Evening With the Enemy: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance (#MatchMade Book 1)

by Emma Tharp

  "I just finished writing my column about the dating site. Check it out." I turn my computer screen toward him so he can read through it.

  His brows raise and I know exactly what he's reading. It's the part where I explain how this is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I get an assignment for work that forces me to go on a date with someone and it’s supposed to be all business, but I wind up having fun. I learn all the wonders of this woman and spending time with her. It was only supposed to be three dates, but feelings developed and I stopped counting the dates. How I never thought a matchmaker would work, but I ended up falling in love.

  "Oh my God. It's beautiful." His brows knit together.

  "If you like it, why do you have that look on your face?" I ask.

  He scratches his head. "Do you think that she’ll read it?"

  He has a point. "No. She never reads my column. And now that she hates me, there isn't a chance that she'll see it." I sit back in my chair and let out a long, defeated sigh. "What do I do now?"

  Part of what made writing the piece so easy was also the thought that Lily would be reading it. That she’d see how I feel in my words and that might be enough to get her to have a conversation with me.

  "You can't give up. This is just a little hiccup."

  Both of us stare off into space, attempting to use our collective masculine brainpower to come up with something that could help me win Lily back.

  "What about flowers? I'll buy her all the flowers. Do you think that would work?" I ask. Romance isn't my thing, but I'm ready to pull out all the stops.

  Dylan gives me a quick, tight shake of his head. "Nope. Flowers are not going to cut it."

  "What about chocolates? Or jewelry?" I ask, grasping at straws. I’ll do anything.

  "No. Haven't I taught you anything? It's not about gifts. It's about gestures!"

  I show him my palms in surrender. "Sorry. You did tell me that. And I told you I am no good at this."

  Dylan moves to sit on the end of his chair and he gets a grin on his face. "I think I figured it out."

  "And…"

  "Why don't you write in to her column?" His smile is wide and toothy.

  I love it. "Dylan, you are a genius!"

  Nineteen

  Lily

  I stare blankly across my coffee table at the three empty pints of Ben & Jerry's and rest my head in my hands. This is what my life has come to. Binge-watching stupid TV and carb loading.

  I haven't left my house in two weeks. The beauty of both of my jobs is that I can do them from home, and I've taken full advantage. At this point, I'm in no mood to face the world.

  My phone buzzes with a new text. I don't even bother lifting it because I know it's probably Savannah checking on me. Again.

  Oliver must’ve gotten tired of texting me, because I haven’t seen his name cross my screen in a few days. I never returned his texts because I never read any of them. It's better for my mental state if I avoid them. He broke my heart after all, and heartbreakers don't deserve a minute of my time. But that doesn’t stop me from feeling sad and defeated now that he isn’t even trying to reach out. It’s messed up. I know. I’ve given advice to people like me.

  I stand and stretch before bending over to collect the remnants of my ice cream binge this morning and take them to the kitchen to throw them away. I search around my pantry, but nothing looks appetizing for lunch. My steady diet of sugar seems to be the only thing that sounds appealing to me.

  Instead of food, I open my refrigerator and pull out the bottle of Riesling I opened last night. My favorite wine glass is still in the sink. I rinse it out and give myself a heavy pour.

  Walking back to the living room, I catch a glimpse of myself in the hallway mirror and I'm startled. I don't think I've ever seen myself with a worse case of bed head. I’m not sure when I showered last. Maybe I'll do that later. Maybe. I take several large swallows of wine.

  In the living room, I plop down on the couch and bring my laptop and wine with me. Opening up my email, I'm pinged with fifty-five new emails to my Enchant column address.

  Perfect. Other people's problems. That's what I need to focus on. I laugh to myself at the irony. I thrive on giving out advice to everyone else, but when it comes to my own love life, I’m a complete disaster.

  The first email is from Sandra. She's looking for advice on breaking it off with an office fling. This one hits a little too close to home. I drink some wine and exit that email, moving on to the next.

