The aftermath of Nolan’s announcement was surreal, or at least it felt that way to Susan. A strawberry blonde woman burst into tears, a few seconds after Nolan finished his list of names. Her wailing acted like a prod on the rest of the group, and Jennifer’s assistant dispensed tissues.
Susan waited her turn to speak with Hailee while groping to understand Nolan’s choices, and in specific, her.
“Are you excited to make it to the next stage of the competition?” Hailee asked.
“I’m more surprised than anything,” Susan said. “I didn’t think our speed date went very well.”
“Oh?”
“We didn’t exactly hit it off. Nolan suggested that since my experience with country life is nil I wouldn’t enjoy the isolation and lack of facilities.” No way was she going to mention the reveal of her high-cut lacy panties. Maybe the cameraman would take mercy and leave that part on the cutting room floor. But then again, recalling his snigger of appreciation, perhaps not. She’d have to wait and see.
“Maybe he took one look at you and decided you’re worth taking a chance on,” Hailee cooed.
That was spreading the bullshit a bit thick. Susan knew she wasn’t pretty in the conventional sense. Dressed right, she could stretch her appearance to striking. No, most people who checked her out probably thought prissy, although since taking up dancing, she’d slid out of that slot.
“I think he took pity on me,” Susan said. “I almost took a nose dive while I was walking to meet Nolan. The embarrassment at being such a klutz put me off-balance from the start of our date.”
“Oh? Tell us more.”
“I don’t think so,” Susan said with a smile to mute her bluntness. “I believe the cameraman recorded everything on film. That’s all I’m saying at this stage.”
Hailee laughed, a tinkling sound that would’ve been right at home in a feel-good cartoon. “That sounds very mysterious. We’ll look forward to seeing you on camera. Good luck with the next stage, Susan.”
“Thanks, Hailee.” Susan forced her lips to remain in their curve while her mind struggled with the people of New Zealand seeing her arse on film.
“And cut,” the assistant said. “Well done, everyone.”
Susan dropped into a booth at Maxwell’s and watched a dancer go through her paces. “She’s good,” she commented as Julia Maxwell—an attractive blonde and her boss—slid in beside her. Christina and their other friend, Maggie—a full-figured brown-haired woman with an impish smile—joined them. A minute later, a waitress arrived bearing a tray of glasses and a bottle.
“Champagne?” Susan asked.
“Ryan and Caleb sprang for the bottle when they heard you’d made the next round.”
“But they’re in China doing a show.”
Julia grinned. “I rang them. Ryan said they were cheering for you both, and they wanted to hear the results straightaway.”
Susan ran a finger over the condensation on the neck of the bottle. “The champagne is chilled.”
“Ordered before Ryan left. He and Caleb figured we’d celebrate or commiserate. Either way, champagne would work.”
Christina chuckled, her eyes gleaming behind the lenses of her glasses. “Julia, I love your husband. He has style.”
Julia nodded. “Yes, he does. Caleb too. You could always hook up with Caleb.”
“I’m not upset about today, about not making the next round,” Christina said. “We had a lovely day and lots of fun. I don’t need to snatch a man just because I struck out in the show. I like Caleb, but he’s like a brother rather than a prospective lover, you know?”
Maggie fiddled with one of her brown curls. “What about your farmer, Susan?”
Susan scowled at her glass. “I don’t understand why he picked me. He made it clear he thought I wouldn’t enjoy country life. He didn’t think I’d last the distance, and when he learned I danced burlesque that was the full stop on his decision.”
“He’s cute,” Christina said.
“True,” Susan said. “The physical attraction is there—at least on my side—but I hated his disapproving manner.” She sipped her champagne, savoring the tickly bubbles bursting against her tongue. “Jennifer wants us to chat about our experiences online. Her assistant has set up blogs for us on the station website. Oh, and I gave Maxwell’s a plug. Hopefully, they won’t cut it from the final show.”
“When is the first episode showing?” Maggie asked.
“Thursday night,” Christina said. “Instead of taping the entire show then airing it, they want to keep everything current and show the episodes as they’re filmed.”
“Let’s tape it and have a private viewing once things quiet down at the club,” Julia said.
“I’m nervous and I know the results,” Susan said. “From this point on, we’re not supposed to tell anyone what happens during filming. They made us sign contracts before we left. We’re meant to have our blog posts ready to go live once the first show has aired.” A sudden thought occurred and she laughed.
“What?” Christina asked.
“For my first post, I might talk about burlesque and educate people,” Susan said.
“Why don’t you post photos of you in costume and maybe some from our training sessions? Do some little slices of your daily routine. You could take some shots in the office too,” Christina said.
