Not knowing who the hell that was, I simply nodded. “What’s the timeframe again?”
“We’d like to film it this coming December and January. We’ll start preproduction in November, but the actual filming of the show starts that first week of December. I know you have school and all. My father was thinking you could do remote learning those weeks that aren’t part of winter break, if need be. He’s an alum and big contributor to the University of Montana, so getting permission for remote classes won’t be a problem,” Travis said.
“I’d have to ask my father since you want to film it on the ranch.”
They both nodded, and Jack added, “Understood.”
“Am I able to think about this?”
“Of course, you can,” Jack said. “We just need to know no later than September twenty-fifth so we can start marketing on the other stations and get the schedule planned. We already have our production team set up and ready to go.”
I raised a single brow. “So if I say no, you’ve got someone ready to go for backup?”
Travis smiled. “We do. He is technically our second-season bachelor, but if you say no, we’ll bump him to number one. We really think you’re the better choice to kick this off, though.”
“I see.” Clearing my throat again, I added, “I’ll think about it and talk to my parents and let you know.”
Jack reached his hand across the table and grinned. “I really hope you’re on board with this, Hunter.”
Smiling, I shook his hand, then Travis’s.
“Here are both of our cards. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to either of us,” Jack stated as he stood, and Travis followed his lead.
“I won’t. Thank you for…um…well…” My voice trailed off. What in the hell was I thanking them for, exactly?
Jack chuckled. “Look forward to hearing from you, Hunter.”
I watched as the two of them left the small Italian restaurant we’d chosen for lunch. I sat back in my chair and let out a heavy sigh.
The feeling of someone watching me caused me to turn around, and I saw three guys sitting at a nearby table. One of them leaned my way and said, “Dude…if you don’t do it, I will.”
Early September – Shaw Family Ranch – Hamilton, MT
My father and mother stared at me as they let what I’d just told them sink in.
When I couldn’t take the silence any longer, I asked, “Are you both in shock, or should I be worried or something?”
“A reality dating show?” my father asked.
Mom scrunched her nose. “Called…Swipe Right?”
I nodded. “The challenges of dating in the real world…that’s the tagline.”
“But…it’s reality TV…how is that the real world?”
Running my fingers through my hair, I sighed. “It’s not, really…but, Dad, they’re offering to donate a crazy amount of money to your foundation. It could build a new outdoor arena and the water park for Uncle Beck’s park.”
“Is this something you want to do, Hunter?” Dad asked.
My mind drifted back to the image of Kipton Howse that Lily had shown me, but I quickly shoved it away. When I’d told everyone at Blayze and Georgiana’s wedding about the reality show and mentioned the host, Lily had whipped out her phone to display a picture of Kipton to everyone. I was instantly intrigued.
I’d gone home that night and googled her, which I’d never admit to my family. Since then, I’d learned quite a bit about the former Miss Montana. The money for Dad and the chance to meet Kipton were pretty much the only reasons I considered this whole crazy thing.
I cleared my throat. “I wasn’t on board at first, but if we get something good out of it, then what harm could it do? They want to film a lot of it on the ranch, though, and I won’t agree to do it if you say no. Plus, they mentioned filming during my winter break, but the schedule is actually for two months, then an additional two months if I date the person I end up picking. I’d have to work it out with the school to do remote for part of November, December, and January. One of the producers mentioned that he didn’t think it would be a problem. His father has some pull at the school. And with it being my last semester, my workload is pretty easy anyway. Jack Morris and Travis Ryan are the producers, and their parents own the network. All told, it’s only for a couple of months. So I can still compete this spring.”
Looking at my mom, my father then focused back on me and smiled. It wasn’t the kind of smile that gave me a feel-good vibe. No…it was the kind of smile that made me shudder.
I looked at my mother. And she had an equally evil glint in her eye.
“I don’t like the way you’re looking at me,” I said, glancing back and forth between them.
“I say do it!” Dad announced. “This should be one hell of a ride, better than any riding competition you’ve ever been in. It’ll be fine as long as they respect the boundaries of where they can go on the ranch.”
Mom’s hand covered her mouth in a sad attempt to hide the tiny burst of laughter that slipped free.
“You…you want me to do it?” I won’t lie, I’d been kind of hoping he’d say no. “And you’re okay with filming on the ranch?”
They both nodded. “But only if the school will let you do remote,” Mom warned. “You know how we feel about you finishing college, and you’re right at the end, so there’s no point delaying it when you are at the finish line.”
I blinked at them while my gaze continued to move from one to the other.
“What’s the matter, son? You look a little pale.” Dad smirked as he reached over and hit me on the side of the arm. “Who knows? We may even get a daughter-in-law out of this.”
My mouth dropped open, and I stared as they stood, joined hands, and walked out of the room…laughing their asses off.
Chapter One
KIPTON
Bozeman, MT – Late October
I drew in a deep breath as I closed my eyes and counted to ten.
“One, two…”
Please don’t be angry with me.
“Five, six…”
Oh, they’re going to be so angry with me.
A knock on my car window caused me to let out a small scream, and my hand flew to my chest.
My finger tapped the automatic window button. “Dad, you scared me!”
He grinned in response. “I saw you sitting out here in your car and couldn’t for the life of me figure out what you were doing. Some form of vehicle meditation, I suspect.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “No, I was just taking a moment.”
His brow rose, and he jerked his head toward the house. “Your mother and I will be waiting while you work up the courage to tell us whatever it is you’re about to tell us.”
Before I could respond to the fact he’d just read my mind, he turned and headed back into the two-story log home I’d lived in since I was five.
Gilbert and Laura Howse were not my biological parents. They adopted me after their best friends—and my parents—Robert and Carol Lancing, passed away in a plane accident. My father was a pilot, and he and my mother had been coming back from a convention for heart surgeons in Dallas, Texas, on their private plane. All I was ever told was that the plane wreck had been caused by a storm that had moved down from Canada. They were only forty miles from the airport when they crashed.