by dlady
“I guess so.” She regarded them suspiciously. Things didn’t add up. They always met with the clients personally.
“Oh, and Steph, we need you to sign this form.”
Strange was getting stranger. “I thought you didn’t believe in employment forms?”
“Only this one,” Iona said quickly. She placed the form in front of Steph. “It’s really for your own protection, since you’ll be interviewing a client. We, of course, trust you implicitly.”
“Of course,” Agnes said. She shoved a pen in Steph’s face. “Now if you’ll sign, we can be on our way.”
Steph stared at the form. It was a simple, one-page form stating employees of Forever Matched would maintain a professional relationship and not have a physical relationship with clients. Violation of this agreement would result in immediate termination.
Steph signed it without an issue. She didn’t want a guy in her life, and the sisters were protecting her. It would give her an easy out if the situation ever arose. She handed the paper to Agnes, who passed it to Iona, who stuffed it in her huge purse.
“Do I need to know anything about this client before he shows up?”
“No, nothing,” Agnes said. “You’re familiar with our questions. We’ll do an in-person interview at his convenience within the next week.”
“Giles will bring in lunch for you,” Iona added.
Before Steph could argue, they were gone, chattering and laughing all the way out the door. Giles delivered finger sandwiches, which were incredibly delicious, a pitcher of ice water with lemon, and a steaming ceramic pot of tea.
Once Steph finished, she tidied up the library, checked her makeup, and waited. She couldn’t shake the feeling she was being played in some manner by the sisters, yet she couldn’t figure out what their angle could be. Why didn’t they have her sign the form initially instead of now? They were both sharp as they came, and Steph hadn’t noticed in any forgetfulness in either of them.
She was probably reading too much into the day’s events.
All she needed to do was do the initial client interview, fill out the questionnaire with his answers, and call it a day. They’d do the rest.
Simple. Easy. Straightforward.
* * * *
Jared turned up the curved driveway of what could only be called a stately old mansion. The well-groomed grounds and impeccably maintained exterior of the house drove home how wealthy the owners were and where their priorities lay.
He’d met Ethan’s great-aunt Agnes a few times at one of the many events held by the Sockeyes over the past few years. She was a firecracker, and he could’ve sworn she’d pinched his butt one time. He’d been standing in a crowd, and she walked by. When he’d felt the pinch, he’d looked over his shoulder. There were multiple women nearby who could’ve done it, but only Agnes winked at him.
He parked his Toyota and walked up the slate walkway onto the front porch, which covered the entire front of the home. After ringing the doorbell, he rubbed his sweaty palms on his jeans, oddly nervous. This was stupid. He had nothing to be nervous about. He was looking for his lifetime partner, his soul mate, his forever love. If this achieved his goal, he’d do it. Besides, the unpredictable McIntyre sisters were a force to be reckoned with. He dared any gold digger to attempt to be matched with one of their clients. The outcome would be messy at the least, and brutal at most.
He grinned at a momentary vision of what they’d have done to Candy if they’d gotten their hands on her. It wouldn’t have been pretty.
Stay focused. Stick with the mission.
A tall, thin man with a shiny bald head opened the door. “Ah, Mr. Roderick, come in, please.”
Jared followed the man into a large study with floor-to-ceiling windows and fussy antique furniture. A blonde sat at a large library desk tapping away on a keyboard, her face obscured behind a mammoth computer monitor.
He heard the click of the door behind him and knew the butler had left them alone.
The blonde glanced up and stood. She smiled at him, but her smile lacked confidence. He immediately felt the urge to put her at ease.
“I’m Stephanie.” She didn’t offer him her hand, as many women would do. Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her so tightly that her knuckles were white.
“Hi, Stephanie, I’m Jared,” he said gently, treating her like he would a scared child shyly wanting his autograph. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.
“Have a seat.” With a shaking hand, she gestured to a comfy chair next to the desk.
