Free Dandelions on the Road by Brooke Williams

Carlos?”
    Brian closed his mouth and swallowed his protest. Of course, it didn’t matter if he was first or last. He wasn’t on the show, at least not in the dating capacity. Eva was here to date the ten contestants, not him. It would have been awkward for him to take off on a walk with her while the men in the contest stood around wasting time. But in the back of his mind, it’s exactly what he hoped for as he raced up the stairs at lightning speed.
    “This here’s God’s country.” Mitch extended his arms as wide as they would go and took in the river view below.
    Brian sat on the wooden bench in the middle of the platform and watched Eva chat and smile at her suitors. She didn’t spend much time with Carlos, but his chance was coming. She was a natural people person. Brian could tell each man on the platform was attracted to her. And why wouldn’t they be? She was gorgeous inside and out.
    He wasn’t doing his job and he knew it. Brian waited for a break in the conversations and edged in next to Eva. “Have time for a brief interview?” he asked. Getting some shots of her at the top of the lookout would be nice. The wind was sharp and the sound might not be great, but they would keep it short.
    “Sure.” She followed Brian to the corner of the platform where the river would show behind her.
    Brian motioned for a cameraman to approach and then started. “How did the hike go?”
    “It was a lot of fun. I got a chance to talk to the guys on a more natural level. Some of their personalities really shined.”
    Brian wondered if she meant Harris. He had been missing from the date since his encounter with the poison ivy. He was probably at the lodge receiving medical care.
    “And are you glad Carlos won the race to the top of the tower?” Brian worked to keep from grinding his teeth.
    “I want to get to know all of the men on this date. But, I can already tell I have a connection with Carlos and I’m anxious to see where it goes.”
    “Thanks, that’s good for now.” Brian waved the camera away. He wanted to tell Eva he actually reached the top of the tower before Carlos, but he knew it would sound petty and childish. And where would it get him?
    Brian motioned toward the men, allowing her to slide past him and return to her date. His arm brushed the side of her hand as she went and he tingled where their skin touched.
    The show allowed him to travel a bit and get extra sleep. The different hours were heaven, but overall, the role was a lot harder than he anticipated.
     
    EVA’S WALK WITH Carlos went better than she expected. The man was her type to a T. He had a Latin background and a muscular build. His eyes had depth to them and she liked his short, spiky hair. She learned that he worked long hours as an architect…and that she liked the feel of his rough hand wrapped around hers.
    By the time she arrived back to the group, she was giddy with excitement. This process was going to lead somewhere, she knew it. Whether it was to Carlos or one of the other men, the possibilities were intriguing.
    Eva said goodbye to the four remaining guys on the date. Mike informed her the group would pick Harris up at the lodge first aid clinic on their way out. He was okay, but would itch for a while. Those men would head back to town and have the afternoon free before the elimination ceremony that night.
    But Eva’s day was just beginning. The other men arrived just in time for their picnic lunch. She looked forward to seeing Cane, Pete, Steve, Trent and Kurt on the second leg of the date. She felt like she had the start of a friendship or maybe something more with several of the men on the morning date. She wondered what the afternoon would bring.
    One thing was for sure, Eva was glad she took the risk to appear on Accept this Dandelion . What girl got the opportunity to meet so many great guys at once? When she had time to decompress, it would be fun to envision her life with each of them. But now, the second set