Blaise sat dumbfounded. This was almost too easy. Nothing had ever been easy for him. He wasn’t like the others, who’d had normal parents.
“One date is fine,” he said.
Because knowing Hadley, she would know exactly who fit perfectly with Wes. They didn’t call her the wife finder for nothing.
Blaise bit back a grin. He’d told his friends the truth about his past, and four accepted him. Wes was coming around. Blaise could be patient. He would focus on winning the bet.
Who would fall first? Wes or Dash?
Blaise raised his glass. He couldn’t wait to find out.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Saturday morning, Hadley woke to weak daylight filtering around the edges of the blinds. Rain pounded against the roof. Another wet and gray day in the Pacific Northwest, but she didn’t mind. All the lush, green plants and trees made up for the wetness. Besides, she didn’t have to go outside.
Not today.
She glanced at the clock.
9:28 AM.
That was later than she thought.
Though she wasn’t surprised she’d slept in.
Last night, Hadley had tried to stay awake until Blaise arrived home. She must have fallen asleep. Even though she had wanted to see him, that was a good thing. Rest was what she needed to continue to recover.
After a quick shower, she pulled on a pair of black leggings, a teal sweater, and pink, fuzzy llama slipper socks Audra had given Hadley for her birthday.
Thinking of her niece sent a swell of emotion through Hadley. She missed Audra, Ryder, and Fallon—Tiny, too—but tomorrow, she would be home.
Home.
She shimmied her shoulders in anticipation. Sure, they’d kept in touch via phone calls and video chats, but she couldn’t wait to be with them again. The noise, the mess, the chaos.
The hugs.
Hadley, however, would miss being with Blaise. This week with him had been not only surprising but also…
Special.
A ball of heat settled at the center of her chest. Who would have thought quiet evenings eating, watching movies, and talking with the same person could be so enjoyable? Especially when that person was Blaise Mortenson.
She would miss that.
Him.
He’d done so much for her since she’d been sick, but it was more than that. Something else was happening. Something she didn’t want to define. She couldn’t.
Hadley worked for him. He’d hired her so he could win the bet.
But this past week, they’d become friends.
Yes, friends.
A friend she was attracted to, dreamed about, and wanted to kiss again.
She hadn’t done the last thing.
And wouldn’t.
Because that was against her rules.
Ready to hear how last night with his friends had gone for Blaise, Hadley made her way downstairs and entered the kitchen. Someone sat at the island. Dash.
With a bright smile on his face, he raised his coffee mug. “Good morning.”
Hadley glanced around. No one else was there. “Where’s Blaise?”
“In his office on a conference call.” Dash motioned to a pink box decorated with black lettering and characters. “I brought donuts. Help yourself.”
Her mouth watered. Coffee no longer tempted her. She’d developed a taste for herbal tea and honey thanks to Robyn, but she hadn’t eaten a donut in forever. Okay, a week and a half. That was long enough.
“Thanks.” She filled a glass with water, sat on the stool next to Dash, and grabbed a maple bar with two slices of bacon on top. That counted as protein, right? She took a bite. “Delicious.”
“Thanks for telling Blaise to talk to us last night. It wasn’t easy for him, but it went well. And his past is something we need to know about him.” Dash sipped his coffee. “Now we can help him. If he needs it. Because that’s what friends do.”
“Yes, it is.” Dash was too cute, and whatever went down last night sounded good. That made her happy. “You guys are lucky to have each other.”
“We are. And I know they don’t only want to hang with me because of my money.” Dash laughed. “Though let’s be real. I’m more like the annoying kid brother the others tolerate.”
Dashiell Cabot was the youngest of the six. He was also an interesting combination of genius and gamer. When they’d watched the football game, he’d bounced from one subject to another, the same way a dog might find his attention all over the place in a forest full of flying squirrels. Today he appeared more focused. Maybe he did better one-on-one.
She picked up her maple bar. “Every group needs one of those.”
His mouth slanted in a charming, lopsided smile. “Yeah, and now they’re stuck with me. They couldn’t get rid of me if they tried.”
She laughed. “Have they?”
Mischief gleamed in his eyes. “Possibly.”
“But you’re still here.”
“I am.” He opened the lid to the donut box but let it drop. “Last night, Blaise mentioned something about you finding me and Wes dates.”
What? Hadley tried to keep her features neutral. She had no idea what was going on, but she would go with it. “I haven’t spoken with Blaise since he went over to your house. I was asleep when he got home, but I’d be happy to find dates for you and Wes.”
Hadley purposely said dates because saying wives might not go over well, even though she’d been hired to find them. She ate another bite of her donut. So tasty.
Dash drank more coffee before pushing a few sheets of paper toward her. “Blaise asked me to fill this out. I emailed an electronic version to you, but here’s a print copy, too.”
“Thanks.” She appreciated his thoughtfulness because she was old school about some things. A glance told her he’d completed her questionnaire. “This will help me.”
“Blaise said you might have some questions.”
“A few.”
Dash turned his coffee cup a quarter one way and then back again. “That should be okay.”
