Accept This Dandelion (7 page)

Renee didn’t like the way her mind kept wandering to Ben, and the fact that she still felt his tan arms around her. She wasn’t sure what bothered her more, the idea that Ben might actually be interested in her or the thought that he had an effect on her. Renee sat down in front of her home computer. She needed to forget Ben’s second group date, scheduled to happen later. Why should she care? He was a womanizing jerk. But Eva would be on the date, and she didn’t want the sweet girl to be swept up by the excitement.

Renee curled her fingers over the keyboard. She didn’t go back to work until after the elimination ceremony the following night, so in the meantime she’d write a few scripts from home. She told her boss she would do as much as possible to help out in her absence, and the sales people took her up on the offer by sending her plenty of commercials to write.

The first script was for a heating and cooling company. They wanted to advertise special deals to listeners who regularly got their HVAC equipment checked out. An incentive for loyal customers. Renee thought for a minute. Heating…cooling. She began to type.

House on ice in the winter and on fire in the summer?
Renee paused. As soon as she typed the word ‘fire’ her mind immediately flew back to Ben’s burning eyes boring a
hole
right through her own. From there, she began to think about his warm skin next to hers and then she moved on to the night they first met when she actually set herself on fire.

Renee pushed back from her computer abruptly. She needed to stay away from anything related to fire…even the simple word. She cranked her air conditioning down a few degrees and decided she would put her writing off until she could think straight. Maybe once the eliminations were over her head would work better. Ben would probably cut her out, and she could resume her everyday normal life. If by some miracle he kept her, seeing him again would send any romantic thoughts fleeing quickly.

Renee admitted she found him attractive. And what was wrong with that? His handsome features included eyes that could drill through wood, much less into a woman’s heart. His hair appeared light and soft. Any woman had to find it nearly impossible not to run her fingers through it. But exterior attraction was one thing. Renee needed a
whole
lot more in a man. She wanted inner beauty as well. Something Ben certainly lacked.

Renee smiled, she was putting her thoughts of Ben behind her for the moment. He was gorgeous, but his appeal began and ended there. The women he was taking out that evening could have him. Renee wouldn’t give him another thought until he stood before her with dandelions in his hands.

* * *

Ben ran his hand through his hair. His second group date promised to be as intense as the first. The producer wanted to be fair. Every woman would have a chance to flaunt herself in a bikini. How shallow did the TV staff think he was? They must believe he needed to see nearly every inch of a woman before deciding whether or not she was right for him.

The second date would take place on the beach. Not by the ocean since they weren’t anywhere near one, but rather, beside a local lake. Ben arrived well before the women. They had to report to the studio and get dressed first. He wondered if they would be offered the same skimpy bikinis from the day before.

Ben gazed out over the lake and watched children play on a playground nearby. He thought about Renee. She was the only woman who hadn’t taken advantage of the chance to show off her body. They’d been close a few times. He knew she had a nice figure. But even though she was in shape and could have stood up next to any of the other women on the date, she stayed fully covered.

He smiled as he thought about her in her shirt and shorts, a sore thumb among the beauties swarming around him. But Ben knew what it was like to have a sore thumb. Such an injury caused him to baby that digit…favor it, even. He had to wonder if that was why he seemed to favor Renee. Was he sorry for her? Was she the underdog he couldn’t help but root for? He wasn’t sure, but she had something different.

The nearby children continued to play as Ben made a decision no one would believe. It was obvious he was being treated a certain way because of how people perceived him. This show might help him find love, but it was also a great way to get in front of the public eye. This was his chance to show the city his true character.

* * *

Renee’s nerves coursed through her body. Her dress that evening fit in better with the other contestants. For once, she didn’t want to stand out. She wanted to blend in, hear Ben’s decision, and head home. Then she could spend the rest of the evening trying to think up witty things to say on the radio the next morning in regards to her dismissal.

When Renee first found out she got cast on the show, she went through the back of her closet. She had a few items she thought she could wear, and the dress chosen for that night was one of them. She wore it to homecoming the year she and her friend Jay attended together. Jay, the type of friend all the girls loved, went to so many school dances he actually bought a tux in order to stop renting them. He was the stand-in date for any girl without a boyfriend. And he was the best date every girl had. That year, Renee wore a long red dress she found on the rack at a teen store in the mall. Why she still had it, she didn’t know, but the fact it still fit made her proud, even though it was tight in a few places. If Renee was careful about how she moved and breathed, she should be fine.

