It's Basketball, Not Fairball

The bachelors were told they needed to get into the limousine caravan again the following morning. With only four cars this time, they would have to stack in groups of five. The only other instructions they were given were to “dress casually” and that a change of clothes would be provided at their destination.

That left Jules in a pair of jeans and a Hawaiian shirt. With this short of a leadup to getting on the show, he was stuck with whatever he’d brought in his suitcase. He’d have to hope this would work for whatever they were doing.

Everyone else in the limo were in some kind of shorts. Craig was wearing a shirt for his med school’s alma mater and was on cloud nine from his date with Kristina. Ryan had gone for a baggy hoodie to go with his gym shorts, showing off some very smooth legs.

Warren had joined them in the car, his ribbed tank top a bit tight against muscles. Jules wasn’t shocked that a MMA fighter had a lot of muscle on his bones. But it was still intimidating to see.

But it wasn’t the most intimidating thing in the car.

Tyrone was in a matching ribbed tank top, staring each of the car’s other occupants down.

Jules could tell Tyrone was starting to set off Warren the same way Hans had. Warren slapped his leg and stared back at Tyrone. “You got a problem with me?”

“Not you specifically.” That was the most Jules had heard Tyrone say since he showed up. “I’m wondering what kind of misfits’ve come together to fight over Kristina.”

“Lotta big talk,” cracked Warren. “What’re you, her ex?”

The temperature in the limo dropped as everyone except Warren and Tyrone reacted to that question like someone had decided to punch a bee hive.

Warren didn’t care. “What? It’s a legit question! He’s the only guy who Kristina recognized from the jump.”

“Not the only one.” Tyrone pointed to Jules. “I want to know how she knew who you were.”

All eyes were now on Jules. Did Tyrone already have his number? He clearly suspected something at least!

Jules took a deep breath. “Alright. If I tell you what my deal is, you tell us what yours is.”

Tyrone’s foot tapped gently as the limo kept moving through traffic. He only broke off eye contact to reach into the limo’s minifridge and pull out a bottle of soda. Twisting off the cap and taking a long swig, he finally answered. “I worked at her family’s ranch. She was always friendly to us cowboys. I’d always wanted to ask her out but… well. Her dad was in charge, and then she left to go to Los Angeles to try and make a name for herself.” He took another gulp from his bottle. “I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to date Kristina.”

That was a lot. But more than just backstory, that was information Jules might need to get any further in this game. “Well,” said Jules, “you’ll want to make some friends to getting there a bit easier. Otherwise, the guys who’re here for the money’ll try and run you out.”

“Is that your plan?” Tyrone asked him.

It wasn’t, but that made clear Jules was a prime suspect in his eyes. Time to make good on his promise. “I wasn’t supposed to be on the show. I met her a few days ago when we ran into each other in a bar. Didn’t make a good first impression.”

Tyrone wasn’t satisfied. “Then why are you still here?”

The limousine came to a stop and the doors opened. Jules could only shrug. “Great question, but I don’t have a good answer.” Or one that he wanted to say with the cameras rolling.

----

The bachelors found themselves at a major league basketball arena buried in downtown Los Angeles. They were ushered through into the back, where they were taken to the home and away team changing rooms.

Inside were new basketball shoes for everyone and gym shorts, each placed in a locker with their name on it. Jules assumed from how the cameras were leering at the logos on the shoes that they were sponsoring this episode. Everyone slowly got dressed, already suspecting what was coming next.

Jules lagged behind, struggling to get his jeans off. He thought he was the last one out of his changing room, only for Ryan to come jogging out from behind a corner with those shaved legs but still wearing his baggy hoodie.

Ryan didn’t expect anyone else to be here, nearly screaming from surprise. “Oh! Jules! You nearly scared me half to death!”

Jules ears were ringing from how high an octave Ryan hit. “It’s fine.” He looked at that corner; it was where the bathroom stalls were. “Did you change back there?”

“Yeah.” Ryan frantically nodded his head. “Why?”

“…Everything alright?”

“Yup!” Ryan went for the door, and Jules found his eyes wandering on Ryan. The heck was going on?

----

Jules caught up to everyone assembled in the center of the basketball court, standing on the team logo as everyone waited for Petey Pete to begin speaking.

With a flick of his thumb, Petey Pete turned on his charm. “Gentlemen! Congratulations on surviving the first cut. Where once there were thirty of you, now there are twenty. As some of you found out the hard way at dinner the first night, there’s more at play here than your masculine charms. Today will be no different.”

Music started playing over the arena loudspeakers and a smoke machine started bellowing smoke at one of the arena entrances. Out of the smoke came Kristina, who looked very eager to start this up. And coming up behind her were two men who bore a passing resemblance to her.

Jules could guess Tyrone recognized them from the look on his face.

“Gentlemen, you’re about to play some three on three against Kristina. On her team are her two brothers, Bob and Greg.”

Bob and Greg were a good half foot shorter than Kristina, which still made them about the same height as some of the bachelors. Bob had a great brown and bushy beard, while Greg’s beard was well-trimmed.

“You’ve already been split into teams of five based on who you came here with. You will choose two people to sit out this challenge, with the other three coming on the court to play Kristina and her brothers. First team to five points wins, and we keep going until every team has played.”

Some of the men were already liking their chances. Jules could see Craig silently pleading to be sat already.

“Ready to hear what you’re playing for?”

The bachelors nodded.

From inside Petey Pete’s sequin jacket, he pulled out an invitation with a heart on it. “If your team wins, you will be invited to a private party tonight with Kristina and her brothers. Get some face time with Kristina, maybe advance your place in the game. But if Kristina wins?”

He puts the invitation back and instead pulls out a pink card. “This is a ‘Tell the Truth’ card. For each team that loses, Kristina will win one of these cards. Anyone on a losing team can be handed one of these cards before the next batch of invites go out – and they will have to tell her whether they’re here for love or money.”

Jules was screaming in his head again, though he couldn’t show it with how Kristina was grinning at him like he was a piece of meat. She’d almost certainly use a card on him if his team lost. Which meant…

He had to win a game of basketball against that skyscraper?!