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1
Snow Hendricks stared around the empty set in complete disbelief. In a few hours, this place would be hopping with cameramen, producers, and hosts. The cameras now stood unmanned, but they would soon be filming her—her—Snow Freedom Hendricks. She still found it hard to believe that she was the selected bachelorette to be featured onHeartthrob’s Most Wanted, where she would be meeting seven bachelors who’d opted to be candidates for her heart.
Or—for the billion-dollar prize at the end once she picked her prince charming.
She wasn’t naïve enough to believe any of the men were participating solely to meet her. Even so, she hoped she might find a connection with at least one of them.
Snow had dated other guys. She’d had the occasional boyfriend, but none of her relationships lasted long, and she hoped for something that didn’t have an expiration date. After her most recent relationship with Terry Waverland had ended—there had been little between them to build any kind of connection on, and they’d both agreed as much—Snow had decided to try a different route. A wait-and-see route that didn’t involve online dating apps. She’d been there. Done that.
Then, when the ad forHeartthrob’s Most Wantedcrossed her inbox, she’d auditioned on a whim. Her friend and neighbor, Lily Hope—now Lily Von Frosk—had helped her submit the video. There had been follow-up videos, additional applications, and a tense waiting period while they decided between her and two other women.
And here she was, taking time off from her position at the community theater in Clearwater to star in a completely different act. One that was no act at all.
She opened her phone and began swiping through each bachelor’s profiles, something she’d taken to doing every spare minute she had. Not only was each man extremely good looking in his own way, but their diverse personalities and occupations were so interesting. She wanted to make sure she remembered at least a few details about each man before they were introduced.
She couldn’t wait to meet them. Oh goodness—tomorrow. After all this time, all this waiting.
“Tomorrow,” she said aloud, pressing her phone to her chest and grinning like a fool.
The sound-canceling flooring almost fully masked the clacking heels, but Snow turned to findHeartthrob’s producer, Eloise Sanchez, approaching. Eloise’s appearance could have been described as cold and exacting, a complete contradiction to how jovial and welcoming the producer had been in their personal communications thus far. Her porcelain skin was on full display thanks to the tight strain of her black hair pulled into a harsh bun on the back of her head. Snow experienced the same rush of intimidation she’d felt when she’d first met Eloise, but she schooled herself to relax.
“It’s something, isn’t it?” Eloise said, gesturing to the set.
“It is,” Snow agreed. She’d received a tour when she’d first arrived in San Diego, but this venture allowed her the time she hadn’t had before to process the magnitude of it all. She had been selected.Shewas America’s heartthrob.
A man strolled in behind Eloise. He was tall, ebony-skinned, and along with his impressive cheekbones and brooding, sultry eyes, he wore a button-up shirt and slacks. Her awareness of him instantly heightened at just how put-together he was. Not only was he attractive, but his perfectly tailored clothing added to the confidence he exuded.
“Here you are,” he said, nodding at Snow but directing his response to Eloise.
“Here we are. Snow, meet Hunter Bradley, the owner of Heartthrob Magazine and security manager.”
Mr. Bradley offered Snow a hand. “Nice to meet you in person, Snow.”
Snow found herself ensnared by his direct glance.It’s nothing,she told herself.It’s only because he owns the show.She brushed off her reaction and shook his hand.
“You too,” she said, stomach quivering with nerves. She hurried to look away.
If she didn’t know any better, she’d have thought that, like Eloise, he had a hand in her selection for this position. Then again, as the owner of the station, perhaps he did. She’d had no idea the owner himself would be here for the onset of the show.
She’d been briefed about the security staff and the videographers who would be tailing her in her hotel room and on her dates with the bachelors. Lack of privacy was one of the hazards of reality TV. But meeting the owner?
He was still watching her, his warm eyes questioning and analyzing her at once. She wondered what the reason for his scrutiny was.
“Now’s the time to turn back,” Mr. Bradley said. “After tomorrow, we’re going to go from a coast to full throttle.” He gazed around the set as though he could picture the acceleration taking place. The lights, the energy, the movement. Snow couldn’t wait to drink it all in.
The last relationship Snow had been in had only lasted for a few months. Terry had been a guitarist in a band and had cared more about his ego than he had about Snow. She had liked the fact that he was athletic, though. It was nice to have a running partner.
Maybe a few of the men she was about to meet tomorrow evening would enjoy running…
“Did you find what you needed?” Eloise asked.
Mr. Bradley inhaled and stretched his back to elongate his posture. “We got it sorted out. One of the cameramen had a family emergency, but he was able to find someone to cover his placement. We’re good to go.”
“Excellent,” Eloise said and then turned to include Snow in the conversation. “We want to make sure everything is as smooth as possible before launch tomorrow.”
“Absolutely,” Snow said, though to be honest, she wasn’t sure she knew all the aspects Eloise and Mr. Bradley had to cover to make sure a smooth launch happened. She’d had experience regarding this from acting on stage, but never anything to do with television.
Mr. Bradley gave her an acknowledging nod. There was a quiet intensity in his dark eyes. He carried himself with confidence, from his well-formed shoulders to his slim waist. He even had polished shoes. What made him want to be head of security if he owned the magazine and the station? Couldn’t he hire someone else to oversee safety precautions?
