The Detective and Her Bachelor

Chapter 9

Apparently being picked first to talk to the Single Stud put me on my own island. Isolated from all the other contestants, who eyed me in irritation as they settled into the waiting room after their time with Ace. Isolation was a feeling I knew all too well. 

Sometimes you forget what not feeling lonely is like when it's all you've known for years. It's a natural state of being for me. Something I never admit aloud, even though it is fairly obvious to anyone who has ever met me. I don't have time for connections, and if I did, I would still avoid them. I read people too easily. It didn't make sense to give someone your heart, only to catch every lie they told you in return. 

The female contestant's lack of desire to acknowledge me gave me plenty of time to watch each of their expressions as they walked through the door after their time meeting Ace.

They each wore identical goofy grins. And those goofy grins filled in blanks to their overall personality, helping me understand who I was dealing with. 

Prism's grin was more subdued. Reserved, revealing that her emotions were overall, harder to read. She was quick to judge because she was accustomed to being judged herself. A woman named Michelle Adams walked in next, her black curly hair falling around her dark shoulders, like flowing swirls of ink. Her yellow dress was bright against her dark skin. 

Michelle's grin was a slight tug at the corners of her mouth, like a secret. Her eyes were bright, before closing them to hide the way Ace had made a lasting impression. Where Prism had a look of victory painted across her lips, Michelle was smitten, almost embarrassed by it. 

The other contestant's grins ranged from wide-eyed shock at the mere concept of getting to talk to someone so handsome— PSH, weirdos— to near fits of giggles that they had finally gotten a chance to live out their fantasy. 

The women settled into small huddles, giggling about Ace's smile, his eyes, his hair, his body, and I found their lack of deep dives into his personality to be utterly telling. 

So he's keeping himself a secret from everyone? Why did he bother signing up for this sorry excuse for an experiment then? What's the point if he's supposed to pick one of these crazy girls to marry at the end? It makes no sense. 

The purple waiting room was packed, filled with plush green cozy chairs, drawn thick honey gold curtains, and a large screen at the far end of the room. Dresses in every color sparked in the low lighting, sending glistening shards of color splashing across the walls, creating the illusion of stained glass.

The host, Jade William walked into the room, sending the girls loud giggles and squeaky excited tones into silence. Jade's smile was bright, glistening in the low lighting, warming the room instantly. 

"Hello, Ladies. I hope you each had a moment of heartfelt connection with Ace." 

Nope. Not even close.

The woman all giggled in unison, apparently working from a hidden script that wasn't shared with me. But the moment to pretend to giggle had passed, so I just offered a halfhearted smile, hoping my expression wasn't a sharp contrast to the love-sick girls around me. 

The screen turns on behind Jade and he moves to stand next to it, like a model ready to showcase what comes across the screen. "It's time to test your heart's reactions to your first meeting with Ace. He will be watching the same feed from a separate room to gauge your overall heart connection."

A picture of each contestant flashed across the screen. Jade continued. "We will be looking for spikes that showcase a strong emotional connection, that will help determine your compatibility for future chemistry and..."