by Meg Maguire
“That’s why I picked this room,” Jenna said. “Thought they’d be perfect if people hit it off and wanted a quiet place to talk.”
“And exchange numbers,” Rich said. “Or fluids.”
She rolled her eyes. “The curtains don’t close all the way. And if a few people swap numbers without actually signing up for the service, they’ll still associate Spark with this party. Leaving them with a great impression of the business and the other clients is the most important thing.”
“Jenna, I think your first guests are here,” Mercer said.
“What? Oh God.” She looked to the door and he was right—three women had arrived, dressed to mingle, and were looking around the room. Jenna hurried over.
“Hello! Are you ladies here for the Spark mixer?”
They were, and Jenna found their names on her list and their tags. “You’re our first arrivals, so feel free to grab a glass of something and enjoy the atmosphere. We’re recommending a two-drink maximum, just so you’re aware.”
She ushered them into the room then dashed to the DJ’s table to get the music going. And all at once, it was a party.
At least half the guests arrived on time, and Jenna and Tina manned the door, getting everyone’s names checked off and tags handed out. Jenna panicked for the first ten minutes, as the women streaming through the door vastly outnumbered the men. But the guys began showing up soon enough. As predicted, they were lousy at following RSVP directions and several had brought along buddies, so the gender balance was quickly evening out. Luckily, Jenna’s list included the names of everyone she’d invited, not only those who’d confirmed.
A sharp-dressed man arrived solo, and she scanned the list for his name.
“I’m sorry, Todd, I’m not seeing you on here.” She frowned her apology.
“I heard from a friend about the party.”
“Oh, well, it’s invitation-only.” Not just to make Spark seem more exclusive, but to keep numbers manageable and discourage crashers. “Is your friend here? What’s his or her name? As long as they’ll vouch for you, that’ll be fine—”
“I thought I’d surprise her, actually.”
Something in his voice made Jenna uneasy, but Tina swept in.
“I’m sure it’s fine to make an exception, just this once.” Tina’s tone made it plain that a guy as good-looking and nicely dressed as this one was welcome to party-crash. “I think Lindsey packed some blank name tags.”
“She did, yes. Sorry.” Jenna found him a tag and wrote his name in silver to match the other guests. “Welcome, Todd. Enjoy the party.”
More and more guests arrived, and soon the chatter and laughter was drowning out the music, just as Jenna had hoped it might. Lindsey interrupted at seven-thirty, taking over greeting duties so Jenna and Tina could do the welcome at a podium set up in front of the DJ’s station.
Heart hammering, Jenna waited for the music to fade, then turned on the microphone.
“Welcome,” she said, pleased when a few people replied with friendly good-evenings. “Thank you all so much for coming tonight to help us kick off the grand opening of the Boston branch of Spark, the Northeast’s leading traditional matchmaking service.”
She waited for the polite applause, smiling out at all the faces. Everyone looked as hopeful and eager as she felt.
“I’ll keep it short and sweet. My name is Jenna Wilinski, and I’m the owner and head matchmaker for Spark: Boston. This is Tina Maxwell, one of the original founders of Spark and my benevolent boss, and the lovely young woman in the red sweater now standing by the door is another matchmaker, Lindsey Tuttle. If you have questions about the service, feel free to ask any of us. We can also help get you signed up, and if you choose to do so tonight, your first month’s membership will be fifty percent off.”
Murmurs of intrigue—music to Jenna’s ears.
“But basically, we just want you to enjoy a drink or two on us, meet some great local singles and have fun. So, welcome!” She beamed out a final smile and handed the mic to Tina. Jenna didn’t absorb much of what Tina said. She was high on adrenaline, thrilled by all the people who’d turned out, hoping to find romance tonight. Best job in the world.
Before long Tina’s opening remarks were wrapped and the music started back up, the scariest bit of the evening suddenly over.
“You did wonderfully,” Tina said as they made their way through the crowd, introducing themselves to guests and answering membership questions.
“I was afraid I’d start stammering, but that was fun. Like making a wedding toast.”
