Husband Hunters

Chapter 1-2

After Cody cleaned up his breakfast dishes, he debated whether to go outside or address the online form for Husband Hunters. A quick look out the window tipped the scales in the application’s favor because the lovely, fluffy snow from early that morning was already morphing into something ugly: icy sleet. Like needles, it tapped against his windows. He knew if he went out now, he would not be in a magical world of silent white but quickly drenched and bitterly cold.

So, ridiculous as it seemed, he opted for sitting down at his computer and bringing up the Husband Hunters online talent application.

When he located the website devoted to Husband Hunters, he very logically thought he should check out what the show was about before getting himself in any deeper than he already was. After all, he could always call Matt and tell him to count him out if he saw any red flags.

But there was nothing. If anything, as Cody browsed through photos of handsome contestants and slide shows of groom-on-groom action (at weddings!), Cody couldn’t repress the smile that crept up on him. Nor could he ignore the warm feeling the photos caused to rise up, tingling, within him. He identified the sensation as hope.

The show itself didn’t really seem like such a bad idea, anyway, Cody thought as he read the “About HH” sections, the testimonials, and the prior episode descriptions. At least if you believed the cleverly worded hype, you’d see that the show’s aim was to unite people in love. The fact that they were not in love when they filled out the very application Cody was about to complete was beside the point. Somehow the show provided a backdrop, an opportunity, for a couple to meet and fall for each other.

The cynic in Cody mocked him. “The aim of the show is to sell advertising, doofus. TV shows, by their very nature, are nothing more than filler space between commercials. And these guys on the show? Conceited jerks who want to get their mugs on the tube, nothing more. Ten to one they are not husband material.”

Cody shook his head and brought up the editable form entitled “Husband Hunters Contestant Application.” He argued back to the cynic within him that his point of view lacked even the tiniest speck of romance. And that perhaps Cody had listened to that bitter voice for far too long. Perhaps that was why he was still alone, with not even one serious relationship to look back on with nostalgia.

His fingers began to fly over the keyboard.