  Paula wants to know why her boyfriend hasn’t proposed yet. They've been together for a year. Only a year. I sigh and shake my head. I think Paula needs a reality check. I can't even with this one right now. I finish off my glass of wine and set it on the coffee table.

  I am about to give up when the subject line of the next email grabs my attention.

  I'm desperate! Please help.

  Lily,

  I messed up and I need your help.

  I was given an assignment by my hard-ass boss. I had to go out on three dates. I fought it every step of the way, but as soon as I was matched up, it seemed as if this woman was designed specifically for me. Perfect in every way. She even likes sports. Can you believe that?

  On our second date, I took her to a football game and she blended in seamlessly with my friends and family. I was on cloud nine.

  I never even used my business expense account because when you find your person, it’s not about business anymore, it’s all about pleasure.

  By the third date, I found myself contriving ways to be together. She bought it when I told her that I had business to take care of on Hilton Head, but by the time we got there, I knew I was a goner because I was starting to trust her and open up to her.

  It all sounds perfect, right? It was until it all went to hell when she found out that I was taking her out for an assignment. And it's true, that's how it started and I should have been upfront and honest with her about that. But by the end of our first date, she had me, hook, line, and sinker. She was giving me things I never realized I wanted.

  When it came time to explain that to her, my brain froze and my nerves seized every coherent thought. I couldn't even talk.

  Lily, could you help me? I need to have a conversation with this woman and make her realize that I'm a changed man. I want her to have my heart. I love her.

  In case she's wondering how I feel, she could meet me at the sports bar this Friday at two o’clock. If she doesn't come, I'll eat alone and try to get used to it.

  Sincerely,

  O

  My heart melts in my chest. For a man who tells me he isn't romantic, I beg to differ. This is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.

  Shit!

  I check my watch and see that today is the day he wants me to meet him. I haven't showered and I've been drinking. If I'm going to do this, I need an Uber. Who am I kidding? I’m definitely going to need an Uber because I want to talk to him.

  I've missed him so much that it hurts.

  I spring up off the couch and order myself a car. It will be here in twenty minutes. I need to get ready.

  Before hopping in the shower, I call Savannah and give her a quick update about finding Oliver's email and his plan to meet me at the sports bar.

  "Should I go?" I ask, nearly breathless.

  "Eek! Yes! Go."

  "Are you sure?" She sounds it, but she’s been my sounding board through all of this and I have to ask.

  "Listen, guys can be dumb. They make bad choices sometimes. But what Oliver did isn't unforgivable. Now get ready and go to him."

  I blow out a long sigh.

  "I am never wrong about these things," Savannah says, in her most reassuring tone. "Now hang up with me and get ready."

  Twenty

  Oliver

  Sweat begins to dampen my collar. Dylan had better be right about all of this.

  I reserved the back booth at the sports bar and I brought three bouquets of flowers—lilies, roses, and hydran
geas—and six boxes of chocolates—white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate with sea salted caramel, dark chocolate raspberry, and chocolate mint—all of which are strewn across the table.

  She cut me all the way out of her life.

  This has to work.

  I told her I don't know anything about romance and that might be true, but I need to put it all out there. Dylan told me that it's all about the gestures. Well, I couldn't think of a better way to show Lily that I care than to pamper her and show her how I feel.

  My heart hammers hard as I look at my watch. It's two o'clock. She isn’t here. She's never late.

  I swallow the thick, hockey-puck-sized lump forming in the back of my throat along with the reality that she isn't coming. I wonder if she didn’t see my letter? It's possible. Or she saw it and didn't realize it was me. That's less likely.

  This is not how I saw this afternoon going down. I didn't think it would be easy to win back Lily's affection, but I thought she would at least show up. I don't want to mentally prepare myself for not having her in my life. I’ve tried to imagine what it’d be like and it isn’t pretty.

  Looking at the other tables, there’s a man and woman sitting close. She’s feeding him French fries and they’re laughing about something. I wonder if they realize how good they have it. I’d do anything to have Lily here with me now.