Jared lowered his large frame into the chair and kept it a safe distance from her. He didn’t want to scare her off, and she reminded him of a doe about to bolt for freedom.
She ducked her head behind the monitor. “I’m Agnes and Iona’s assistant. They had another appointment, but I can help you fill out the paperwork.”
“Sure.” She was beautiful in a sinfully innocent way that so few of the women in his world had. She might dress to hide her body, but he found her baggy clothes oddly enticing, like a present wrapped in a box much too big for whatever was inside, making guessing all the more fun. She picked up a sheaf of papers, drawing his attention to her hand. They were delicate, conservatively short, with perfectly manicured pink fingernails. She wore no jewelry and only minimal makeup, but the effect was stunning. She gazed at him shyly, and he was certain she wasn’t putting on an act.
Shit.
She had him at hello, and she was just the assistant. He could only imagine what his dates might be like. For the first time in what seemed like forever, hope surged.
“Let’s get started.” She sounded nervous and scared, so he rushed to put her at ease.
“I’m really looking forward to meeting someone special.”
She met his gaze, and her eyes lit up. “Oh, you will. They’re very good at what they do. If you’re interested, there’s a scrapbook of the happy couples they’ve matched on the table over there.” Stephanie was gushing, and once she realized it, her face turned an adorable shade of red.
“I can see you’re enthusiastic about your job.”
She nodded and stared at the form in her hands. “I believe in what they do.”
“That’s good enough for me. You seem like a genuine person.”
“So do you.” She put her hand to her mouth as if she wished she could shove the words back inside. “Oh, I’m sorry. I—I— Shall we begin?”
“Sure.” Jared didn’t have a lot of experience with adult women who were so skittish. He dialed back his tendency to bully his way through things, sensing Stephanie required a softer approach. He wanted her to be comfortable around him, or this’d be a long interview.
She ran through all the usual stuff: name, phone, address, email, etc. He answered each question truthfully, unable to take his eyes off her face. She avoided his gaze. Instead, she sucked her lower lip into her mouth as she concentrated on filling in the form.
Jared looked away. She wasn’t the one. He needed to keep his eyes on the prize, and his staring was making her nervous.
“Tell me about yourself.” She watched him, pen poised on paper. Her blue eyes reminded him of a lagoon in Hawaii where he liked to swim and snorkel.
He sat back in the chair and scratched his chin, trying to determine how much he should say. “I’m a professional hockey player for the Sockeyes.”
“I know. I recognized you.”
“Don’t let that make you nervous. I’m just a normal guy.”
“Okay.”
He told her a little bit about his childhood in Minnesota, his family, and glossed over his divorce. She showed very little reaction, scribbling madly on the paper.
“Now we have some basic questions to get a feel for your likes and dislikes. Do you like animals?”
“Yeah, love them. Do you?” He wasn’t sure why he asked, but he went with it.
She looked at him through lowered lashes, a coy act by most women, but not with her. “I’ve never had a
pet, but I’m sure I’d like them.”
“I’m sure you would.” Never had a pet? He couldn’t imagine growing up without animals. His childhood home had been a menagerie of cats, dogs, goldfish, and even a pot-bellied pig for a short while. Regardless, he was loosening her up a little by asking her about herself. He wasn’t sure why her comfort mattered, but it did.
“What are your favorite types of movies?”
“The usual for a guy. Anything with superheroes. Figures, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, it does. Anything unusual?” Steph lifted her eyes to his. His breath hitched.
He looked away first and cleared his throat. “Yeah, there is something. I’m embarrassed to say.” He was actually squirming.
“Those are the kinds of things we need to know. It’s the out-of-the-ordinary facts that will help us find your best match.” She watched with more curiosity and less nervousness. “What is it?”
Exhaling a long breath, he rubbed his eyes and then finally met her gaze. “I have a fondness for Hallmark movies, the sappier, the better.”
She giggled, and the sound caressed his ears like the pleasant tinkling of a little bell. “I love them too.”