Jenna smiled at Mercer as their paths crossed. He wrecked his stoic act to give her a smile and thumbs-up.
“Thanks,” she mouthed.
“He looks so familiar to me,” Tina said.
Jenna kept her lips zipped. It didn’t bother her one bit if Tina didn’t recognize Mercer all dressed up. They continued to circulate, then Tina went to relieve Lindsey of door duties so she could enjoy mingling as well.
After a half hour of pleasant chatting, a sound jerked Jenna’s head to the side—the high, shallow pitch of fear.
“Oh my God, it’s Todd,” a petite woman said to her friend.
“Shit. How did he know you’d be here?”
“Facebook, probably.”
“Oh, Rachel.”
“Did he see me yet? God, I have to go.”
“Excuse me,” Jenna said, butting in. “Is something the matter?”
“It’s my psycho ex,” the woman named Rachel said, pointing to the well-dressed, uninvited man Tina had allowed in. He was chatting to a woman at a table near the entrance, but his gaze was unmistakably drawn in Rachel’s direction every few seconds. “He must have seen online that I’d be here.”
“Is he dangerous?” Jenna asked, an easy, cool calm dropping over her to quiet her nerves.
“Not dangerous,” Rachel said. “But he’s pushy and controlling and he’ll make a scene if he sees me talking to any— Oh God, I just made eye contact with him.”
“Don’t panic. I’ll take care of it.” Jenna managed to catch Mercer’s gaze and drew him over.
He met her a few paces from Rachel and her friend. “What’s going on?”
“There’s a man here who’s upsetting one of these women. Her ex-boyfriend. Of the apparently psycho variety. Would you stay with her, make her feel safe, offer to call her a cab and escort her out if she’s afraid? She’s the one in the polka-dot dress.”
He looked over Jenna’s shoulder and nodded. “Sure. What about the guy?”
“I’m on it. I’m going to smooth things over if I can, but Rich is by the door if the guy won’t leave without a fight.”
“Be careful.”
She touched his shoulder. “I will. Thank you.”
She crossed the floor, staring right at Todd, filled with assertiveness for her mission. Rich was nearby, and the change in his posture indicated he knew something was amiss. He gave her a look and she shot one back, telling him to stay on the alert.
“Excuse me,” she said to the woman Todd was talking to. “I’m Jenna, the owner of Spark: Boston?” There were cursory introductions then Jenna said, “Would you forgive me if I stole Todd away from you for just a moment?”
The woman politely wandered off and Jenna dropped her charming act.
“There’s a woman here who’s very upset that you’ve come.”
Todd sighed, utter petulance. “She’s such a drama queen. We dated, we broke up, and she just can’t get over that.”
“She’s not the one who conned her way into her ex’s plans, so I’m not entirely believing your side of things,” Jenna said. “But your being here is making her uncomfortable, so I’m going to ask you to leave.”
“This is a public event,” he said, and his breath suggested he hadn’t adhered to the drink maximum.
“No, this is a private event,” Jenna said. “Invitation-only. And she was invited, not you.”
“Well, she invited me, the
n,” he said, pointing at Tina across the room.
“And I own this business and I’m uninviting you. You’re upsetting my guest and I’m politely asking you to leave.”
“And I’m politely declining.”
“Then I’m going to have you politely removed by security.” She jerked her head and Rich walked over.
“Problem?”
“I was invited,” the guy said. He tapped his drink to his name badge, splashing himself with his martini. “You can’t make me leave.”
“Bet you I can,” Rich said, crossing his arms.
“Professional, please,” Jenna whispered.
“I assure you I can,” Rich corrected in a studious tone.
“Go ahead and try, Rent-a-Cop.”
Rich blinked and Jenna cringed. Bad enough he was here as a favor to her. Now he was getting insulted by a drunk and not even getting paid for it.
“I’m a black belt,” the drunk guy went on.
Rich grinned. “Are you, then?”
Jenna felt panic setting in. She needed the levelheaded mercenary, not the hot-blooded one. “Rich, switch places with Mercer.”
