The Charm Offensive(12)

Dev swallows down the confession rising in his throat. “It sounds like we have a deal.”

He reaches for Charlie’s hand.

“Deal,” Charlie echoes, and his enormous hand squeezes Dev’s. Charlie doesn’t pull away immediately, so they remain with their hands frozen between them for a beat too long. Dev ignores the way his skin hums at the touch, because they’re finally making progress, and Dev isn’t going to screw that up because a pretty man with a weak understanding of socially appropriate handshake lengths is touching him.

When it becomes clear Charlie is never going to let go of his hand, Dev pulls away first.

“It’s probably been ten minutes. Should we assess the damage?”

They lower the ice packs, and somehow, Charlie makes a nose injury look exquisite, his cheeks a crisp pink from the cold compresses and his large gray eyes circled in light purple.

“Yikes,” Dev says.

“Is it bad?”

“You might as well scrap this face completely and start over from scratch.”

“Ah, well, no great loss. People don’t like me for my face. They generally prefer my sparkling personality.”

Dev laughs again. Charlie’s kind of funny when you can get him to speak without stammering. Dev shakes out three Tylenol and reaches for Charlie’s water bottle. “So you’re not going to quit on us? You’ll stick it out as our Prince Charming?”

Charlie swallows the pills. “If… if you really think I can do this?”

“We can do this.”

Charlie stares up at him, a question twisting the corner of his mouth. “You,” he tries, eyebrows bunched together, “you think you can make me actually fall in love with one of these women, don’t you?”

Charlie is more perceptive than Dev gave him credit for.

Charlie Winshaw didn’t come on the show for love, but he’s about to spend the next nine weeks going on extravagant dates in beautiful places with amazing women. Dev might have been completely wrong about what Charlie is looking for in a woman, but he can still find him a soul mate. He always does.

He gives Charlie a breezy smile. “I know I can make you fall in love.”





Story notes for editors: Season 37, Episode 1

Story producer:

Dev Deshpande

Air date:

Monday, September 13, 2021

Executive producer:

Maureen Scott

Scene: Opening montage of contestant confessionals about Charles Winshaw Location: Shot pre-carriage exits at the Beverly Hilton’s ballroom Lauren L., 25, Dallas, professional cat cuddler: When I heard Charles Winshaw was going to be the next Ever After prince, I knew I had to audition to be a contestant. He is literally everything I’ve been looking for in a man. I mean, he’s strong, but you can tell he’s also sensitive.

Megan, 24, Tampa, spray-tan technician: Why did I come on this show? I’ll give you eight reasons, and all of them are Charles Winshaw’s abs.

Delilah, 26, Los Angeles, software engineer: Charles Winshaw is a legend in the tech world. This will be like dating the Michael Jordan of app design. You know, if Michael Jordan were notoriously private and mysterious. My friends are going to be so jealous.

Lauren S., 23, Little Rock, former student: I’ve had my heart broken in the past, but I’m older and wiser now. I’m ready to find love again. I’m ready to be a wife. I’m ready to be a mom.

Whitney, 31, Kansas City, pediatric nurse: Did I think I’d already be married at thirty-one? I mean, yeah. But it’s given me extra time to get to know myself. I’ve spent years taking care of sick babies. Now I’m ready to take care of a man.

Sabrina, 27, Seattle, travel blogger: My life is pretty rad, honestly. I’m just looking for a partner to make it even radder.

Daphne, 25, Atlanta, social worker: Why did I come on this show? Gosh, um, you know, the same reason as everyone else. I’m here for love—the kind of love you see in movies and hear about in songs. Love that changes you, love that conquers all. Everyone talks about that kind of love, so it must be real, right?


Maureen’s note to editors: Please create the bio chyron for each contestant based on the provided details.





WEEK ONE


Pasadena—Tuesday, June 8, 2021

16 Contestants and 61 Days Remaining





Charlie


Deep breath.

He sweeps his arms overhead for his sun salutation until he’s staring up at the ceiling of his bedroom.

Well, it’s the ceiling of the guesthouse bedroom where he lives at the moment. The guesthouse thirty yards from the Ever After castle where sixteen women are waiting to compete for the chance to marry him. The guesthouse where he will live for the next three weeks with Dev, who showed up with a duffle bag and moved into the second bedroom like it’s summer camp. Dev, who is currently banging around in the kitchen, blasting trashy pop music from his portable speaker so loudly Charlie can hear it over the sound of his yoga app. At seven in the morning.

When Charlie agreed to do the show, he didn’t realize it would require cohabitation with a total stranger. He obviously didn’t know what to expect at all.

He’s under constant surveillance. Because he needs constant coaching. Because he’s a fraud, a mess of a man masquerading as a Prince Charming, and it’s only a matter of time before everyone realizes—