“Cody, I’m sorry, but we’re not a match.”

I swallow, knowing that means another one of the ‘good guys’ is gone. Damn, we’d just had a pleasant breakfast too, sitting around and enjoying a gourmet spread. The camera crew got in the way a little, but it was fun to chill with the guys. Cody and Dean, at least. It sucks that just minutes later, just as the sun’s really coming up and most people would be getting ready to go to work, Emily has cut another, and it wasn’t Lee. But that’s the way it is, and I knew as soon as Meredith came storming onto the patio what was up.

“Will Hayden and Dean please come forward?” Emily asks, and I take a moment. With today’s cut, Meredith decided to do it in twos. Lee and Cody were up first, flipping their cards along with Emily. Cody took his loss well, shaking hands with me and Dean before giving Emily a hug.

Lee, of course, looks cocky as fuck as Dean and I step forward. He doesn’t have anything to worry about now. And in his mind, this show is already wrapped up.

Dean and I stand side by side, but before Emily can start her lines about the cards, Dean steps forward. “Dean?” Emily asks, confused.

I can see it in his eyes. He knows he’s been cut. I’d be stupid to say I don’t agree with him, and it hits me right in the gut to know that a guy I consider a friend is going to lose. But it’s me or him. There’s more than that in Dean’s eyes, though, as he looks back at me, then at Emily.

“Emily, I have a pretty good idea what’s under my card,” he says, waving his hand when Meredith goes to protest. “But for the past few days, I’ve had fun here. I thought, when I came here, that I’d hate everyone. Hell, I figured we’d be at each other’s throats and ready to fight over you.”

“I heard that,” Cody, who’s walked off set but is still next to Joe the cameraman, says.

“But as the competition continued, I found that not only have I enjoyed each and every second that I’ve gotten to spend with you, but I’ve also met a few guys who, back home, I wouldn’t mind sharing a beer with and calling my friends. That includes you, Hayden.”

“Bro,” I whisper, and Dean turns to me.

“If I’m wrong, and I’m just talking out of my ass and you’re the one cut while I go on, it still doesn’t change the fact that I’ve made a good friend.”

“You too,” I agree. “For damn sure, we’re gonna stay in touch after this. No matter what.”

Dean offers me his hand, and I shake before getting pulled into a bro hug with him. He pats me on the shoulder, and I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s got something on his mind.

He turns back to Emily and clears his throat. “Emily, regardless of what’s under my card, I think you’re a beautiful woman. The sort of woman who deserves happiness. So no matter what, choose wisely. Think about who’s going to be there for you, who’s going to try and be someone real . . . and who’s just here to get a little bit of publicity and his fifteen minutes of fame.”

Emily looks shaken, and I can tell Meredith isn’t liking this. According to the contracts we signed, we’re not allowed to directly talk shit about the other contestants to Emily, so it’s likely no one has told her what a fake fucking douchebag Lee is. But Dean just damn-near stomped on that contract, and while I’m glad for Emily to get a bit of the truth, I hope it doesn’t put Dean in a bad spot with the producers. As it is, the editors are going to have a hell of a time chipping that up for the audience.

Finally, Emily speaks, though she still looks confused. “Thank you, Dean.”

Knowing that anything I want to say would just pile on with Dean’s comments, I simply give Emily a nod, hoping she understands, and step forward next to Dean.

Fifteen seconds later, seeing the match on my card, I’m torn. Of course, most of me is happy, but there’s a shadow inside that says it’s not fair that Lee is here and Dean’s not. If she knew who he really was, he would’ve been gone a long time ago. But I shake Dean’s hand one more time for the cameras, and he whispers in my ear, “Take that fucking snake down, okay? For Emily’s sake, even if you two aren’t long-term material.”

“You can count on it,” I promise him. Dean turns and gives Emily a hug and kiss on the cheek, then walks off set. Meredith gives it a few seconds for the cameras to get their departing shots before clapping her hands again. I swear she treats us like a class of kindergarteners.

“All right, people . . . last two standing. You know what that means.” She waggles her eyebrows at us. We all stare blankly, not knowing what she’s talking about. Meredith sighs. Maybe we are kindergarteners to her. “Fantasy suite dates!”

She says it like we’re supposed to start jumping around in excitement. A crew member sets up the spinning wheel and button for Emily to push, and as the cameras roll, locations start to scroll across the screen. Obviously, by now, we know that the destination is already set up and the button push is just for show. But the flashing cities do build excitement. Emily plays it up, yelling cheerfully. "No whammies!" as she presses the button and the screen stops on . . . Las Vegas!

It’s hard not to smile at that, each of us hollering, “Vegas, Baby!” on cue. Everyone is excited, even the crew, for a trip away, it seems. A night in a fantasy suite with Emily sounds pretty fucking sweet too . . . I just have to remember the cameras are going to be right in our faces, though, but I’ll figure out something. They damn sure can’t see under the covers. I glance at Emily, who looks back with a slight blush in her cheeks, and I swear she’s thinking the same thing.

Meredith lets the cheers die down before continuing. “Okay, Emily, get packed. Guys, I’d like to have meetings with each of you in the office.”

We follow Meredith and Nate to the front of the house, and Lee goes in first with them while I hang in a chair in the hallway. I keep hoping to get a glance of Emily, but no dice, although Cody comes by with his bags over his shoulder. He gives me a nod and a little salute, his broad shoulders unbowed by getting cut. Fifteen minutes after that, Lee walks out with a big-ass grin from ear to ear and it’s my turn. I close the door behind me, sitting down in a chair next to Meredith, Nate behind the desk clicking on the laptop and ignoring us.