He gave her a look, his parade clearly rained on.
“Now.”
He shot the guy a sneer and left to fetch Mercer.
“So,” Jenna said, stalling. “You know one of my other guests?”
“Oh yeah, I know that bitch. And trust me, you don’t want her in your little dating club. She’s a heartless slut!” He shouted the final two words and Jenna felt spittle fleck her face. Her blood came to a boil. Nobody wrecked her party and upset her guests.
“Okay. That’s enough. Get out right now, or I’ll call the police.”
Mercer arrived, face stony.
“This man needs to be escorted off the premises,” Jenna told him. “And if he gives you any trouble on the way down, have hotel security detain him and call the police.”
“What?” Todd said, feigning outrageous indignation.
“You heard her,” Mercer said, taking the guy by the upper arm.
He thrashed out Mercer’s grip, his drink splashing across Jenna’s dress. Charming.
“Rachel,” he yelled. “Rachel!”
He seemed poised to make a run for his ex, but Mercer grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm up behind his back.
“Ow, Jesus!”
Jenna watched with a mix of anger and pride as Mercer angled his arm more sharply, doubling the guy over and shuffling him toward the elevators.
Once they disappeared, she strode across the floor, smiling calmly and scouting for any upset guests. No one looked too perturbed. Hopefully people assumed it was a case of one-cocktail-too-many. She worried Rachel and her friend had left, destined to cross paths with Todd in the lobby, but she eventually found them in one of the private alcoves. Rich was sitting next to Rachel, Tina hovering nearby.
“He’s gone,” Jenna said.
Rachel looked rattled, but not traumatized. “Good. Thank you.” She sighed and shook her head. “That’ll teach me to blab on Facebook.”
“Have you got a restraining order against that guy?” Rich asked.
“No. He’s never hurt me. He just gets drunk and calls me, all upset and demanding I explain why I dumped him. Once he showed up at my work. He always just wants to talk.”
“Get a restraining order,” Rich said. “Before he wants to do more than talk.”
Jenna felt tired and thoroughly sober, slapped by proof of this darker side of dating.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “I take full responsibility for what happened, and I promise you it will never happen again.”
Tina cut in. “Nonsense. I’m the one who should apologize,” she said to Rachel. “I let him in without an invitation, after Jenna turned him away. This has never happened before at any of the dozens of Spark events I’ve overseen. I’m going to give you my direct number, if you need to talk about any of this.”
Translation, Jenna thought, please don’t sue us. Thank goodness Tina knew the drill, though. This job was going to prove far more interesting than she’d imagined.
They spent a few minutes making sure Rachel was calm, assuring her Todd wouldn’t be returning. Rich even managed to get a laugh out of her. She and her friend decided to stay for the rest of the party. Rachel was of the opinion that her ex had screwed with her head enough; she wasn’t going to keep letting him ruin things for her. The two women thanked Jenna and Rich, and Tina led them off in search of wine and distraction, doing her damnedest to repair the damage from her earlier mistake.
“How is she?”
Jenna jumped, finding Mercer at her side. “Oh, hello. What happened with the psycho?”
“He got real mad and sloppy while I was talking to the security guys outside, so I got him hauled off to the drunk tank. A night locked up with Boston’s less-well-dressed lushes ought to put his choices in perspective.”
She smiled grimly. “Good to know Rachel won’t have to worry that he might be outside someplace when she leaves.”
“Nope. He’s headed downtown as we speak.”
“I’ll be sure to offer her a cab voucher, if she needs one. And free membership for a month, if I haven’t totally wrecked her opinion of the company.” Jenna released a deep breath, feeling about eighty years old.
Mercer rubbed her back. “Don’t sweat it. You’ve had your first crisis, and you handled it just fine. Had to get it out of the way sometime, right?”
She turned to look up at him. That face, always so calm. “Thank you, Mercer.”
“Just doing my job.”
“Yeah. A job you’re not even being paid for.”
He shrugged. “You offered. Don’t feel bad. Or if you do, blame your dad. It’s his fault I can’t help but be on your side.”
