but fell about halfway there. He rushed to help her to her feet again. “Sorry.” Melissa looked up into his face. “I’ve never done this before.”
“Then I’m glad I can teach you.” He looked over at the crew Lizzie had sent with them. She herself was conveniently absent. Wasn’t she supposed to oversee everything on this shoot? Even his first one-on-one date? They hadn’t started filming yet, which gave him a few moments truly alone with his date.
Rick helped Melissa adjust the ski poles. “Did they go over everything with you? The microphone? The cameras?” She nodded but bit her lip. He put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. “Don’t worry. Like I said, I’ll teach you. We’re going to start on the bunny hill.”
He helped her move her legs back and forth so that she had forward movement without falling on her face again. He liked that she wasn’t afraid to try new things or even to fail. He might have balked at skiing for the first time on television, but Melissa was a good sport.
With cameras rolling, they spent an hour on the bunny hill until she felt comfortable enough to try something more challenging. Rick led her to the chairlift. As they rose into the sky, a camera operator turned in the seat ahead of them and filmed. He got the hint.
He leaned in closer to her. “So why did you decide to try out for the show?”
Melissa snagged a piece of hair away from her mouth. “I’m from a little town in Tennessee. Everyone in my town is either related by blood or marriage. Not many prospects, you know?”
Did he ever. That was one of the reasons he’d done this himself. “But why True Love? ”
“My mom’s a huge fan.” She snuggled into his side, either for warmth or something more, he didn’t know. “It was her idea.”
“Well, I’m glad you came.” He rested his head on hers. “I think you’re the first woman I’ve really connected with.”
She tightened her grip and leaned closer. He cleared his throat and faced forward again. “After the last time—”
Melissa placed a hand on his arm. “You don’t have to talk about it.”
“I probably should. Good for the soul and all that.” He glanced at her. “It’s taken me over five years to get to the point where I’m open to letting someone in. Brandy...she...” He shrugged even though the camera probably couldn’t see it through the layers of warm clothing. “I wanted to believe her. Wanted to trust that she loved me like I loved her.”
Why was he going to that place? Hadn’t he spent more than five years blocking it out? It was this show. It got to him. Made him think things, feel things. He shook his head and pulled Melissa closer. “I’m glad to have a second chance.”
“There’s something to be said for starting over.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
Rick placed a kiss on the top of her fuzzy hat. “When we get up to the top here, we’re going to push off the chair and to the right, okay?”
She nodded, and the spell of the snow and cold was broken. Rick settled farther into the chair. This was going to be okay.
* * *
E LIZABETH HURRIED to make sure all the details at the ski lodge were ready before Rick and Melissa arrived. She’d rented out the entire second floor so that they could have some privacy. A fire crackled in the fireplace. Huge overstuffed pillows were placed in front of it. Dozens of red and pink candles flickered. A vase of red and pink roses graced the dining table, where two place settings waited for an intimate dinner. It looked perfect.
So why was she still searching for flaws?
Elizabeth shook her head and consulted the clipboard that seemed to be glued to her hand lately. Even last night when she’d woken from her dream, she’d looked at her hand as if expecting her notes to be there, to tell her what to do next...every moment of her life laid out in black-and-white.
She sighed, wishing she had that kind of control. She tapped her earpiece. “How far out are
“Then I’m glad I can teach you.” He looked over at the crew Lizzie had sent with them. She herself was conveniently absent. Wasn’t she supposed to oversee everything on this shoot? Even his first one-on-one date? They hadn’t started filming yet, which gave him a few moments truly alone with his date.
Rick helped Melissa adjust the ski poles. “Did they go over everything with you? The microphone? The cameras?” She nodded but bit her lip. He put his hand on her shoulder to reassure her. “Don’t worry. Like I said, I’ll teach you. We’re going to start on the bunny hill.”
He helped her move her legs back and forth so that she had forward movement without falling on her face again. He liked that she wasn’t afraid to try new things or even to fail. He might have balked at skiing for the first time on television, but Melissa was a good sport.
With cameras rolling, they spent an hour on the bunny hill until she felt comfortable enough to try something more challenging. Rick led her to the chairlift. As they rose into the sky, a camera operator turned in the seat ahead of them and filmed. He got the hint.
He leaned in closer to her. “So why did you decide to try out for the show?”
Melissa snagged a piece of hair away from her mouth. “I’m from a little town in Tennessee. Everyone in my town is either related by blood or marriage. Not many prospects, you know?”
Did he ever. That was one of the reasons he’d done this himself. “But why True Love? ”
“My mom’s a huge fan.” She snuggled into his side, either for warmth or something more, he didn’t know. “It was her idea.”
“Well, I’m glad you came.” He rested his head on hers. “I think you’re the first woman I’ve really connected with.”
She tightened her grip and leaned closer. He cleared his throat and faced forward again. “After the last time—”
Melissa placed a hand on his arm. “You don’t have to talk about it.”
“I probably should. Good for the soul and all that.” He glanced at her. “It’s taken me over five years to get to the point where I’m open to letting someone in. Brandy...she...” He shrugged even though the camera probably couldn’t see it through the layers of warm clothing. “I wanted to believe her. Wanted to trust that she loved me like I loved her.”
Why was he going to that place? Hadn’t he spent more than five years blocking it out? It was this show. It got to him. Made him think things, feel things. He shook his head and pulled Melissa closer. “I’m glad to have a second chance.”
“There’s something to be said for starting over.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
Rick placed a kiss on the top of her fuzzy hat. “When we get up to the top here, we’re going to push off the chair and to the right, okay?”
She nodded, and the spell of the snow and cold was broken. Rick settled farther into the chair. This was going to be okay.
* * *
E LIZABETH HURRIED to make sure all the details at the ski lodge were ready before Rick and Melissa arrived. She’d rented out the entire second floor so that they could have some privacy. A fire crackled in the fireplace. Huge overstuffed pillows were placed in front of it. Dozens of red and pink candles flickered. A vase of red and pink roses graced the dining table, where two place settings waited for an intimate dinner. It looked perfect.
So why was she still searching for flaws?
Elizabeth shook her head and consulted the clipboard that seemed to be glued to her hand lately. Even last night when she’d woken from her dream, she’d looked at her hand as if expecting her notes to be there, to tell her what to do next...every moment of her life laid out in black-and-white.
She sighed, wishing she had that kind of control. She tapped her earpiece. “How far out are
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