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“Of course. But my opinion is solely based on your stats. If you don’t have any chemistry, I’ll watch your interactions with other people and re-advise you.”
Trina turns away from me and hands each of the stylists a list. She tells them, “I’ve made notes on who I think will need what. I’ll be walking through periodically in case you have any questions.”
The door opens and at least a dozen people walk into the room. I don’t know why, but I had imagined they’d keep the sexes apart, at least until the mixer. That doesn’t seem to be the case.
Catching Paige’s eye in the mirror, I offer a small wave. She immediately crosses the room in my direction. When she’s right behind me, she says, “I feel like I’m going to hurl.”
“Yet, you look great,” I tell her, trying to instill confidence. The truth is, she looks like she didn’t sleep well last night.
Trina welcomes Paige. Then she asks, “Do you two know each other?” She sounds surprised and not in a good way.
“We’re old friends,” I tell her.
“Is thatall?”
Paige and I share a look before I answer, “Yup.”
Paige adds, “We went to school together from kindergarten on.”
Trina’s gaze shifts between us like she’s looking for evidence of something more. “We don’t like to match people who have a history. It’s boring for the TV audience.”
“We’ve never been more than friends,” Paige assures her. I can tell she’s thinking that we were never even that, but she doesn’t share that information with Trina.
“But wearegoing to help each other,” I announce.
Trina looks concerned. “What does that mean,help each other?”
Paige fields this one. “We plan on sharing who we think the other should spend time with.”
The show’s host suddenly looks excited. “You mean you’ll gather information for each other? What a great idea! This could be the season’s twist we’re always looking for.”
I don’t want to be a twist. Heck, I don’t want to be part of setting Paige up, but if the boss is happy then I suppose I should be, as well. “There’s another guy from Elk Lake,” I say. “He teaches at the same school Paige does.”
“What?!” Trina jerks upright like I just told her she’d cast a shape-shifting reptilian alien on the show. She frantically flips through some paperwork before asking, “Who is he?”
“Chip Baker,” Paige replies in a bored monotone.
Trina looks confused. “It says here that Chip is a teacher in Madison.”
Paige closes her eyes like she’s searching for inner peace and failing to find it. “He’s subbing in Elk Lake until the end of the school year.”
“Oh, dear.” Trina does not sound happy. “We never have three people from the same town, during the same season.”
“If it helps,” Paige assures her, “I couldn’t be less interested in Chip Baker.”
Trina’s expression shifts from annoyed to intrigued. “Why is that?”
“He’s the kind of guy who was probably a hall monitor inschool. You know, full-on with a whistle and a yellow pad of tardy slips?”
Trina laughs. “That wasn’t the impression I got at all.”
“How did he strike you?” Paige wants to know.
“I thought he was cute and dedicated. The kind of man you’d want to take home to your mother.”
“My mother would disown me if I brought him home to meet her.”
Wheels appear to start turning in Trina’s head. “Your parents live in town, don’t they, Paige?”