As the participants gathered for the second round of eliminations, Renee watched the room carefully. She wanted to try and predict what would happen based on how the women acted. She already figured herself in for one elimination, but could she choose the other woman Ben might dump on TV? Renee looked from one woman to another. They all appeared about the same. Their short dresses glittered under the studio lights, and their excited faces told Renee they certainly didn’t think they would go home.

“Renee.” Eva called from behind her. Renee turned and lightly embraced her. They hadn’t spent much time together, but they were both on the crazy show. They might even become friends after. Eva was the only one who seemed to understand Renee on a different level.

“How was your date?” Renee asked. She hadn’t heard anything about the other date. She wanted news. She would have to discuss as much as possible on the morning show, and she wanted to get behind the scenes scoop that wouldn’t air.

“Crazy.” Eva shook her shimmering dark hair.

Renee stared for a moment, mesmerized by her beauty. “How so?” she finally asked. “What did you do?”

“Well…” Eva pulled Renee over to the stiff couch in the center of the set. “We were supposed to have an old fashioned beach party down by the lake. You know, cocktails, sunscreen, beach volleyball, the whole bit.”

“Let me guess, bikinis were involved.”

Eva held a hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle. “Oh, yes. A whole rack of them right over there.” She pointed across the room to the area Renee remembered seeing the bathing suits. “And we all put them on, along with a cover-up, but you’ll never guess what happened when we got to the beach.”

“What?”

“Ben waited for us and once we lined up in front of him, he took off his sunglasses and asked us to leave the cover-ups on.”

Renee squinted at Eva. Her eyes glittered under the studio light, and Renee wasn’t sure she heard her right. “He what?”

Eva nodded. “He wanted to play Frisbee instead of volleyball, and he said everyone would be more comfortable throwing themselves into the game. He indicated he didn’t think we would be able to enjoy playing in bathing suits so he encouraged us to keep our outer wear on.”

Renee blinked. Ben hadn’t wanted the second group of women to reveal their bikinis? What, had he seen too much the day before?

“It was actually sweet,” Eva said. “Like he was thinking of our dignity and putting us before the show.”

Renee tilted her head. Why hadn’t Ben said anything on her date? She might have avoided standing out as she had.

“Not everyone listened, and some of the girls still took their cover-ups off. But Ben was right—those who did certainly didn’t play Frisbee to the best of their ability like the rest of us. I mean, who wants to go diving into the sand when you don’t know what might pop out of where.”

Renee laughed and tried to picture them playing in their bathing suits, catching the Frisbee in one hand and holding their bikinis in place with the other one.

“Tell me about your date. How did it go?”

Renee raised an eyebrow. “Well, there were bikinis. And somehow I managed to push Ben into the pool.”

“You didn’t.” Eva clasped Renee’s hands.

“I did, and I don’t regret it for a second.”

Eva giggled again, but both women quickly silenced as the producer clomped to the center of the room and called for their attention.

“Ladies. We’re going to start taping shortly. Do your interview with the cameras on the sides of the set as before and line up in two rows. Ben will make an announcement followed by the elimination. You won’t talk to him before the ceremony. He says he’s made up his mind, and we have plenty of footage from the dates to cover the hour.”

The producer stomped away, and Renee squeezed Eva’s hands. “Here goes nothing.” The women stood and got in line for their interviews.

* * *

Ben paced in the green room off to the side of the set. He heard the nervous chatter beyond the wall. The time to tell the contestants what he decided about eliminations was near. He practiced what he wanted to say and wondered about their reaction…as well as the reaction from the TV crew.

Before he could re-think his speech, he took a deep breath, straightened his shirt and tie, and walked out onto the set.

As soon as Ben situated himself before the women, the room fell silent. The cameras whirred around him.

He cleared his throat. “Good evening.” He was nervous for the first time. He caught Renee’s eye and gave her a slight smile. He had her to thank. Her antics inspired him to allow his real character to shine through. “Tonight, ladies, I want to share what I want in a wife.”

The women shifted, and a few looked at one another, but most simply smiled and gazed at Ben.

