by Ginger Voight

Created on: May 09, 2010   Last Updated: February 29, 2012

(Heroine Shannon McKenna winds up starring in the hot new reality dating show "Love Plus One" to get back at the producer who stole her idea.  She's cast as the "mole", intended to weed out the unworthy bachelorettes vying for her best friend, Jake Dalton's, heart.  Their plan?  Jake chooses Shannon, a plus size "real" girl, over all the models cast.  Problem is, the more they pretend, the more she wants him to choose her for real.  Her ego battered and bruised, she turns to duplicitous Matt - a camera guy - to keep her from chasing after the guy she thinks she'll never have, but can't help but want.)

"Love Plus One", Chapter 12. 

The only thing worse than having one of the individual dates was having to wait the entire week to get it over with. Weeks ago Shannon couldn't wait to spend time alone with Jake, on a date where romance could ensue.

The problem was it never had and that was even more painful than not seeing him at all.

With Carrie Ann gone there were some girls who responded a little better to her, Sabine being one of them, but Shannon had already locked up the fortress and did not intend on letting anyone else in. She was polite, but stayed pretty much to herself. She avoided Taylor as well, despite the fact her sister had picked that particular environment to bond.

Now that Jake had sent Carrie Ann packing, after some private time alone with Taylor, Shannon just knew her worst nightmare was about to come true. At least with Carrie Ann, the hell she'd endured for weeks would have ended.

If he and Taylor actually did get engaged at the end of this, there would be no reprieve.

Yes, Shannon thought to herself. This was a brilliant idea.

It made her moments with Matt even more important. With Matt, there was no competition for attention. He was with her by choice; he hardly noticed any of the other girls – even Taylor. It made her feel special, the way she used to feel with Jake before she lost her mind and fell in love.

She wouldn't make that mistake again. She told Matt as much as they sat in front of the fireplace.

He hesitated a moment, before he leaned in. “Maybe it wouldn't be so bad next time. If you found the guy who could love you back.”

She looked into his eyes. He had been so sweet to her. He'd been her shoulder, and her ear, and he had never judged her – even when she told him her darkest secret. “Does that guy exist?” she whispered.

“He may be sitting right in front

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