  I drain my glass and check my watch again. Two fifteen. She's definitely not coming. I'm going to have to make three trips to my car to get all these stupid flowers and chocolates out of here. Screw it. I'll just leave them and make the waitress’s day.

  Standing, I turn to leave the booth when my heart squeezes in my chest. Lily is here walking toward me. I want to go to her and scoop her up, gathering her in my arms, but that's not where we're at today. I have to take it slow because I can’t mess up this chance.

  "You came," I say as she gets close to the table.

  Her hair is wet and piled on top of her head. She's in jeans and a T-shirt, but I think she’s absolutely gorgeous. There’s darkness under her eyes. She hasn't been sleeping. Me neither. I hate the creases in her forehead and the frown on her face, and the fact that I put them there. All I can do is hope I can change that by the time she leaves here.

  "I didn't know if I should come, but…" Her eyes widen as she glances at the table filled with things just for her. "Here I am."

  "You saw my email," I say.

  She nods.

  I gesture toward the table with a racing heart. "Have a seat, please. Let's talk."

  She couldn't look more apprehensive as she eases her way into the booth.

  I want to sit next to her and put my arm around her, but instead I take a seat across from her. "I'm really happy you're here."

  She’s staring at the table littered with romantic gestures, but she doesn't even crack a smile. "I just saw your email."

  "Good. You weren’t returning my calls or my texts. I had to do something."

  She nods silently, which is completely unlike her. It makes me uneasy, but she's here and that's what counts.

  "I am so sorry that I wasn't upfront with you in the beginning. I realize I should have told you about the assignment when we were opening up to each other on Hilton Head."

  She looks down at her folded hands on the table, refusing to make eye contact. "That would've been nice."

  "Lily, I didn't think it was a big deal. Initially, I didn't want to date you. We've talked about that, and I was honest. But with every minute I spent with you, I realized that the matchmaker was right. We’re a perfect match. As soon as I knew that, I didn't care that it was a work assignment anymore. I just wanted to be with you."

  Finally, she looks into my eyes. There's a small glimmer there, so I run with it. "And then when I tried talking to you in the conference room, I was tongue-tied."

  She nods, a disgusted look on her face. "I could see that. I don't understand why you couldn't explain to me what was going on though. I felt so used."

  I shake my head because I'm disappointed in myself. "I saw everything that you and I could be flash before my eyes and then I saw it disappearing. It sent me into a tailspin. I'm sorry for that, too." There's pain and doubt in her dark blue eyes, and I hate that I put it there. "Do you think you can forgive me, Lily?"

  "I want to trust you. I'm nervous." A single tear rolls down her cheek.

  I'm up and out of my seat and sliding in next to her as quickly as I can. I brush her tear away with my thumb and cradle her face in my hands. She leans into my touch and doesn't pull away. "You make me nervous, too," I tell her.

  "Me? How?"

  "I know what it feels like to be with you and I know how terrible it feels when you’ll have nothing to do with me. I really fucking hate it without you, Lily. Losing you for good scares the shit out of me."

  "What does any of this mean? You admitted to me that you aren't a relationship guy, yet here you are telling me that you don't want to lose me. It's confusing."

  Shifting my leg between hers, I move us closer together and my heartbeat quickens. "It means that I want to be with you. I don't want anyone else. I've missed you every minute, but you cut me out. Did you miss me, too?"

  She lifts her chin and her mouth is mere inches from mine. I am overwhelmed by her sweet floral scent. I want to grab her and pull her close to me and claim her mouth, but not yet. "I did miss you. But you need to be clear with me. Always." Her eyes flash a dark blue warning.

  "I can't promise that I'm not going to mess up again at some point, but I can promise that I will be honest with you. And if you will have me, I’ll never be with anyone else. You were made for me."

  When Lily looks up, there’s faith and optimism in her eyes, and it melts me.