He sounded uncertain. That wasn’t good. “Do you want to go out with someone?”
“Sure,” he blurted. “I mean, probably not if I had to go out and meet someone, text back and forth a bunch of times, and then make a date happen on my own. That’s too much work, you know?”
She nodded, trying not to smile.
“But Blaise and you are together. He says you’re good at your job. I looked you up to confirm it.”
“It’s smart to know what you’re agreeing to.”
It was Dash’s turn to nod. “Blaise is so happy when he talks about you, and it’s cool you’re a matchmaker. So, I want to do this for him. And maybe I’ll get something out of it for me.”
The guy was super-sweet to want to go on a date to make Blaise happy. “My job is to make sure you get something out of it.”
“Okay.”
As she read his questionnaire, she ate more of the donut. “Would you mind answering a few questions now? That will help me narrow down your wants and needs for a future partner.”
“Future date.” He winked. “They might call you the wife finder, but let’s not go crazy here.”
Oops. She laughed. That had been her mistake. A good thing she hadn’t mentioned finding him the one.
“I know what I want,” he continued. “I want to meet a woman who has her own interests so she won’t get bored when I’m working and who doesn’t hate video games since I love playing them.”
Simple needs, but Hadley needed to know more. “That’s helpful. Now let’s see if we can drill down a bit.”
An hour later, Dash had answered her questions, peppered her with ones of his own, and eaten two more donuts.
“So, what happens next?” he asked.
“I’ll fill in your file and start my search.” Hadley had a better picture of Dashiell Cabot, Wonderkid of Silicon Forest, and what kind of woman would fit best with his personality and lifestyle. “When I find a match or two
, I’ll be in touch.”
Dash stood. “Sounds good. I have a meeting, so I’m leaving. Tell Blaise bye.”
These guys worked seven days a week, but then again, sometimes she did, too. “I will. Have a nice day.”
Hadley made herself a cup of tea and placed Dash’s mug in the dishwasher. The pink box on the island kept taunting her. Finally, after wiping off the countertops, she gave in and removed a cake donut with white icing and multicolored candy sprinkles.
“What’s better than one donut?” she asked herself aloud. “Two!”
She took a bite.
“Taste good?” Blaise entered the kitchen and family room area.
“Yes.”
He carried a coffee cup—an empty one based on the way he held it. He wore track pants and an old T-shirt that had seen better days, but he looked gorgeous.
Oops. Time to focus on something available to her.
She motioned to the box. “Lucky for you, Dash and I didn’t eat all of them.”
“Thanks, but I had one before my call.” Blaise refilled his cup before joining her at the island. “Did you talk to Dash?”
“I did.” She glanced at the paperwork sitting on the island. “He filled out the questionnaire and answered my questions. Does this mean last night with your friends went well?”
A slow smile spread, crinkling the corners of his eyes and making her want to reach for her phone to capture his expression with a photograph. “It went better than I ever expected.”
She touched his arm but then pulled her hand away when she realized what she’d done. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks. Me, too.” Blaise took a sip of coffee. “Wes was the only one who seemed upset, which surprised me, but it’ll be okay. Things were better by the end of the night.”
“Yay!”
“Yes, yay.” Blaise told her what had happened. “When the bet came up, I told everyone you and I had discussed it. I didn’t want to lie, and then Mason chimed in. And…”
“Now I have permission from Dash and Wes to set them up on dates,” she finished for Blaise.
He nodded. “Dash offered to come by this morning. But Wes is spending the rest of the weekend at his place in Hood Hamlet. You won’t get to talk to him this weekend.”
“I’ll figure out a way to talk to him before you go home.”
Blaise rubbed his chin. “But you’ll be in San Francisco.”
“I know.”
His lips parted. “Does this mean you’re thinking about making an exception to your rules?”
“I am.” Which wasn’t like her, but this wasn’t a typical situation, either. She wanted this to work for Blaise and his friends, even if it meant changing how she did things.
“Thank you.”
Two simple words, but the emotion behind them took her breath away. She swallowed. “You’re welcome.”
He sipped his coffee. She finished her donut. The silence wasn’t uncomfortable. They didn’t need to fill the quiet with meaningless words. Being in the same space as Blaise was enough.
Finally, he stood and refilled his cup. “So, what do you want to do on your last day in Portland?”
* * *
That evening, as the movie credits rolled, Blaise sat next to Hadley on the couch. A blanket covered them. A fire crackled in the fireplace. A bowl of popcorn, boxes of movie candy, and drinks sat on the coffee table.
If this had been a date, it would be one of the best. But it wasn’t a date. Something he had to keep reminding himself. “Thanks for wanting to watch my favorite movie series today.”
Hadley smiled at him. “I’ve never seen the Harry Potter movies all in a row like this.”
“Movie marathons are great, but it’s been a while since I’ve had time to do it.” Years, actually. This week with Hadley, he’d watched more television than during the first eight months of the year. Not that he minded.
“It’s fun.” She grabbed a piece of licorice from one of the candy boxes he’d found in the pantry. “Did you read the books?”
