How’s book club?
Annie wasn’t about to admit to watching some silly reality TV dating show. Walter only watched PBS or the occasional golf tournament. Not because Walter played golf, but most of the partners at the law firm he worked at did, and Walter said it was necessary for him to be able to discuss the sport intelligently. Television, he said, was a mind suck for the masses.
She texted him back. We’re having fun.
Not exactly the truth but not exactly a lie. Technically they weren’t discussing a book, but she wasn’t having a horrible time either.
Mom glanced over curiously. “Who are you texting?”
“Just a friend.” She wasn’t trying to be duplicitous, but if she told them it was Walter, then they would all want to talk about him. Annie didn’t want to have to tell them for the umpteenth time that she and Walter still weren’t engaged, let alone that they hadn’t even talked about marriage for months. But this was nothing like the Russell fiasco. Annie wasn’t uprooting her life and career to chase after a man. That lesson had been learned and catalogued in the “Never Again” column of her life.
I want to feel that zing you get when you meet the woman you know you were meant to spend the rest of your life with.
She mentally shook her head. Get a grip, Annie. It was a reality TV dating show.
Eventually, she and Walter would get engaged. It was just a matter of finding the right time in their careers. Everything in Annie’s life was just the way she liked it. Neat, orderly, predictable. Which might sound boring to some people, but who needed a roller coaster when the carousel was perfectly wonderful? Besides, no one ever fell off a carousel and broke their neck, did they?
She was about to switch off her phone when a Twitter notification came across the screen. It was from a celebrity she followed. Curious, Annie tapped on the icon to open the Tweet.
LOVE LOVE LOVE Gas Station Sam! #SingleGal.
She scrolled down to see more Tweets.
Gas Station Sam is a hottie! #SingleGal
If Hannah doesn’t want him, I do! #GasStationSam #SingleGal
Millie pointed to Annie’s phone. “What are you looking at?” she asked, slurring her words.
“It looks like this Sam you all love is pretty popular.”
“What do you mean?” asked Charlotte.
Annie handed her phone to the older woman. “See? All those comments are about him.”
Charlotte pulled out her readers and studied the screen. “How do I see more of these?”
Annie showed her how to access the Tweets.
“What are the pound signs for?” she asked.
“Those are hashtags. It lets other people know what you’re talking about. See, she’s hashtagged Single Gal so people know she’s referencing the show.”
Charlotte handed the phone to Mom, who then handed it over to Millie. “There’s hundreds of these hash browns with Sam’s name on them!”
Oh yeah, she was definitely driving Millie home tonight.
“Why are they calling him Gas Station Sam?” asked Mom.
“Probably because he works at a gas station,” said Charlotte.
“Look!” said Millie, bringing their attention back to the TV. “It’s Don Carmichael!”
The show’s host came on screen and announced that it was time to hand out the roses, declaring that this would be the show’s most dramatic moment ever.
“What’s going on?” asked Annie. “Why is this going to be the most dramatic moment ever?”
Charlotte waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, they always say that. It heightens the tension.”
“Yeah,” said Millie, “but it always turns out to be the same old thing.”
Hannah stood in front of her twenty-five suitors and gave a little speech about how humbled she felt being their Single Gal. Tonight had been the best night of her life, and she appreciated all the men taking time out of their busy lives to come support her dream. She finished by saying that she was positive that her future husband was standing in front of her.
The men, all dressed in suits (except for the duck), smiled back. The camera kept panning between Sam, who had a noticeable sheen on his forehead like he was sweating, to the guy in the duck suit, who Annie thought looked a bit too cocky for a guy wearing feathers.
Hannah wet her lips (dramatically!), reached out for a rose boutonniere and smiled at the men. “Dave,” she called out.
A tall guy with sandy colored hair walked up to her.
“Dave,” said Hannah, “Will you accept this rose and continue on the Single Gal journey with me?”
Dave grinned, revealing the whitest set of teeth Annie had ever seen. “No need to ask, pretty lady. I’ll always accept a rose from you.”
Yuck.
Hannah pinned the rose boutonniere on his lapel, then reached out to hug him. “Thank you!” she gushed.
She handed out a few more roses to guys who looked more like models than real people.
Annie glanced down at her phone screen.
For Sam’s sake, call him already! #GasStationSam #SingleGal
Why hasn’t Hannah given Sam a rose yet???? #SingleGal #IwantSam
I hate Hannah for making Sam wait! #SingleGal #Hannahissodumb
“What is she waiting for?” asked Charlotte. “Why hasn’t she given Sam a rose yet?”
“She’s making him wait until last because she wants to show him he’s special,” said Millie.
“Doesn’t seem like a good way to show him he’s special,” Mom said.
The three older women began to chant, “Sam! Sam! Sam!”
Finally, Hannah gave out all the roses except one. Don What’s-His-Name came on screen again. His smarmy gaze went from Hannah to the lone rose boutonniere lying on the platter, then back at the men again. “Gentlemen,” he said solemnly, “there’s just one rose left. Which means the rest of you will be going home tonight.”
Six men stood together, all rose-less. Sam, the guy in the duck suit, and four other guys. They all looked like they were facing the firing squad. Surely Hannah wasn’t going to cut Sam, was she? Not that she deserved a nice guy like Sam. Not when she’d already given a rose to that sleazy Dave. But Annie didn’t want Sam to go through the humiliation of being cut on the first night.
Annie reached out for her fourth, or what, fifth chocolate chip cookie? Tomorrow, she’d have to hit the gym.
Hannah looked at the six men left with sympathy in her eyes. “I wish I had six more roses to give out, but unfortunately I don’t.” She picked up the lone rose and gazed at it sadly. “My last rose of the night goes to … Mitch.”
The three older women recoiled in horror.
“Which one is Mitch?” Annie asked.
“No! Not the duck!” wailed Millie.
The duck waddled over to get his rose. Despite all the feathers, he still managed to give Hannah a hug.
“Gentlemen,” Don What’s-his-name said, “if you didn’t receive a rose tonight, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Mom threw her hands up in disgust. “I’m never watching this show again.”
“What could she be thinking?” asked Charlotte. “How could she not give that adorable Sam a rose?”
Personally, Annie thought Sam was better off not getting a rose. “Looks to me like the two of them didn’t connect.” She studied Sam’s face. He looked shell-shocked. Poor guy. Putting yourself out there was hard enough, but on live national TV? Annie could never do it, that’s for sure.