“Connor has a new camera,” Maggie said. “He’s got a good eye for photos too. I’ll ask him if he’ll snap some shots.”
“That’s a great idea,” Susan said, her mind full of possibilities. “I mentioned going to rugby matches, and I can do a few pics of Auckland too. Photos will help personalize my blog, and I won’t need to write as much.”
“A toast,” Julia said, lifting her glass. “To Susan and her farmer.”
“To Susan and her farmer,” Maggie and Christina chorused.
“I can’t drink to myself,” Susan protested. “To my farmer and to absent friends for providing this delicious champagne.”
“To Ryan and Caleb,” Julia said, a soft smile sliding across her face.
Tyler Penrith accepted a cup of tea from Josie Murdoch with a nod of thanks. His mother-in-law—a chubby woman with dark brown hair—reached up to pat his arm in a casual gesture of affection.
“How many stories did Katey wrangle out of you before she settled down?” Eric Murdock asked. In contrast to his wife, Eric was tall and slender—almost too thin—and his short hair was white even though he was a mere year older than Josie.
“Only two tonight,” Tyler said. “The birthday party tuckered her out.”
“Takes after her mother, that one.” Eric reached for the biscuit tin, snagged a chocolate chip cookie and settled his backside on his favorite chair.
Lord, he hoped not, Tyler thought. He’d go gray before his time if his four-year-old daughter rivaled her mother for mischief.
“Eric, don’t eat another cookie.” Josie poked a finger into his belly. “They’re for Katey’s kindergarten class.” She settled beside Tyler on the couch and focused on the television. “When does the show start? Has anyone seen my glasses?”
“A few minutes,” Tyler said. “I was surprised when I heard Nolan was going on Farmer Seeks a Wife. I ran into Dad at the cattle sale. I thought he was pulling my leg until he informed me Mum had entered Nolan. She wants Nolan settled with a suitable wife.”
Eric sent a longing glance at the cookie tin then turned back to the television with a sigh. “Your glasses are on the kitchen counter. I thought Nolan was seeing the solo mum with the kids.”
“Yvonne,” Tyler said. “I thought so too, but obviously the gossips got it wrong.”
“Quiet, the show’s starting,” Josie said, after her quick trip to retrieve her glasses. “This has to be the biggest thing that’s happened in Clare since the Shakespeare sextuplets were born. I don’t want to miss a word.”
Obediently, Tyler turned his attention to the TV and the bubbly blonde hostess introducing the farmers. Nolan did a good job. He appeared confident and conversed easily with Hailee. He’d cut his hair and wore what looked like new clothes.
“Do you think you’ll find the perfect woman here?” Hailee asked.
“I’m hoping so,” Nolan said. “I’m certainly looking forward to meeting the lovely ladies in my group.”
“I’m sure they’ll enjoy meeting you too,” Hailee said and beamed into the camera. “Come back after the break and meet the ladies who hope to steal Farmer Nolan’s heart.”
“Nolan came across as interesting and sincere,” Josie said.
He had. His older brother bore a wide streak of charm when he chose to exert himself.
The ad break ran, and Tyler settled in to watch the rest of the show. The segment moved to Nolan meeting some of the women in his group. His brother remained charming, but he was blunt and abrupt with the women, grilling them about living in the country.
“Look at that woman’s face,” Josie said, her kindness showing in a sympathetic grimace. “Her eyes are welling with tears.”
“Did he pick the candidates himself?” Eric asked.
“According to Dad, the women had to pick one of the farmers, complete a form, write an essay and send their applications to the station. Nolan received five hundred and twenty-three replies to whittle down to twenty.”
“I imagine that must have been difficult—oh, my! That poor girl,” Josie said.
Tyler watched the screen, spellbound as a woman with long, straight brown hair and a fire-engine red dress struggled to free her shoes from the turf. His brother strolled over, a smile twitching his lips as his gaze did a brief scan of her trim body.
“I’m not usually this clumsy,” the woman said, the color in her cheeks matching her clothing.
“No problem,” Nolan said. “Let’s get you safely to the meeting spot so we can have a chat.” He whisked the woman into his arms, and Tyler experienced a surge of envy. His lips twisted wryly. Maybe he needed to take advantage of his in-laws when they volunteered to babysit and get out more.
“Oh my,” Josie repeated.
Eric let out a slow whistle while Tyler didn’t bother wasting breath. He stared at the curve of the woman’s bottom and the tiny pair of lacy black panties she wore beneath her red dress. Her flustered expression when Nolan set her on the tartan blanket cried out for a hug. Tyler grinned at the careful way the woman positioned herself on the ground. She didn’t intend to flash again.
