continue. “One of you will be going home.” The contestants groaned, some of them catching Logan’s gaze and putting on an exaggerated sad face.
Oh, you bet someone’s going home,
Freddy thought. But she didn’t know who. Panic set in. She had been so infuriated with Logan, she forgot to think about choosing one.
That had to have been his plan, she decided. No matter. She held each of the contestant’s gazes one at a time. The one most googly-eyed would be toast, and right now the poet looked like the most likely candidate.
Bye-bye, blondie.
But before she could say anything, the show host threw her a curve. “But Logan, you can save the unlucky lady.”
Logan looked more interested. Freddy felt her smile slip. No one ever said anything about a save.
“If you don’t agree with Freddy’s choice, you can override the pick and save her.”
The ladies clapped in delight.
“But,” the host continued, “you only have one save and none when we get down to the final two. Plus, if you do use your save, Logan, Freddy will have to pick another lady to send home.”
Groans of protest rose again. Freddy didn’t like it much either. If he saved the poet, who should go?
She had no time to think about it. The show’s host took her elbow and steered her toward the table with the flag. He showed her to her spot and turned to face the ladies.
“It’s time for Freddy to tell us who is going home and who is going on a one-on-one date with our eligible bachelor.” Then he turned to the camera across the room. “And she’ll do that right after the break.”
“And cut,” Roberto shouted. “Three minutes, people.” The key grip holding the boom mike relaxed, and the key light dimmed.
The makeup crew draped some cloth across Logan’s shoulders and began dabbing at his face with sponges. “You look nice,” he said as Freddy approached him.
“So do you,” she replied, with her hairstylist coaxing a curl back into place and securing it with spray.
“Who’s going home?” he whispered.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Actually, I would.”
Freddy wrinkled her nose at him. “You have a save.” She jabbed him in the chest with her forefinger. “I bet that was your idea.”
He held up both hands in a defensive gesture. “I found out about it the same time you did. Honest.”
“I don’t believe you,” Freddy countered.
“I swear. I didn’t know.”
“Prove it.”
“How?”
Freddy was about to respond when Roberto appeared and buzzed around them. “Places everyone. We’re live in thirty seconds.” He turned to Freddy. “When the host asks ask you who is going home, don’t answer. The camera will pan the contestants for a few seconds for drama. When the camera comes back to you, tell us who will be going home.” Roberto pulled her back to her spot.
The show host returned and took his place on the X taped to the floor between Freddy and Logan. One makeup artist pulled the towel from Logan’s shoulders, while another scooped up the makeup-filled train case. In another second, the production crew vanished into the background. The boom mike lowered, and the key light snapped back on.
“Ten-second tape recap first and then we’re live.” Roberto finished with hand signals before backing away.
“Welcome back to
Eligible Bachelor
.” The show host smiled at the bachelorettes. “The first elimination challenge tested yourathleticism on the paintball field. The goal was to capture the flag given to Freddy and Logan. The task seemed simple enough—six against two. So which bachelorette got the flag and the automatic date?” He motioned to a large flat-screen TV set across the room that served as a monitor. “Let’s take a look.”
Freddy’s shoulders dropped. She was so screwed.
Everyone turned back to the show host when the video finished. He looked at Freddy. “Quite an interesting game you played.”
Freddy tossed her head. “I went with my gut feeling.”
“And that gut
Oh, you bet someone’s going home,
Freddy thought. But she didn’t know who. Panic set in. She had been so infuriated with Logan, she forgot to think about choosing one.
That had to have been his plan, she decided. No matter. She held each of the contestant’s gazes one at a time. The one most googly-eyed would be toast, and right now the poet looked like the most likely candidate.
Bye-bye, blondie.
But before she could say anything, the show host threw her a curve. “But Logan, you can save the unlucky lady.”
Logan looked more interested. Freddy felt her smile slip. No one ever said anything about a save.
“If you don’t agree with Freddy’s choice, you can override the pick and save her.”
The ladies clapped in delight.
“But,” the host continued, “you only have one save and none when we get down to the final two. Plus, if you do use your save, Logan, Freddy will have to pick another lady to send home.”
Groans of protest rose again. Freddy didn’t like it much either. If he saved the poet, who should go?
She had no time to think about it. The show’s host took her elbow and steered her toward the table with the flag. He showed her to her spot and turned to face the ladies.
“It’s time for Freddy to tell us who is going home and who is going on a one-on-one date with our eligible bachelor.” Then he turned to the camera across the room. “And she’ll do that right after the break.”
“And cut,” Roberto shouted. “Three minutes, people.” The key grip holding the boom mike relaxed, and the key light dimmed.
The makeup crew draped some cloth across Logan’s shoulders and began dabbing at his face with sponges. “You look nice,” he said as Freddy approached him.
“So do you,” she replied, with her hairstylist coaxing a curl back into place and securing it with spray.
“Who’s going home?” he whispered.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Actually, I would.”
Freddy wrinkled her nose at him. “You have a save.” She jabbed him in the chest with her forefinger. “I bet that was your idea.”
He held up both hands in a defensive gesture. “I found out about it the same time you did. Honest.”
“I don’t believe you,” Freddy countered.
“I swear. I didn’t know.”
“Prove it.”
“How?”
Freddy was about to respond when Roberto appeared and buzzed around them. “Places everyone. We’re live in thirty seconds.” He turned to Freddy. “When the host asks ask you who is going home, don’t answer. The camera will pan the contestants for a few seconds for drama. When the camera comes back to you, tell us who will be going home.” Roberto pulled her back to her spot.
The show host returned and took his place on the X taped to the floor between Freddy and Logan. One makeup artist pulled the towel from Logan’s shoulders, while another scooped up the makeup-filled train case. In another second, the production crew vanished into the background. The boom mike lowered, and the key light snapped back on.
“Ten-second tape recap first and then we’re live.” Roberto finished with hand signals before backing away.
“Welcome back to
Eligible Bachelor
.” The show host smiled at the bachelorettes. “The first elimination challenge tested yourathleticism on the paintball field. The goal was to capture the flag given to Freddy and Logan. The task seemed simple enough—six against two. So which bachelorette got the flag and the automatic date?” He motioned to a large flat-screen TV set across the room that served as a monitor. “Let’s take a look.”
Freddy’s shoulders dropped. She was so screwed.
Everyone turned back to the show host when the video finished. He looked at Freddy. “Quite an interesting game you played.”
Freddy tossed her head. “I went with my gut feeling.”
“And that gut
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