“You won’t tell the guys about this, will you?” He smiled at her, and she smiled back. She had a beautiful smile, with straight white teeth and a cute little dimple in one cheek.
“Absolutely never. Everything is confidential.”
“Good.” He held his hands over his heart in a display of dramatic relief and was rewarded with another giggle. He liked making her giggle. He suspected she didn’t laugh nearly enough.
“What’s your favorite way to spend a rainy day?”
“Alone?”
“Yes, alone.”
He thought about that for a second. “Reading. I love to read. Growing up, I was never much of a video game player, like the other kids. I spent a lot of time on buses traveling to hockey games and read a ton of books.”
“What kinds of books do you like to read?”
“I like biographies. I also like to read mysteries and—” He hesitated. “Promise you won’t laugh.”
“I promise.”
“This goes hand in hand with the Hallmark movies. Lately I’ve been reading hockey romance novels.”
“You have? Who do you like best?”
“My favorites are Kate Willoughby, Lisa B. Kamps, and Kat Mizera.”
“I love them too. Have you read Cameron, Kate’s latest?”
“Not yet, but it’s on my tablet for the next road trip. Have you?”
“Yes, but I won’t spoil it for you.”
“Good. I hate spoilers.”
“I could really relate to the hero, though. He was a bit of a slob.”
“I bet the heroine wasn’t?” Her hundred-megawatt smile lit up her face like Friday night lights.
“Nope, She was a neat freak.” He grinned back at her, enjoying her company and the interview. He enjoyed talking to her, and he’d manage to put her at ease himself. He dragged out the interview as long as he could until, finally, she’d exhausted all her questions, and he couldn’t come up with another other reason to stick around.
“I guess that’s it, then.” Did he detect a note of disappointment in her voice?
“I guess so.” He stood, and she stood also.
“Agnes or Iona would like to meet with you at your earliest convenience.” She was all business now.
“I have a game tomorrow night, but I could meet them about one. Does that work?”
She seemed disappointed, but he didn’t know why. “Yes, that’s fine. I’ll put you on their schedule.”
“Well then, I guess I should be going.” He waited, even though he didn’t have a clue what he was waiting for.
“Nice meeting you,” she said primly.
“You too. I’ll show myself out.” He met her gaze one last time but looked away quickly. She wasn’t going to be his match, so he might as well quell any displaced interest he felt toward her. He gave her a nod and walked out of the library and the house. There was a spring in his step as he strode to his piece-of-crap car.
Things were looking up.
Chapter 3—Shot in the Dark
The next night, Steph sat at the counter while Vi put away the dishes from that night’s dinner. The boys were in bed and the game was over. The Sockeyes had played at home tonight, but Vi had opted to stay home because one of the boys had a fever. Matt had gone to a charity event after the game.
Steph didn’t really know a lot about sports. Her family had never been into them, and her ex-boyfriend tended toward more violent forms of entertainment, like cage fighting. Steph had hated the brutality of it all, but he’d forced her to watch, just like he’d forced her to prove her love and do a lot of things she’d hated. She’d beaten herself up enough over what she’d done for that man, and she hated how much she still dwelled on it.
Move on. Move on. Move on.
“Do you know Jared Roderick very well?” She hated herself for asking, but he’d been on her mind ever since yesterday.
Vi folded the dishtowel and set it on the counter. “Sure, he’s one of Matt’s friends, nice enough guy, but can he pick ’em. His ex was a piece of work.”
“How so?”
“She slept around a lot with half the guys on the local pro sports teams. Why do you ask?” Vi studied her in that way that always made Steph uncomfortable.
“I interviewed him yesterday for Forever Matched, and the sisters met with him today.”
“Really?”
“I’m supposed to keep the clients confidential. Please don’t mention it to Matt.”
