“I like it!” my mother said with a smile.
“Okay, I’m on board with that. What’s the show about?”
“It’s going to be a social experiment on dating. And the dates will be shot live, so everything is more organic and real. But I do believe the dates are planned out in some way for logistical reasons.”
“Dates?” they both said.
“I’m just the host…not the one doing the dating. But the premise is that there will be one guy, and he’s local to Montana. His name is Hunter Shaw.”
My father gave me a surprised look. “Brock Shaw’s son?”
“Do you know him?” I asked.
With a shake of his head, Dad replied, “I don’t know Hunter, but I met his father years ago. He rode a benefit rodeo that aided the hospital where Robert worked. From what I remember, he was a nice guy. Last I heard, he’d retired at a pretty young age to raise his family and work on his folks’ cattle ranch.”
I nodded. “That’s what I understand, as well. I mean, I googled Hunter to find out about him. He’s big in team roping, one of the best in the country at the collegiate level. Anyway, they asked him to be the guy who’s matched up with like twenty or so different women. At first when they asked me, I said no, but then they offered me a pretty good sum to host for just two months, with some promo work to be done in November, and…I couldn’t turn it down. That money will pay off several of your debts.”
They both stared at me with dumbfounded expressions before my father stood and made his way around the island toward me.
“Kipton, it’s not your job to figure out a way for us to get out of debt.”
I was about to argue when he kept going.
“Nor is the debt your fault.”
Standing, I looked at my beloved father. He was still so handsome. At forty-nine, his hair was liberally sprinkled with gray. He was fit because he worked out every day, and the warmth in his pale blue eyes always made me feel safe and loved.
“Daddy, I know…but I don’t have to think it’s my fault to want to help. This is easy money. All I have to do is host, and besides, it’s something to add to my résumé, so there’s that.”
He shook his head. “What about school? You said it was for two months.”
“There are some days in November, but I’m not worried about those. Then a few more weeks before and after winter break that I’ll have to study remotely. But I already talked to my advisor, and all of my classes already offer online learning, so I’m golden there.”
It was my mother’s turn to walk over to me. “A dating show, though, Kipton? I thought you hated stuff like The Bachelor.”
“I never said I hated it. And besides, this isn’t the same.”
I spent the next few minutes explaining to my parents what the show was about and how it would work. Mom started to make up a small charcuterie board for us to snack on while my father asked a million-and-one questions about Swipe Right.
“It doesn’t sound so bad, if you ask me,” my mother said. “I like that the girl has the option to swipe left, or just leave outright if she wants.”
I nodded. “I liked that too.”
Dad let out a long sigh. “I don’t know. How much are they going to pay you?”
“They said because I was sort of a celebrity thanks to Miss Montana and competing in Miss America, they were offering me more.”
My parents leaned in, waiting for me to continue. When I didn’t say anything, my mother rolled her eyes. “How much, Kipton?”
“Two-hundred thousand.”
Both of their jaws dropped open.
“I know. I had the same reaction when they told me.”
My father slowly shook his head as he rubbed the back of his neck, while Mom clapped her hands together, causing me to jump. “Do they need an older woman to co-host? If so, I’m in!”
Laughing, my father playfully pushed Mom before he looked back at me. “Kipton, where will you be staying while this is filmed. Have you met this Hunter kid yet?”
“Dad, he’s not a kid and yes, we’ve met through Zoom a few times. Hunter told them a couple of weeks ago that he’s a solid yes. The plan is for most of the show to take place in Hamilton—that’s where Hunter’s family ranch is. They want to do a lot of the filming on the ranch, and his parents okayed it. The group of women will be staying in a house that the production company rented. Some huge mansion not that far from the Shaw Ranch.”
“Will you be staying with the women?” Mom asked.
I shook my head. “No, originally, I was going to stay at the same hotel where the crew will be lodging, but Mr. and Mrs. Shaw insisted I stay on the ranch after I talked with them over Zoom.”
“They don’t even know you, why would they offer to let you stay with them?” Dad asked.
“Hunter was the one who suggested it, and his mother quickly agreed. I must admit, I’d much rather stay there than at the hotel.”
“Will you be able to meet Hunter before shooting starts?”
“We’re set to meet in a couple of weeks, before the filming of the show starts. Don’t ask me how they did it, but they managed to get both schools to allow us to leave a few weeks early, so we’ll be taking the last few weeks of classes remotely, as well as our finals. Mr. and Mrs. Shaw are hosting a dinner for me, Jack Morris, and Travis Ryan—those are the producers. Hunter will be there, and I’ll meet him then. They invited both of you, as well.”
“Jack Morris?” my father asked. “As in Morris Production Company?”
“Yeah, do you know him?” I asked.
My father stared at me like I’d grown two heads. “Kipton, they produce the Miss America competition! That must be where they first saw you.”
“Oh my gosh, they do?” I asked.
“And they’ve produced some of the bestselling movies over the past five years. Jack’s father is an actor. He starred in that big action thriller movie a few years back. The Good Die Young or something like that.”
“That’s right!” Mom said, snapping her fingers. “It was filmed here in Montana.”
Dad nodded. “The family is from Bozeman.”
“Wow, I didn’t know any of that.”
“I have a question,” Mom said, and Dad and I both looked at her. “When is this dinner?”
Dad laughed.
“Sometime in November.”
My mother jumped and spun around to face my father. “I need to go find something to wear!”
I watched as she dashed toward their bedroom. Slowly turning back to my father, I said, “I think she’s on board with this.”
He shrugged and winked before his face turned serious. “Kipton, is this something you really want to do? I don’t want you to think you’re backed into a corner. We can figure out another way to get our heads above water.”
“First of all, I wouldn’t do this if I thought there was something wrong with it. Granted, I’m not looking to go into showbiz, and I told them that. This would be a one-time thing, even though they did offer me the hosting job for future seasons, if it takes off like they think it will. I told them it’s not for me long term. I know how much you want me to keep the house, Dad, for whatever reasons you and Mom have…and I’ll respect that. But in return, I just want you to let me help pay off some of these bills. It will at least pay the lawyer bills, and I hope more.”