Chapter Nine
Cliff
“You’ve all met the contestants and listened in on conversations Cliff has had with them,” the show’s host, Emilio Nunez, said into the camera.
“The gentlemen have retired to their rooms here in the mansion, and we have a chance to hear Cliff’s reactions.
He is joined now by his closest friends and family who had a chance to mingle with the guests, too.
We’ll ask them to share their opinions as well. ”
Emilio introduced the Tilson family, pointing out that Adam is the White Pines mayor. He also introduced Mitch and Keller, and Simone and Ezra, before reminding people of my mother.
“I think we should start with you, Cliff,” Emilio suggested. “After all, your first impressions are what matter most. Did any lucky guy strike your fancy?”
I nodded, remembering to sound positive about everyone at this point in the program. “I was blown away by how great everyone seemed. I’m excited to learn more about each of them.”
“But no one person stood out?” Emilio pressed.
“Each stood out in their own way,” I said, trying to sound diplomatic. I was about to praise each, but I sensed Emilio wanted to cut in.
“Especially Mikey, right? Looks like we’ll have some liquor-fueled drama coming our way in the next week,” Emilio commented with too much glee.
I shook my head. “Both he and his roommate, Aaron, said he doesn’t drink.”
“Hard to believe,” Emilio jumped in with a laugh. “He drank plenty.”
“I think what they meant was, until tonight, he hasn’t been a drinker,” I clarified. “The poor guy was nervous. I certainly won’t judge him based on one miscalculation.”
“Mikey and Aaron have come a few times to the diner where Keller and I work,” Simone added. “They were always sweet. And it’s true, I don’t recall ever seeing either of them order alcohol.”
“Yeah, me either,” Keller agreed. “Although I have to say, I’m surprised to see that Aaron dude on this show. He sure seemed to have an eye for the pretty girls.”
“So did you,” Adam pointed out. “Yet here you stand with your boyfriend, Mitch. I was the same, but I’m married to Myles. You of all people should recognize it isn’t just one or the other for everyone.”
“Yeah.” Keller nodded. “I suppose. But he never gave me a second look.”
Mitch chuckled. “Aww, don’t take it personally, Keller. Maybe he just heard you were taken already.”
“Or maybe he’s just into old guys like Cliff,” Flynt piped up, earning glares from Adam, Myles and Mitch. Flynt gulped, recognizing he might have offended with his choice of words. “Um, I mean…men in their thirties?”
Emilio attempted to regain control of the conversation. “Speaking of more…mature men, tell me your thoughts on Brighton. He was the oldest of the contestants and seven years your senior.”
“I liked him,” I admitted.
“He was a dreamboat. I’d take him in a heartbeat,” my mother chimed in.
I forced a grin. “Too bad for you that this isn’t The Golden Bachelorette instead of His Choice.” Considering Brighton acknowledged his bisexuality, if my mother flirted, she might have a better chance with him than I did.
She shot me a smile that I knew was a warning. “Ah, c’est droll, darling. I don’t think they’d cast a woman in her early forties.”
Emilio ignored the obvious lie, considering they knew my age. “So, Cliff, you liked Brighton.”
“As much as anyone can in the course of a few minutes,” I answered.
“Were there any potential red flags with others?” he pressed. Dani and Daryl hadn’t altered my opinions after I spoke with them more during the cocktail hour, but I wasn’t about to volunteer that yet.
“Everyone seemed great.”
Emilio appeared disappointed that I had nothing more interesting to share. “Well, let’s see what your friends and family think. First impressions, guys. Around the room. If you had to choose someone right now for Cliff, who would it be?”
The camera zoomed in on Simone first. She swallowed a few times, looking my way to gauge whether I’d be annoyed if she weighed in.
I nodded to let her know I was curious as to what she had to say.
“Well, I thought Brighton was handsome and classy like Cliff. But I also liked Ted…maybe just because he was such a hunk.”
The group chuckled. Ezra spoke next. “I could see Ted as the choice, too. He seemed like a responsible guy, and he’s into fitness like Cliff.”
Adam scratched his neck. “I don’t know. Sure. Ted.”
Myles contemplated. “He seemed nice. But I’d like to learn more about Alex. Isn’t he pre-med? Serious, quiet, studious…”
Adam snickered, rubbing the back of his husband’s neck affectionately.
“Your kindred spirit.” He turned my way.
“Cliff, if Alex is anything like Myles, I’d change my vote to him.
And he’s nice looking, right?” It still amused me that Adam wasn’t turned on by men other than Myles, so he saw them through a lens of whether their features aligned to traditional views of attractiveness.
