Four Keeps

1

Are you ready to meet your men?

“Good evening, romance lovers. We’re about to kick off a brand new season of For Keeps, and it promises to be our biggest and most exciting one yet. This year we have not twenty-five, but thirty eligible single men, all eager to date the lovely and lively Olivia Marshall.”

Blake Barrows turns toward another camera, his smile shifting instantly to a grave expression, his voice more serious. “Will Olivia find love? Will there be tears and heartache along the way, as she narrows down the field of men?” He takes a step toward the camera and his face brightens again. “The course of true love never does run smooth, and we’ll be following Olivia’s journey every step of the way as she finds her one and only, for keeps.”

“Cut!”

Stylists fiddle with my dress, my hair, and my makeup while I watch Blake, the host of For Keeps, repeat these lines yet again. He’s done at least six takes, though as far as I can tell, he always gets the words right, even the “lovely and lively Olivia” part, which makes me roll my eyes every time I hear it.

Part of me still can’t believe any of this is real. Am I really about to be the leading lady on the highest-rated dating show in the country? There are thirty gorgeous men somewhere on the property, waiting to date me. It’s a dream come true, but the longer I stand waiting, my toes pinched in the impossibly high heels the stylist selected for me, the more real it all feels.

Though it’s only mid-afternoon, the producers had me up before dawn doing photo shoots and interviews. A modest level of fame comes with being on this show, and sure, it will be fun to have so many men wooing me, but will I be able to tell which of them are sincere and which ones are only here to seek their own fame?

“Is Olivia ready?” One of the countless people on the production staff looks to all the stylists grooming me. “It’s time to go.”

I’m ushered toward Blake, and I get butterflies as we approach him. I’ve watched him on TV for years and here he is right in front of me. He’s looking at his phone, though, and doesn’t acknowledge me as I’m positioned next to him, both of us facing the wedding setting we’re about to enter.

When a woman is the one choosing among the men, For Keeps always starts with Blake Barrows walking the woman down the aisle, as if she’s about to be married and he’s escorting her to her groom.

It’s summer, and the wedding scene is being filmed outdoors, as it usually is when a woman is the star of the season. There’s a white carpet running toward an altar festooned with flowers and ribbons. There are no guests or even chairs on either side of the carpet, though – only a perfectly manicured green lawn.

A woman darts up to me and rearranges a strand of my hair. I’m surprised any of my hair is still able to be moved; they’ve applied so much styling spray, it feels like I’m wearing a helmet.

Blake glances down at me, his eyes briefly trailing to the dress I’m wearing. In keeping with the wedding theme, it’s white, but it has a low neckline and is short like a cocktail dress rather than a bridal gown.

Without a word to me, Blake slips his phone into his pocket, straightens his posture, and faces one of the many cameras.

A producer appears at my side. “Ready, Olivia?”

I nod, and behind us someone calls, “Action!”

“The time has come for Olivia’s journey to begin,” Blake says to the camera before turning and smiling at me with artificial familiarity. “How are you feeling right now?”

“Nervous,” I say, “and excited.” Every woman in my position always says a variation of these same sentiments, but it’s the truth.

Blake holds out his arm for me and I take it, sliding my hand over the impossibly smooth fabric of his gray suit, which probably cost more than my car. Making physical contact with this famous reality TV host is surreal.

With slow but steady steps, we walk toward the altar. There’s no officiant there, and no groom waiting for me – not yet. Under the elaborate silk-and-flowered-covered archway, we freeze, continuing to stare straight ahead. I’ve been given strict instructions not to turn around, but as a longtime fan of the show, I already knew that.

While Blake and I are standing there, the men I’ll be dating are quietly filing in and lining up on the lawn behind us. When the show airs, this portion is always cut with introductory footage of several of the men, showing them in their hometowns or at their jobs, and giving viewers glimpses of their personalities.