“I want you to know that I think you are gorgeous.” Ben looked directly at Eva, the most beautiful without a doubt. “Your beauty humbles me, and I am grateful any of you would even consider dating me.” Ben bowed his head for a moment before continuing. “But what you need to understand is though I see your beauty, it only goes so far.” Ben paused again, placing his hand over his heart. “What I want is here.” He tapped his fingers, hoping the women would get what he was saying. He wanted them to know they were pretty, but he needed something deeper. He desired inner beauty. He didn’t want them to try so hard to impress him. He wanted them to be themselves. He thought his speech along with his first selection would give them the idea.

Ben held a dandelion up in front of him, its yellow face standing at attention. “Renee.” He searched the women until he found her. He registered her shock as she stepped around the group and made her way across the set toward him.

Once she stood right in front of him, Ben continued. “Renee, will you accept this dandelion?”

Renee frowned. “Did you mean what you said?”

Ben nodded. “With all my heart.”

Renee threw her arms around Ben’s neck and squeezed him tightly.

Ben wasn’t sure what surprised him more…the fact that Renee threw herself at him or the ripping sound.

Renee froze as Ben wrapped his hands behind her back to reciprocate the hug. It was Ben’s turn to frown as his hands met bare skin instead of satin fabric.

“Um…” Ben realized what happened as the women tittered behind Renee.

“I’ll accept your dandelion,” Renee muttered into his ear, “if you get me out of here. Now.”

Ben held Renee’s back with one hand and pushed her gently behind him. No cameras hid back there. “Excuse me for a moment ladies.” He backed out of the room, keeping Renee’s bare back hidden with his own.

Once on the side of the set, Renee wrenched her arm around herself and grasped at the sides of her broken zipper. Ben watched, amused.

“Thanks,” Renee mumbled.

“My pleasure. I really did mean what I said.” He placed his finger below Renee’s chin and raised her eyes to meet his. “I’m looking for what’s in here.” He put his hand on her chest where her heart would be.

“I could tell,” Renee replied. “And I’m sorry in advance.”

Renee wanted to explain herself a little more, but before she opened her mouth, Mike, the producer, gave Ben a hard shove.

“Get back out there.” He shot Renee a scathing stare. “You can stay here.” He guided Ben out in front of the other ladies.

Renee watched backstage as Ben continued on with the dandelion ceremony. She smiled at the crushed dandelion in her hand as she held her dress together with the other.

Renee tried to let herself enjoy the moment instead of dwelling on what went wrong. Ben seemed to be genuine, and he was trying to tell the women he didn’t want them to overdo it. He wanted a real woman with inner beauty and not someone superficial. Renee could fall for a man like that. She tightened her grip on the dandelion. The very first one he handed out.

As much as she wanted to, Renee couldn’t dwell on the positive aspects of the evening. Just before the elimination ceremony, she did an interview on camera…and the things she said about Ben had not been kind. Oh, and her dress tore up her back, allowing a cool breeze to give her a chill.

Renee took in the rest of the dandelion ceremony out of sight. The whole thing was ridiculous. Here was the most eligible man in the city handing out a bunch of weeds to women with smiles plastered on their faces. What made him do this show in the first place?

She looked at her own dandelion, its bloom no longer standing at the end of the stem, but rather laying on top of her hand and beginning to brown. She planned to keep the weed. Maybe sell it on eBay later. For whatever reason, she had saved the other one too.

Renee wanted to talk to Ben as soon as possible. If they aired the things she said, she may fall from his good graces. She wanted to explain she judged him too quickly…and too harshly. She only hoped he would understand and give her another chance.

* * *

Renee refused Janice’s offer to hold a second viewing party. The pressure was too large. Watching herself in front of all those people was embarrassing. Janice relented, but only since Renee promised to come over and view the program with her. Renee didn’t want to be alone for the event. She needed someone to help her process everything and Janice might have some insight into the ordeal.

As she settled into Janice’s comfy couch, she thought about the way Ben’s hands warmed her bare skin. She didn’t like that her dress split, and she hoped the editing eliminated that portion of the program from viewers. But Renee had to admit, she liked his warm palms on her back.

She smiled. She might still come off as the strange one in the bunch, but it wouldn’t be as bad as lighting herself on fire.

Janice plopped down next to her with a large bowl of popcorn. She threw a few kernels into her mouth. “Any details you want to spill before it starts?” she asked expectantly.

“Hmm.” Renee thought with care. Saying too much might ruin the show’s outcome for Janice, but she could drop a few hints to wet her appetite. “Let’s just say I showed him my backside.”