Once Nolan offered her a drink, he started his questions. “I believe you work in an office? What do you do in your spare time?”
The woman—Susan—hesitated. “I’m r-really excited to be here, N-Nolan, and it’s great to meet you. Um…I…ah…like to dance. I go out with my f-friends to clubs and r-r-rugby matches. Sometimes we go shopping or to m-movies.” She caught her bottom lip between her teeth before releasing it to offer a strained smile.
“The poor girl is nervous,” Josie said with a sympathetic tut.
“Not many shops out in the country,” Nolan persisted.
Tyler focused on the woman’s face. She had a quiet beauty, the type that would creep up on a man and steal into his heart. Damn, was Nolan trying to kick her off-balance?
“No, I don’t suppose there are.” Her smile wobbled. “The internet works well for shopping. You can buy just about anything online these days from farm equipment to dresses.”
Josie gave a laugh of delight. “I like this one. She’s handled the situation well and isn’t letting Nolan bulldoze her in the same way he has with the other girls.”
Onscreen, Nolan nodded at Susan’s reply, and Tyler could tell he was enjoying his moment of fame.
“Do you enjoy your job?” Nolan asked. “If we hit it off with each other, would you miss not working in an office?”
“I don’t work in an office anymore,” Susan blurted.
Something in her tone had Tyler leaning forward, eager to hear what she’d say next.
Nolan’s eyes narrowed as the camera panned across his features. “You gave up your job? You must be very certain of your future.”
The woman gritted her teeth, and Tyler caught a flash of irritation in her pretty blue eyes. “No, I have a new job. One of my friends owns a club, and I work for her now.”
“What sort of club?”
Susan ignored his demand for an answer. “What qualities do you want in a wife?”
“Interesting,” Tyler said.
“I wonder what sort of club she works at,” Eric mused.
Josie cocked her head, her eyes alert behind the lenses of the tortoise shell-rimmed glasses. “A strip club? A dance club? A casino?”
“I’d like a wife who answers questions. What sort of club?” Nolan insisted in a stern, don’t-mess-with-me voice.
“A burlesque club,” she said, her face blooming again with that charming color. She shot a furtive glance at the camera, and Tyler and the rest of the viewing public received an eye full of scowl.
“You said you like to dance.” It sounded like an accusation.
“Now that sounds like a judgment,” Josie said. “She’s gonna deck Nolan if he’s not careful.”
“I work at Maxwell’s, a burlesque club on K’ Road in Auckland,” Susan said in a firm voice while staring straight into the camera. “I take care of the accounts and wages and also dance on stage several nights a week.”
“You’re a stripper,” Nolan said.
“Well,” said Josie.
“I didn’t see that coming,” Eric said. “She looks like such a goody-two-shoes.”
The frisson of interest in Tyler grew and he couldn’t tear his eyes off the screen. This was the first woman to attract his curiosity since Rebecca stomped all over his heart. A snort escaped him, attracting a quizzical glance from Josie.
“Do you disapprove?” she asked.
Tyler shook his head, ears peeled to hear every word from the little lady.
“You really need to educate yourself about burlesque,” Susan said. “Burlesque is not the same as stripping.”
“But you do perform on a stage.”
“Yes, I do, and I’m rather good at it. Maxwell’s is a very busy place.” Her chin lifted and she spoke with pride.
“I like this woman,” Eric said. “I like her backbone. She’s a bit flustered, but she’s holding her own.”
Nolan stared at her for a long moment, and Tyler almost wished he was watching the show in the presence of his mother. She’d made her disapproval very clear when he’d announced Rebecca was pregnant. He could only imagine what she thought about this Susan’s announcement. His mother was concerned with appearances and still didn’t speak to Tyler, even though he and Rebecca had ended up getting married.
“I wonder if you’d find the countryside a little quiet,” Nolan said. “We don’t have shops or movie theatres or clubs.”
“I’m open to trying new things,” Susan countered. “I’ve never lived in the country, but I’m sure I’ll find things to keep myself amused.”
The Farmer Seeks a Wife went to an ad break, leaving Tyler’s mind free to wander. He could think of countless ways to help keep Susan amused, and none of them included his older brother.
“I like her too,” Josie said. “I’d love to meet her in person, although I don’t suppose we’ll get a chance after her bombshell.” She darted a quick glance at Tyler.
“Just say it,” he said. “Mum is probably having conniptions and stressing about what Reverend Jacobs and the rest of the churchie people are going to say.”