“So Hayden, how do you think this is all going? What’s your take on everything?” Meredith asks, sitting in her chair like queen of the fucking world.

“Uh, it seems to be going great. Emily and I have hit it off, and I think she’s gonna pick me.”

Meredith looks a bit shocked, but it seems forced somehow, then she switches to a pitying look, picking up a tablet computer and tapping at it. “Look, Hayden. This is all smoke and mirrors, a setup, if you will, much like your photography work. I’m sure you understand. Here’s the deal . . . you seem like such a great guy. In fact, we’ve done some test screening with preview audiences and they love you. A lot. But I’m afraid you’re getting a little lost in the magic here.”

I’m confused by what she’s saying, although the test audiences liking me sounds like a good thing, right? “You lost me. What are you saying?”

Meredith hands her tablet to Nate, who runs off like the good little minion that he is before coming back and going back to work with his computer. “Well, here’s the thing. We knew a while back that Emily is going to match with Lee. She’s practically said as much in her confessionals, although she does say sweet things about you too.”

“Practically?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

Meredith shakes her head, and I can tell she’s trying to talk her way around something difficult. “Listen, there’s just so much chemistry between them. The test audiences are saying Lee’s the betting man’s favorite. And . . . ” She pauses, but I can’t say anything as my mind is racing. Chemistry with Lee? She’s picking him? What the fuck?

Seeing my expression, Meredith continues. “Well, that’s not important right now. Hayden, the thing is, you test so well with the preview audiences, so we have an idea. It’ll get you lots of continued exposure that’d be great for your career. Your agent already said you’d be interested.”

I blink, still feeling like I’ve been punched in the gut with a large padded fist. “Jay? You talked to Jay? About what?”

Meredith smiles, and while it looks friendly, I can’t help but think she looks a little predatory. “Matchmaker, Season Two . . . it’s you.” I look at her blankly, obviously not the reaction she expected. She waves her hand, as if trying to conjure magic or something. “You’ll be the runner-up when Emily and Lee match, and then you’ll be the star of next season with a cast of ladies trying to match with you. It’s brilliant, if I do say so myself, if a bit used. But like they say, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. I’ll need a bit of confessional about you two being hot but maybe not all it seems, and probably a bit of on-screen coolness. Nothing major, just help make it obvious you two aren’t relationship material so you don’t have rebound baggage for Season Two coverage. We want you to be likeable still, just not the fairytale prince . . . of this season, anyway.”

She’s rambling, talking like this is a done deal, but I don’t know what to think . . . I’m still stuck on Emily and Lee. I clear my throat until I get her attention. “Uh, that sounds interesting . . . but I think I’ve got a shot with Emily still. I could still be her Match.”

Meredith tsks at me, obviously getting frustrated. “Romantic till the end, huh? So dreamy . . . the girls are gonna eat that shit up. Look, you’ve got a contract to take direction, follow a script as needed, and I’m not throwing you under the bus here. I’m offering you something bigger, a shot at your dream. I need you to get on board here or you could jeopardize what we’ve got planned.”

I shake my head. There’s contracts, and then there’s the right damn thing to do. “Even if she picks Lee, and I don’t think she will, I’m not saying shitty things about Emily because of it.”

Meredith gives me a look of almost pitying compassion and turns to Nate. “Nate . . . can you roll the scenes of Lee and Emily yesterday, please?” She looks at me, her eyes soulfully sad. “Sorry, but sometimes, it’s easier if you just see it with your own eyes.”

Nate turns his laptop around, and I see Emily and Lee joking around during their photo shoot. She’s smiling and laughing at him as he grabs her around the waist, whispering in her ear, but the mic doesn’t catch what he says. Nate fast-forwards to the hidden camera footage in the cabin of the yacht. I knew there were cameras, those sneaky fucks! My gratification at being right is immediately squashed when I see Lee and Emily basically making out. He’s kissing her, pressing her back to the couch, and her hands are pressed to his chest. I look up at Meredith, shocked at what I’m seeing. Nate is going to let it play, but Meredith gives him a cutting off gesture.

“As I said, it’s quite something to see them together. I’m sorry you weren’t expecting that.”

With one more fast-forward, Emily fills the screen in a confessional. “Lee is so intense, he overwhelms me with his passion and I just get so lost . . .” Nate clicks again, and a new video springs up. “Hayden is the kind guy you fantasize about, an exciting rule-breaker. He scares me a bit because I think he could break my heart without even trying.” She lets out a little laugh. “He probably leaves a trail of broken-hearted girls begging for more wherever he goes.”

The screen goes black again, and Meredith turns back to me. “I’m sorry to blindside you this way. But really, this is for the best. Think of it this way. It’ll be a great move for your career. And maybe you’ll meet your real match next season! I’ll draw up the papers and send them to your agent.” Defeated, I simply drop my head, my agreement stuck in my throat.

* * *

“So we’re off to Vegas for fantasy suite dates. Not sure of my odds with Emily at this point, but 50/50 sounds pretty good, I guess. She’s a sweet girl . . . just hope she’s happy with whoever she picks.”

Off camera, Meredith waves her hands, scribbling on a white board. I look at her, shrugging my shoulders. What the fuck else does she want? “LOVE” Meredith’s written, and my heart clenches in my chest a little as I turn back to the camera.

“Oh, do I love her? That’s a really tough question, you know? I mean, love’s got a ton of different meanings, and Emily is pretty loveable. But if you mean in love . . . uh, I don’t know if we’ve had enough time to really fall in love, so no, I don’t think I’m in love with her . . . yet.”

God, I hate being a liar.