“I won’t. The team probably knows anyway. Hard to keep secrets around those guys. And they think women gossip?” Vi laughed and rolled her eyes. Her smile disappeared, and she really looked at Steph. “You don’t want to get mixed up with him. He’s still nursing a broken heart. I don’t care what anyone else says.”
“I’m not. I can’t. It’s against policy. I could be fired. Besides, he would never want someone like me.”
“Someone like you?” Vi stopped wiping the counter and turned to face Steph. She bristled like a mother bear preparing to protect her cubs.
Steph sniffed and wiped her eyes on her sleeve, trying to stop the inevitable tears.
“Oh, Steph.” Vi crossed to the other side of the counter and sat next to her. She grabbed Steph’s hands and squeezed them tight. “You did what you had to do. Stripping doesn’t make you a bad person, nor does falling into an abusive relationship. You got out. You should be proud of yourself. Celebrate your victories. Learn from your defeats.”
“I know. I need to get back on my feet. Learn to take care of myself for once.”
“You are.”
“I’m trying.” But she’d had a lot of help along the way. She couldn’t have done this on her own.
“How’s the new job going?” Vi smoothly changed the subject to something more positive. Steph didn’t know what she’d done to deserve such a loyal friend, and she vowed to prove herself worthy.
“It’s fun. It’s only a few hours a day, but combined with the party crashing I’m doing for Izzy, I’ve been able to save a little money for the future.”
“And what does your future look like?”
“I don’t know. I’ve never been one with an interest in college, even if I could afford it. My grades in high school were average, and I had to work for them.”
“What’s your special talent? What do you love to do?”
“It’s not dancing. That’s for sure.”
They both got a chuckle out of that. Steph had been the worst dancer at the club by far.
“There has to be something. Do you like to sew or knit?”
“Not really. I love to read. I guess my dream job would be working in a neighborhood bookstore.”
“Have you tried for a job like that?”
“I’m afraid to. What if they find out about my past? Most of those places are pr
etty conservative.”
“No one needs to find out about your past if you don’t want them to. That’s dead and buried. It never should’ve happened.”
“Just like yours never should’ve happened to you.”
Vi had been arrested for vehicular homicide after driving drunk. Only she hadn’t been driving. Her sister had taken her car, gotten wasted, and been involved in a hit and run. Vi served a few years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit.
Vi was Steph’s hero. She’d risen above all the bad things and remade herself. She’d opened a dance studio several months ago with Matt’s assistance, and her business was booming.
“You’re good with kids. How about being a nanny?”
“Again, my past.”
“It’s not like they’d find anything in a background check.”
“There’s so much out there that I live in constant fear someone will recognize me, or Gino will hunt me down.”
“He hasn’t made any attempt to contact you in months. I’m sure he’s moved on to someone else.”
Steph wasn’t so sure. She couldn’t explain it, but lately she had the creepy feeling someone was following her and watching her. She was probably being overly paranoid. He hadn’t called or made threats in months, but she’d been with him for four years, and she doubted he’d forgotten her. He’d been one to hold a grudge, and she feared she hadn’t seen the last of him.
“I’m sure you’re right.” She forced a cheerful tone and managed a smile. “You know I’m grateful to you for all your help.”
“I’m always right. And no need to thank me. That’s what friends are for. If the tables had been turned, you’d have done the same.”
“I would have.”
The phone rang and Vi snatched it up. By the dreamy look on her face, Matt was on the other end.
Steph grabbed her coat and purse and waved to Vi, who put a hand over the phone. “I can give you a ride home.”
“No, no, it’s fine. You can’t leave the boys alone, and I don’t want you to wake them on a school night. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.” Before Vi could protest any further, Steph let herself out. She hurried down the dark, rain-slicked street to the bus stop, grateful she’d lucked out and the bus was approaching. Forty-five minutes and another bus later, she stepped off five blocks from her home. After looking both ways, she hurried along the sidewalk. Despite the streetlights, the night was dreary and dark, and shadows popped out everywhere in the drizzle.