Eric let out a rude snort. “Clare’s morals police will get good mileage, that’s for sure.”
“My lips are sealed.” Josie made a lip buttoning motion. “I’m staying far away from the gossip vine. I’m not even going to give into the temptation to prune, although I hate to think about the character assassination of that poor girl. Anyone for more tea?”
“Not for me, thanks,” Tyler said. “I’ll just look in on Katey and make sure she hasn’t snuck out of bed to play with her doll’s house again.”
“I’ll pause the show if it starts before you come back,” Eric said. “We don’t want to miss a thing.”
Tyler strode down the dark passage leading to his daughter’s bedroom and pushed open the door. Katey’s nightlight, resplendent with unicorns, lent a warm glow to the room. His heart twisted on seeing her amidst a herd of soft toys and one semi-bald doll. Katey’s golden blonde hair—Rebecca’s hair—spread across her pillow and a quiet whistle sounded each time she breathed.
Rebecca.
The woman was everywhere even though she’d died two years ago now.
He sighed and backed out of his daughter’s room. So many memories…
“The show has just started,” Eric said when Tyler skirted the glass-topped coffee table to reclaim his seat on the couch.
“There are some attractive girls,” Tyler said as they watched the segment featuring a farmer from Otago and his group of women. “The city men must be doing something wrong.”
“Which ones do you think he’ll choose?” Josie asked.
“A blonde one,” Tyler said promptly and laughed when Josie prodded him in the ribs. “What? You haven’t noticed most of the women in his group are blonde?”
“Of course I noticed,” Josie said. “Which blondes will he choose?”
“If he’s smart, he’ll go with the girl who was brought up on a farm. A fish out of water is very well for a short time, but some of those women wouldn’t like the isolation of his farm. It’s damn cold down there in the middle of winter. Lots of snow. At least the woman Nolan chooses will only have to face rain and mud,” Eric said.
“When we come back, each of our farmers will choose eight women from his group to go forward to the next round. Who will it be? Ladies and gentlemen, the tension is palpable here, and I’m as anxious as the girls to learn who our farmers choose,” Hailee said in a confidential manner.
“So who is Nolan going to pick?” Eric asked.
Tyler knew who Nolan wouldn’t select. “Of the ones we saw, I think he liked the woman who owned the dog and a tea shop. She seemed nice and she was subtle yet sexy. Mum would approve of her.”
Josie nodded. “The woman who worked as admin at the fast-food restaurant. With her farming background, she’d be a good candidate.”
“Quiet, the show is starting again,” Eric said.
Tyler smothered a grin. He’d take a safe bet that most Clare residents were glued to their televisions tonight.
“Oh dear,” Josie said, her tone sympathetic when the first farmer read out his eight picks. “Some of the women look as if they might burst into tears.”
“At least the women they showcased tonight might get a little attention from the single men in their area—one’s they haven’t met before,” Eric said.
Tyler didn’t comment, instead wondering how he could get up to Auckland to meet Susan in person. He had a starting point—the club on K’ Road and her name—but he figured a lot of other men would have the same idea. He thought about their work schedule on the farm and acknowledged the truth. He couldn’t leave Eric to cope with the haymaking on his own. The sheep were due for crutching too.
“It’s Nolan’s turn,” Josie said.
They listened to Hailee ask Nolan several questions.
“He’s good,” Eric said. “He comes across as confident yet not arrogant.”
“Shush,” Josie said, her eyes glued to the screen.
Tyler watched Nolan scan the line of women, his expression suitably somber. “Hailee, the ladies I have chosen for the next stage are Maxine, Elle, Tamara, Lucy, Anna, Cherry, Jasmine and Susan.”
“He picked the stripper,” Eric said.
Shock rioted with excitement in Tyler as Hailee informed the viewing audience that the chosen women plus the men would be blogging about their experiences on the show. “If anyone has any burning questions for our farmers, there is a forum to post your queries and you can also comment on the blog posts. During the next show, our farmers are taking their eight women on a group date so they can assess the women in a social situation. Tune in at the same time on Thursday to learn what happens,” Hailee said.
The closing credits rolled over her smiling face before the camera panned across the room to show each farmer surrounded by his chosen women.
“Well,” Josie said. “I didn’t expect that.”
“No.” Tyler stared as the camera plucked Susan’s face from the group and highlighted her for the viewing audience. Their mother was probably frothing at the mouth right now. Nolan never upset her intentionally. He was the doting son who always did the right thing while Tyler was the bad boy who messed up—according to their mother, at least. What the hell was Nolan playing at?
Tyler couldn’t wait to discover about the fallout.