“I’ve spent way too much of my life blaming my dad for stuff,” she said quietly.
“Fine. Blame yourself, then. I did it for you, anyhow,” he added, smirking at her. “Fondness, not duty.”
She smiled at that. “Sure I can’t pay you?”
“I accept alternative forms of gratitude,” he said cockily.
“That’s a very fine Rich impression.”
He leaned in to kiss her and she accepted it gladly, wishing they were alone so she could thank him more thoroughly. She was about to inform him of such things, but the moment was interrupted as Tina walked over, seeming pale and frazzled, not a look she typically wore.
“Everything okay with that Rachel girl?” Mercer asked.
Tina nodded. “Yes, thanks to you and your colleague. Thank you, Mr....?”
“Rowley.”
“Mr. Rowley.” She paused, blinking, then went on. “The security company we’ve been using has apparently disbanded. I’d be very interested in discussing a possible contract....”
Jenna bit her lip. Awkward.
Mercer grinned. “You don’t recognize me, do you?”
Tina blinked. “I... No, I guess I don’t. Though you do look familiar.”
“We met this afternoon, outside Jenna’s office? Me and Rich?” He nodded across the floor at him. “We run the boxing gym?”
Tina gave a small, embarrassed laugh. “Oh God, of course you are. I’m so sorry, I didn’t recognize you all...formal.”
“We’re just moonlighting, as a favor to Jenna.”
“I see. Are you trained in security?”
“We’re probably overtrained. We spend a lot of time prying large, angry men off each other, but sorry. Not looking to make it a career.”
“Right.” Tina seemed to be coming to grips with the fact that she’d earlier written Mercer and Rich off as large, angry men. “Well, thank you very much for offering to help. You’ve really come through. And forgive me for not recognizing you. I feel so stupid.”
Mercer shrugged, hiding the annoyance he must be feeling.
Tina had likely seen them kissing, so Jenna went ahead and took Mercer’s hand. “Mercer and Rich volunteered to come tonight,
to help me out.” A thought occurred to her, and she felt some gear kick in, some latent gene she must have inherited from her father spotting a weakness, springing to life and lunging forward to take advantage of it.
“If you really are impressed and grateful,” she said smoothly, “I’m sure Mercer and Rich would appreciate a chance to have a meeting with you, and plead their case about you reconsidering the fate of the gym?”
Tina’s eyebrows rose.
“I’d appreciate it, too. I know you told me before it was a done deal, but maybe in light of everything that’s happened tonight...”
“Um, yes. A meeting can’t hurt.”
“Looks can be deceiving,” Jenna went on, milking her advantage. “The gym’s not as seedy as everyone says. Not even close. The place could just use a little polishing, maybe a face-lift. A new sign, maybe redo the entryway, new hardwood stairs and railing. All improvements Mercer had hoped to make anyway. And far less invasive than the construction a new business in that space might demand—”
Mercer nudged her. “I think she gets the picture.”
Tina smiled tightly and nodded. “You’re right, it’s worth a talk. I’ve certainly had my mind changed tonight. And I’ll happily go to bat for you with the board.”
Jenna supplied the rest. I’ll happily go to bat for you...if you’re kind enough to not mention how I violated procedure and personally invited a stalker to your mixer. Not blackmail, she assured herself. Just a bit of leverage. Jenna had to smirk at that, the idea that she might just have a bit of the shady businesswoman in her. She was more her father’s daughter than she’d realized.
Once Tina turned away to continue circulating, Jenna squeezed Mercer’s hand.
“You allowed to have a drink, after all that excitement?” he asked.
She looked around. Everyone seemed to be socializing just fine without assistance. “I guess I could spare five minutes to catch my breath.”
Mercer led her to an empty alcove then fetched her a small glass of wine. He sat sideways in the booth, dutifully facing the party, but it felt nice to be alone with him, just for a few moments.
“Thank you, again,” she said.
“Thank you.” He shot her a gigantic grin. “You don’t actually think we stand a chance, do you? Her letting the gym stay open?”