“The articles on the Manscaping blog are doing well,” Carter said to the morning meeting but was looking at Liam and Mia. “Liam won the last round of voting, but this week looks like it will go to Mia. There's lots of interest, and not just in Darius. Good work.”

Mia flushed with the praise, her body warming under the glances and soft applause of her co-workers. She wasn't familiar with the feeling; public praise wasn't something she'd ever received much of. It felt good.

“What's next for our two contestants?”

“Waxing,” Liam said with an evil grin, and the people gathered around the table laughed. “We have a couple...