“Very,” I confirmed.
Keller shook his head. “No offense, Mr. and Mr. T, but Mr. Walker needs someone who’s going to shake it up a little, not encourage him to hide and read more books.
I vote for Daryl. I get the sense he’s a good time in the sack, too.
” He turned to look my way. “At the end of the day, that’s important. ”
Mitch cleared his throat, shaking his head at his boyfriend. “Uh, I’m not sure after meeting Daryl that he would be someone I could see enduring…”
Keller snickered. “Looked like a guy with plenty of stamina, to me.”
“When I think of a long-lasting relationship, I had a positive impression of Aaron,” Mitch said, ignoring Keller’s off-color joke.
“He’s obviously very good looking. But I also liked the way he defended his friend.
It showed loyalty, even though the two are competing against each other.
I believe that’s a characteristic that would be important to you and, frankly, you need.
You don’t want someone who’d use you because of your standing. ”
“I liked that, too,” my mother agreed. “And he had spunk. You’ll want that, too.”
Keller grinned mischievously. “I’m going to update your websites to say ‘Cliff Walker wants spunk.’”
Flynt laughed, high-fiving Keller. “That would be so funny…until creepy guys start leaving jars of it on his front step.”
“Flynt!” Adam snapped.
I shot Keller and Flynt chastising looks, causing them to stare down at their shoes as they mumbled apologies. It reminded me too much of when I had been a teacher.
“Flynt, why don’t you try to be helpful and tell Mr. Walker who impressed you?
” Myles encouraged, probably hoping to redeem his son in the viewers’ eyes.
Flynt scratched his neck, seeming unsure.
“Um, I thought Daryl seemed kind of sneaky.” He looked over to Keller.
“Sorry to disagree with you, bro. I think I would vote for Aaron, too.”
There was a pause as all eyes shifted to Josh. He probably hated being pushed out of his comfort zone to speak on camera. He fiddled with his shirt sleeve. “Um, I know this might not… I don’t think…”
Myles put a hand on his son’s shoulder. “It’s okay, Joshua. Your views are as valid as anyone’s. Who would you pick for Mr. Walker, if you had to choose today?”
“Mikey.”
I could hear the inhale of breath come from a few of the others.
“Why, Josh?” Adam asked.
Josh continued to fidget with a button. “He seemed genuine. When he looked at you in that first moment, Mr. Walker, I think he felt so lucky to be talking to you. I’ll bet he would try every day to make you happy.”
Everyone seemed to contemplate that, and heads nodded in agreement. Just like that, Josh’s heartfelt opinion vaulted Mikey near the top of everyone else’s list, too—including my own.
“Well, it sounds like this will be a tough competition,” Emilio said.
I agreed.
* * * *
James had just finished telling me about his conversation with Mikey. I was livid. I wondered how many other underhanded stunts the producers had planned.
“Fuckers.” James blanched at my uncharacteristic curse. “Sorry.”
“No, I understand,” he assured me. “They are. Fuckers, I mean. But not Mikey and Aaron.”
I wasn’t as sure. “They went along with it. I don’t know. I think I would have walked away if I had been in their shoes. What’s worse is, when I spoke with Aaron downstairs, he was downright flirtatious.”
I removed the suit jacket that now felt restrictive.
James rushed over to take it from my hands and hang it.
“But it’s like Mikey said, they signed an NDA before they auditioned, just like you did.
If they couldn’t tell you what the producers had planned, wasn’t it better for them to run interference?
And Aaron probably turned on the charm downstairs because he believes he needs to play the part initially.
He can’t very well act disinterested on the first day without raising suspicions. ”
I paced my bedroom until James had placed my jacket over a hanger, then stood awaiting my response.
I recalled the conversation I had had with Aaron after Mikey had been brought to his room.
Despite Aaron’s comments about my alleged good looks and great shape, he spent more time seemingly trying to sell me on Mikey.
That supported Mikey’s claim that their plan was to de-emphasize Aaron in hopes I wouldn’t choose him.
And they were correct that had producers passed on Aaron and brought on a different straight guy, I might have wasted time falling for an unavailable man—only to be embarrassed by my selection during the show’s finale.
“What if he’s not the only one? Do you think the producers could have signed up more than one guy who’s putting on an act?” I rubbed a hand over my jaw. “Christ, maybe all of them are.”
“Mikey’s not,” James replied.
“Are you sure about that? If Aaron was pretending to have interest, Mikey could be, too,” I reasoned. “What if he never even got drunk? The producers might have hired a couple of amateur actors and they’re playing out some twisted scene to make me paranoid.”