“You what?” Janice raised her eyebrows.

Renee winked at her as the show’s music ramped up on the screen. “Just wait.”

Together, they listened to the announcer explain the situation as well as the dates that would take place on the program. “And later,” he said, “we will find out if the women Ben chooses accept his dandelions.”

Renee rolled her eyes. She hoped she wasn’t coming off cheesy like the announcer.

Janice tensed beside her as the contestants walked out to the pool one by one in their cover-ups. Janice applauded loudly as Renee appeared, but quieted to listen when the bachelor gave his speech. As the ladies peeled off their cover-ups and the camera zoomed in for close-ups, Janice shot Renee a look. “I can’t believe you’re going to show the goods on TV.”

Renee smiled secretively, her eyes glued to the screen as she pushed Ben into the pool. A few moments later, she revealed her shirt and shorts.

Janice threw her head back and laughed. “Deserved that, didn’t he?”

Renee anticipated the second portion of the dates. She only heard a little about it from Eva, and she wanted to see the expression on Ben’s face when he asked the women to keep their clothes on. Renee leaned forward and watched the second date unfold. Everything Eva said was true. Ben treated them like real ladies. Renee wished she had seen that side of him on her date. Maybe she wouldn’t have said what she did to the camera before the elimination.

The commercial break gave Janice and Renee a chance to decompress and discuss.

“How in the world did you manage getting out of that?” Janice turned to Renee with a sparkle in her eye. “Not only did you avoid the bikini brigade, but you did so with style. And I think you even got his attention.”

“A ton of water rushing toward you unrepentantly will do that.” Renee remembered the look on Ben’s face when she shoved him into the pool.

“Indeed. Okay, girl, you absolutely have to tell me. Did you get a dandelion? Is this the end of the road for you or not?”

Renee shook her head as the show started again. Instead of the elimination ceremony, they showed clips of the interviews from participants. Eva began. “Ben is a dream. He treats us with such respect, the way all men should. There’s something about him…he’s really special.”

Eva had a far off look in her eyes. She wondered if her newfound friend was falling for Ben. She hoped she didn’t get hurt in this process.

“He’s totally hot,” Clara said. Renee remembered her as the long-legged blonde. “I can’t get enough of him and hope I never have to say goodbye.”

The interviews went on and on. When Renee’s face came onto the screen, she shuddered.

“Ben really got what he deserved this week. His ego needed a good dunking. I mean, he had us all in bathing suits in no time flat. If that’s the kind of man they pick to be the bachelor, I’d love to see those in their discard pile.” Renee scoffed and rolled her eyes on camera.

“Oh, snap.” Janice reached for some popcorn.

Renee was grateful they hadn’t shown more. She said quite a bit, and they edited her down to a few nasty comments. If they had shown any more, she would have come off even worse towards Ben.

Renee sat back in the couch and watched as the elimination ceremony began. It was interesting that they moved from her interview right into Ben’s speech. He spoke eloquently about wanting the women to be themselves with him. It was such a change from the way Renee made him sound.

Then, without hesitation, he handed the first dandelion over to Renee. Janice jumped into the air, not taking her eyes from the screen. Her shout covered the sound of Renee’s dress ripping, but not the surprise on Renee’s face. Janice cackled as Renee whispered into Ben’s ear, and he quickly escorted her off the stage.

The camera zoomed in on the remaining women’s faces. “Wardrobe malfunction.” Tracy shook her bright red curls and giggled.

“How embarrassing,” Clara added. Eva looked genuinely sorry for Renee, but she was the only one who didn’t thoroughly enjoy the situation.

A few moments later, Ben returned, glancing over his shoulder to the side of the set where Renee stood. He proceeded to hand out the rest of the dandelions, including one for Eva.

Renee was glad Eva would continue on the show, but she hoped she avoided getting hurt. Maybe she was the one for Ben. It would be a good outcome. Now that Renee was starting to really believe Ben might not be such a bad guy, perhaps he could end up with someone nice. Before, she’d have put him with Clara or one of the other superficial women.

“You did it!” Janice exclaimed. “You’re still on. And boy, I think he might just have a thing for you…calling you first and all.”

Renee smiled. “I think he wants to see what I’ll do next.”