“I love them.” A fourteen-year-old Blaise had discovered a way to transport himself to another place—a safer place—when he cracked open that first book in the series. He’d read all night long. As soon as he’d reached the end, he started over. “I checked out the books from the library and read them as many times as I could before they were due.”
“Is Harry your favorite?” she asked.
“Who wouldn’t want to find out they were a wizard and their life was going to be completely different?” The words vomited out of him. Blaise couldn’t stop because the books had been his escape. “I mean…”
Hadley pressed her shoulder against his, her softness and warmth an appealing combination. “You related to Harry.”
Blaise’s face warmed. “In my daydreams.”
“And real life,” she said to his surprise. “Harry used a wand and magic, but you had something equally powerful to help you create a different life from the one you knew.”
His heart rate kicked up a notch. “What?”
“Your brain. Not to mention your determination.”
Her comparison touched him. “A wand and magic would have been cooler.”
She laughed. “True, but you used what you had.”
Their legs touched underneath the blanket they shared but nothing more. He kept himself from scooting closer. The accidental brush of their hands reaching for popcorn was enough. At least that was what he told himself because it had to be. Hadley was too tempting, and he didn’t want to do anything stupid.
Tomorrow, she’d be home, and he’d be…
Nope.
Blaise wouldn’t think about it. The next movie began. “When you were younger, did you ever want to find out you were a wizard?”
“No.” Her blue eyes danced. “But I dreamed about being the long-lost princess from some faraway, exotic country. I devoured the Princess Diaries books, and I can’t wait to share the series with Audra once she’s old enough.”
“I shouldn’t be surprised since you enjoy”—Blaise searched for the term Hadley had used before—“HEAs.”
“Yes, and I also love tiaras,” she teased.
Now that surprised him. He studied her. “I’m trying to picture you in one, but a tiara doesn’t quite fit with the fastidious matchmaker I’ve come to know.”
She shrugged but was smiling. “I don’t have much opportunity to wear mine, but sometimes a girl needs to put on her tiara and dance around. You can forget your troubles and just enjoy yourself.”
He would pay money to see that. “Do you do that?”
“I have once or twice.” She didn’t hesitate answering. Again, that was something he would love to see.
“Do you have a wand?” Hadley asked.
His cheeks heated. “Yes, I have a…collection of them.”
Hadley’s face brightened. “Can I see them?”
“They’re on display at an exhibit.”
Her eyes widened. “Must be some collection.”
“It was one of my first splurges after Blai$e was doing well.” Buying signed, first edition hardcovers of the entire series was another.
“Have you ever waved a wand to see if you could influence the stock market?”
That made him laugh. “No, but there have been times I should have tried that.”
“Couldn’t hurt.”
No, and that might have made him feel better. “Do you have your tiara with you?”
“Alas, I do not. I’ve never considered traveling with mine.” She tilted her head. “Though now that you’ve mentioned it, I might have to add that to my packing list. Given how well I was cared for this week by you and Robyn, a tiara would be appropriate since I’ve been fêted like a princess.”
He wasn’t surprised she had a packing list, but hearing her say she was treated like a princess made his chest thrust out. “Next time, remember the tiara.”
She bit her lip. “The movie’s on.”
Hadley
focused on the television, but the light in her eyes had dimmed. And Blaise knew why.
There wouldn’t be a next time for them.
Even if he wished there could be.
* * *
“Door-to-door service.” Hadley sat next to Blaise in the back of the black SUV driven by Lex. Rizzo rode shotgun. “I could have flown commercial. Alone.”
“No,” all three men said in unison.
“I have a dinner in Palo Alto tonight,” Blaise said without missing a beat. “Making a quick detour to the Marina District is no trouble.”
Lex double-parked in front of her condo building. “And you’re home.”
Hadley was excited to see her family, but a part of her was missing Blaise, even though he was seated beside her. She may have been sick, but she enjoyed being with him. It didn’t matter that they’d been homebodies. She preferred that to going out. And last night watching his favorite movies had been…perfect.
She wouldn’t have changed anything. Well, except if he would have kissed her goodnight after they’d walked upstairs.
Hadley cleared her throat. “Thanks.”
“I’ll get the suitcase.” Rizzo hopped out of the vehicle.
Blaise unbuckled his seat belt. “Let’s get you inside. The kids must miss their aunt Hadley.”
A few minutes later, she stood at her front door.
“Take care of yourself, Hadley. It could be weeks before you feel one hundred percent. Don’t overdo it.” Rizzo let go of the suitcase. “I’ll be in the car with Lex, boss.”
“Thanks,” Blaise said.
All Hadley had to do was turn the doorknob and walk inside, yet she hesitated. This was her home. But Blaise…
“Did you forget your key?” he asked.
Pull yourself together.
She did, opened the door, and stepped inside. The familiar scents in the air made her take a deep breath. “I’m home.”
Screams filled the condo. Audra, Ryder, and Tiny came running toward her. Hadley hugged each one as the kids talked over each other to tell her all she’d missed. Tiny wove a figure-eight pattern between her legs.
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