be able to see her signal.
She heard sticks snap and leaves rustle as he made his way to the front of the pack.
“What do you need?” he whispered into her ear.
“A dandelion.”
Brian waved two fingers in the air and Mike quickly produced a dandelion, which the camera crew handed up past the crowd to Brian.
“Here you go.” He placed it in her hand.
Eva stepped forward. “I know this date isn’t over yet and I still want to talk to the rest of you, but Harris, I don’t think you’re going to last out here much longer and I want to know if you’ll accept this dandelion.”
Harris scratched the back of his neck. “Will I ever.”
Eva smiled. “I enjoyed our conversation and I appreciate your attempt at saving me from that giant snake.” She laughed again as she envisioned the terror on the squirrel’s face as it skittered up the tree. It was probably on a limb, planning its revenge with a pile of nuts.
Harris gingerly took the dandelion, careful not to touch Eva’s skin with his ow
n.
“I think you better head back to the van,” she said. “But I’ll see you later at the elimination ceremony. And if you can’t make it, you’ll know you’re safe for the next round.”
“Thank you so much.” Harris turned to the rest of the men. “The poison ivy pile is right over there. Who else wants a dandelion?”
Adam shifted nervously from foot to foot, but the rest of the men laughed. Harris winked at Eva and slogged through the leaves without stepping back onto the trail, scratching as he picked his way through the brush.
Eva turned when Brian placed his hand on her shoulder. “Now they’re all going to pull stunts.”
“At least we’ll be well entertained.” Eva shrugged.
“Onward?” Brian asked.
“May the dandelions last.”
CHAPTER TEN
BRIAN PULLED ADAM from the back of the pack to do an interview with the trees behind him. He bobbed his head back and forth, trying to get a bead on Eva to make sure she wasn’t flashing the signal. Her bright smile beamed in Carlos’ direction. He could be wrong, but he thought their hands might be intertwined.
Brian shook his head when a jealous flair shot through his body. He turned his attention to Adam, who ran a finger over each eyebrow to smooth them. Brian didn’t think a single hair, even in the eyebrow area, was ever out of place on this man. He probably fixed himself up under the covers in the morning before getting out of bed.
“Have you enjoyed the hiking date?” Brian had to hold laughter back. Adam looked like he was sitting in a dentist’s chair.
“It’s not really my thing,” he admitted.
“No?”
“Nature is just so unpredictable. I guess I’m more comfortable inside.”
Brian appreciated his honesty. At least he was allowing his true colors to shine instead of pretending to be someone he wasn’t. “And how do you feel about Eva at this point?”
Adam waved a hand by his ear. “Well…” he waved it again. “Is there like a giant bug by my head?” He clapped his hands over each ear and whipped around, looking for a bug invasion.
“I don’t see anything.” Brian couldn’t resist the laughter any longer. They were in a forest, of course there were bugs. But Adam’s reaction to them was like a schoolgirl and it was downright hilarious.
Adam continued to wave his hand in front of his face and next to his ears as he completed his interview. Maybe the tiny insects were attracted to hair gel. Brian never saw anything, but he knew the result on camera would be as good as any of the antics Renee pulled last season. Hopefully, Eva would keep Adam around for a while. There was no way the two were compatible, but he might be good for comic relief, even if he was completely serious.
Brian fell back in with the rest of the group. It wasn’t hard to catch them at this slow pace. Eva still had Carlos by her side and Brian frowned. Wasn’t it someone else’s turn?
After a slight descent down a small hill, the hikers came out at a clearing that featured an observation tower.
“Anyone want to climb that with me and get a better view of the park?” Eva asked.
Brian observed the easy grin on Carlos’ face. He was in. Adam looked nervous and Mitch appeared ready for a race.
The group stalled at the base of the tower for a few moments so the camera crew could get a head start and beat them to the top. Brian waited with Eva and the men to watch as they climbed.
“Everyone ready?” Eva shouted. “First one to the top gets a walk with me alone…no cameras.”
Brian wasn’t sure she should make such a promise, but she had. His leg twitched beneath him.
“On your mark, get set…go!”
All of the men but Adam scrambled up the stairs. “Afraid of heights,” Adam called after them.
Brian shook his head as his feet pounded on the stairs beneath him. Why was he racing the bachelors? He wasn’t in the competition, but his legs propelled him forward anyway. On the fourth platform, they lost Owen who bent over gasping for air. His long legs should have been an advantage, but apparently they weren’t used to stairs.
Two flights later, Mitch tripped over his boots and gave Carlos and Brian a half-flight advantage. Brian glanced to his left. Carlos was concentrating and didn’t look winded. Brian picked up the pace. Left. Right. Left. Right. He swung his arms in rhythm.
Brian edged ahead. The top was in sight, just one more flight. He was almost there. He had to admit, Carlos was in fine shape, but Brian was faster. Brian’s foot landed on the top platform seconds before Carlos. He turned to the other man and wanted to shout, “Ha!” right in his face.