  "I didn't like being away from you. It was very difficult for me." Her fingers find mine and she twines them together. "Are you telling me that you want to be in a committed relationship with me?"

  "Yes." There's a hint of concern in her features. "But don't worry, I still don't want to get married or have kids."

  She smiles and her shoulders sag in relief. "Perfect."

  “I love you, Lily.”

  I didn’t think her smile could get any wider, or my heart could get any fuller. “I love you, too.”

  I rest my forehead on hers and stare at her full lips as tension fills the air. She angles her face to meet mine and her warm breath mingles with mine. I close the distance between us and bring my mouth to hers. The sparks are instant. Lily’s hands are in my hair, mine are around her waist. We’re tugging at each other, pulling the other closer. A kiss between us has never felt this needy or intense. It’s completely different and I’m considering pushing everything off the table and taking her right here. I won’t do it—but I really fucking want to.

  Suddenly the ache and the worry I’ve been feeling in my chest dissolves and I’m free. I deepen the kiss, showing her how much I want this. Want her in my life.

  Someone close by clears their throat. We hesitantly pull away to find the waitress standing there, ready to take our order. “What can I get you?”

  Lily’s lips are swollen and her cheeks flame red.

  “Do you want something?” I ask her, hoping like hell she says no. All I want to do is get her out of here and take her somewhere more private.

  She shakes her head, avoiding all eye contact with the server. The poor thing is embarrassed. Not me. I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks right now. I’m happier than I’ve ever been.

  Turning to the waitress, I say, “No. I’ll take the check.”

  “Sure,” she says, seemingly unaffected by our public display of affection. It’s not something I normally do but, Lily has me breaking all of my normal rules. “Are you ready to get out of here?”

  “Yes, definitely.” There’s desire in her eyes, but there’s something else. It’s hope. And that’s just as sexy as anything else.

  I pull her in close to me and know for certain that Lily and I are an
absolutely perfect match.

  Prologue- Seeking A Second Chance

  Maren

  "So, what's the big news, little sis?" Lira asks, taking a sip of her Cabernet, her pinky finger outstretched.

  I've always envied her and her self-assured ways. We're only eighteen months apart, but my older sister is so much more sophisticated and extroverted than I can ever dream to be.

  "I started working with Savannah and my girlfriends from college on a new project. Savannah started a new matchmaking service. I'm doing the web and graphic design."

  She cocks a brow and her pretty green eyes bulge slightly. "A matchmaking service? Really?"

  She’s skeptical. I get it. Matchmakers might not be conventional, but many people use them to find love and have for decades.

  "Yes, all the women in her family are matchmakers. It makes sense for her to follow in their footsteps." I break a piece of a crusty roll between my fingers and watch the pieces fall back onto my plate. "She wants to match all of us, too." I try in vain to keep the excitement out of my voice. Little bolts of electricity ricochet around my chest.

  "Great. I'm sure she's up to the task."

  It’s hard not to get my hopes up. Especially after seeing how happy Lily is with her match, Oliver. They’ve been dating for a couple of months now and she can’t wipe the smile off her face. That’s what I want. A partner who makes me happy, and I will do my best to do the same. It feels like the right time in my life to think about settling down, too. I’m twenty-seven. I’d like to have a family someday. The prospect of being an old, lonely, crazy cat lady is terrifying. Not that I like cats, but the old and lonely part is what worries me. "That's the plan, but I don't think it's going to be easy for her. You know I'm not very datable."

  Lira waves a hand, dismissing the notion. "Stop it. Yes, you are. You're beautiful, loyal, and creative. Are you still painting?"

  "When I have time." I do try and make time when I'm not working. It’s a stress reliever for me. "But let's get back to dating. I'm afraid that when Savannah matches me with someone, they’ll think I'm boring. I don't do much besides work." Everyone I dated in college was really a study date and not the real thing. Since graduating college five years ago, I’ve been on a few dates here and there, but I haven’t had any luck meeting the right guy for me.