“Well, yeah, keep a man guessing, and he’ll always come back for more.” Janice scraped the last of the popcorn from the bottom of the bowl. “What comes next?”

“Eight women are left so group dates will continue. I’ll be on the second date this time, and eliminations will be the night after that.” If by some miracle she survived, the one-on-one dates came next, along with two on one and other varieties of dates.

“You have got to hang on,” Janice encouraged. “This is too good to pass up.”

Renee agreed on her way out the door. Janice’s comment could mean a number of things. She was getting her name out there…she was very entertaining to watch…and Ben might be more than she bargained for.

* * *

The next morning, Renee arrived at the radio station bright and early. Her eyes were heavy because getting to sleep the night before had been impossible. She kept wondering how Ben took the comments she made about him and whether or not he regretted giving her a dandelion.

“Morning, TV star,” Chuck greeted as she entered the studio.

“Hardy har.” Renee kept her head down.

“That was quite a show last night,” he said, trying to engage her.

Renee nodded. She wanted to save everything for the listening audience.

“You ready to go on?” Chuck’s excitement rose as the song ended, and he got ready to turn the microphones on.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Renee faked a smile in hopes of it permeating through to her attitude.

“Goooood morning, you’re listening to 100.4 KGBR with Chuck and Claudia in the morning. Claudia, as you know, is out, but we’ll have a replacement for her soon.”

Renee’s heart beat faster in her chest. That was the whole reason she allowed herself to be signed up for the show in the first place…her hope of taking over Claudia’s old job. Somehow, she seemed to lose sight of the initial goal.

“With us this morning is our very own Renee Lockhart, co-star of
Accept this Dandelion.
” Chuck drummed his fingers on the counter before him. “And, I’m happy to say, she will be continuing on with the show…at least for another week. But, Renee, I have to ask, do you even want to go on? I mean, come on…push the guy into the pool, talk about him behind his back…of course, then he saved your back, am I right?”

Renee laughed, not altogether pleased that Chuck brought up her dress mishap. Too late now. She had to roll with it.

“Well, Chuck,” Renee began, “I should have known better. I mean, I hadn’t worn the dress since high school.”

“Is that right?” Chuck asked before immediately steering Renee back to the original topic. “Dress aside, what is Ben really like? Did you mean what you said about him?”

“Oh, I meant it.” Renee saw her chance to make amends before the public. “But people can change their opinions at the drop of a hat, and I’m glad to say, I already have.”

“You mean you said those things and meant them, but you have since changed your mind?”

“That’s right, Chuck. I mean, how would you take it if you went on a date with a girl who just wanted you to take your shirt off?”

“That’s my kind of date.” Chuck guffawed.

“Okay, okay,” Renee conceded. “But you understand what I mean.”

Chuck sighed. “I suppose I do. You’re saying you thought Ben was objectifying you and the other women.”

“Exactly. And that’s why I made the comments I did.”

“So what changed your mind?”

“Well…” Renee shrugged. “It wasn’t any one thing. Another contestant told me details regarding the second date, and it sounded like Ben had a completely different attitude that day. And then what he said at the elimination ceremony really got to me.”

“The stuff about the heart?” Chuck mock sniffled into the microphone and wiped a fake tear from beneath his eye. “That was beautiful. You’re right.”

Renee sighed. She was being serious. “I know it may sound cheesy, but I think he meant it. And I’m happy to say whether I’m the girl for him or not, I am excited to move on and find out.”

“You sound like you’re in it to win it,” Chuck said with surprise.

“I’m single…he’s single…” Renee tried to lighten the mood. “We’ll see what happens.”

“That we will. I’m sorry we have to wait a whole week to find out. In the meantime, when you notice dandelions by the side of the road, say a little prayer for Renee. No offense, Lockhart, but I think you’re going to need all the help you can get.”

“None taken…and I agree.”

Chuck wrapped up the talk break and started another song. After he turned the microphones off and pulled the headphones from his ears, he stood.

“Renee, man, you really know what you’re doing.”

Renee’s heart quickened again. Was Chuck complimenting her on her radio abilities? “Thanks, Chuck.” She hoped he would indicate his plans to recommend her for the morning show job opposite him.

“I mean, you are playing hard to get like none other. Push the man in the pool…insult him on TV…what more can you possibly do to the guy?”

Renee forced a laugh. Chuck was still talking about the dating show. “I guess we’ll see, Chuck. Time will tell.”