“Wow, man.” Carlos clapped a hand on his shoulder. He still wasn’t out of breath. “That was some serious speed.”
Brian brushed the beads of sweat from his brow. “You almost had me.” He looked back down the stairs as Mitch took the last few steps and Owen slowly made his way up the final few flights. Adam was at the base and Eva was on her way up.
Once everyone arrived, Eva smiled. “What a view. I should have thought this whole thing through a bit more. It would have been fun to be up here to greet the winner. Who arrived first?” She looked from Carlos to Mitch and then over to Owen.
“I did.” Carlos had a sheepish grin on his face.
Brian narrowed his eyes. What? That wasn’t true. Brian beat him and he knew it. Brian opened his mouth to protest.
“Let’s take a look at the view and when we get back down, you and I will go for a walk, okay Carlos?”
Brian closed his mouth and swallowed his protest. Of course, it didn’t matter if he was first or last. He wasn’t on the show, at least not in the dating capacity. Eva was here to date the ten contestants, not him. It would have been awkward for him to take off on a walk with her while the men in the contest stood around wasting time. But in the back of his mind, it’s exactly what he hoped for as he raced up the stairs at lightning speed.
“This here’s God’s country.” Mitch extended his arms as wide as they would go and took in the river view below.
Brian sat on the wooden bench in the middle of the platform and watched Eva chat and smile at her suitors. She didn’t spend much time with Carlos, but his chance was coming. She was a natural people person. Brian could tell each man on the platform was attracted to her. And why wouldn’t they be? She was gorgeous inside and out.
He wasn’t doing his job and he knew it. Brian waited for a break in the conversations and edged in next to Eva. “Have time for a brief interview?” he asked. Getting some shots of her at the top of the lookout would be nice. The wind was sharp and the sound might not be great, but they would keep it short.
“Sure.” She followed Brian to the corner of the platform where the river would show behind her.
Brian motioned for a cameraman to approach and then started. “How did the hike go?”
“It was a lot of fun. I got a chance to talk to the guys on a more natural level. Some of their personalities really shined.”
Brian wondered if she meant Harris. He had been missing from the date since his encounter with the poison ivy. He was probably at the lodge receiving medical care.
“And are you glad Carlos won the race to the top of the tower?” Brian worked to keep from grinding his teeth.
“I want to get to know all of the men on this date. But, I can already tell I have a connection with Carlos and I’m anxious to see where it goes.”
“Thanks, that’s good for now.” Brian waved the camera away. He wanted to tell Eva he actually reached the top of the tower before Carlos, but he knew it would sound petty and childish. And where would it get him?
Brian motioned toward the men, allowing her to slide past him and return to her date. His arm brushed the side of her hand as she went and he tingled where their skin touched.
The show allowed him to travel a bit and get extra sleep. The different hours were heaven, but overall, the role was a lot harder than he anticipated.
EVA’S WALK WITH Carlos went
better than she expected. The man was her type to a T. He had a Latin background and a muscular build. His eyes had depth to them and she liked his short, spiky hair. She learned that he worked long hours as an architect…and that she liked the feel of his rough hand wrapped around hers.
By the time she arrived back to the group, she was giddy with excitement. This process was going to lead somewhere, she knew it. Whether it was to Carlos or one of the other men, the possibilities were intriguing.
Eva said goodbye to the four remaining guys on the date. Mike informed her the group would pick Harris up at the lodge first aid clinic on their way out. He was okay, but would itch for a while. Those men would head back to town and have the afternoon free before the elimination ceremony that night.
But Eva’s day was just beginning. The other men arrived just in time for their picnic lunch. She looked forward to seeing Cane, Pete, Steve, Trent and Kurt on the second leg of the date. She felt like she had the start of a friendship or maybe something more with several of the men on the morning date. She wondered what the afternoon would bring.
One thing was for sure, Eva was glad she took the risk to appear on Accept this Dandelion. What girl got the opportunity to meet so many great guys at once? When she had time to decompress, it would be fun to envision her life with each of them. But now, the second set of men arrived in their van.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
EVA STOOD ON the edge of a large grassy area filled with picnic tables and a few shelters. The crew placed tablecloths on tables under one shelter and laid a small blanket in an open area nearby for private conversations. The food arrived in a grocery store catering vehicle and everything looked delicious.
The men jumped out of the van in the parking lot and approached Eva, who felt like the smile on her face was so big she might crack wide open.
Cane got to her first. “Hey, sweetheart, how are you doing?” He gave her a firm hug and looked deeply into her eyes.
Eva melted. This man was dangerously charming in all the right ways. “I’m good. I’m so glad you’re here.” Eva went on to greet the rest of the group. Trent didn’t say much, but Steve was overly excited about the blue sky, the sunshine, and everything around them.
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