Page 27 of Cowboy Seeks Husband

Chapter 6

Walker yanked thefridge open, pulled out a bottle of water, and downed half of it. John, his producer who shadowed him everywhere, was leaning against the counter while a bunch of camera guys did mysterious things to their equipment.

“Of course you’re welcome to that,” John said. “But it’s really for the contestants. There’s food and coffee at the craft services table, if you want some.”

“Oh, right. Sure.” Walker looked at the water bottle a bit guiltily, but John just chuckled and slapped his arm.

“C’mon, cowboy. Let’s get you fed and watered.”

Walker rolled his eyes but followed John outside.

“You’re looking a little out of sorts,” John said, once they were parked under the big tent set up in the shade of an old oak with the vast and varied craft table spread out in front of them. Walker gave it a long once-over, pleased to see that whoever had set the food up seemed to take the heat into account. Nothing looked liable to spoil. “You all right?” John asked, tilting his head curiously.

“Yes, sir,” Walker replied. He eyed the fruit, sandwiches, doughnuts, Gummy bears, and a ton of miscellaneous stuff. He grabbed a cereal bar. “I’m doing just fine.”

“Yeah, okay. So we sent you up to the bedroom, and something’s been bothering you ever since.” John motioned at someone, and Walker knew the cameras were on him and that his body mic was picking up every word.

He shrugged.

“C’mon. Who was naked?” John laughed, and Walker rolled his eyes because he guessed it was all part of the act.

“Victor.”

“Ohhh,the bio chem guy?” John waggled his brows. “Hot.” He grinned.

Was John even gay? Walker wasn’t sure. But this was obviously part of being “produced,” having a guy all up in your business.

“You’re the one who told me to go up there,” Walker said.

“I know.” John laughed. “Were they sizing you up, too?”

“Like sharks.”

“Sharks. They’ll want to rip you apart.”

“They don’t even know me yet.”

John laughed, loudly, then turned around and poured himself a coffee.

“You’re cruel.”

“Eh. It’s my job.” He sipped his coffee and made a face. “Could be better,” he assessed.

“Seems a little early in the morning to be stirring the pot,” Walker said.

“It’s after six thirty,” John said. “They need to get used to it.”

“Sure. It’s my everyday life. But these poor schmucks…”

John grinned. “Your future husband’s gonna need to be used the rigors of farm life. They might as well start now.”

Walker rolled his eyes, but his ears grew hot. He wished they’d stop calling the contestants his future husband, even though that was the premise of the show. It was just so patently absurd that he couldn’t believe the audience would ever buy it. “I think you guys just like to get people off-kilter. I think that’s what you do.”

John waved his mug around just as Luke joined them at the table, ready to film the opening segment of the day or whatever. “Yeah, yeah. Hey, Luke, take note, Andy says next season it’s gotta be a nightclub owner in Alaska or some shit. He’s over this heat.”

“Noted, and I’m on board,” Luke said. “The humidity is giving me cankles.”

Kylie walked up to the table and poured herself some coffee too, while Luke started to do weird vocalizations.