Betwixt Two Hearts (Crossroads Collection)

by Amanda Tru

  Camden looked over her shoulder. “If you say so. Kaylie came back as a stronger match, but that obviously didn’t work. We’ll do it your way.”

  Bailey frowned. “The problem is that it looks like she is scheduled to receive our automated email saying there are no matches within her search radius. When Drew was matched with Kaylie, that took her out of the pool of candidates for other women, as per the free promo policies. I can’t add him back in until I receive confirmation from him that he actually wants a new match.”

  “There isn’t a whole lot you can do. Just send your personal email to Drew and hope that he responds quickly. If and when he does, contact the other woman and tell her a local match came open.” Camden reached over her shoulder for the mouse. “I think I have an automated email for that exact situation. Let’s see…”

  Bailey swatted his hand away. “If I contact her, I’ll do it personally. Not with one of your stupid emails.”

  “Fine, do it your way,” Camden said, stepping away.

  Bailey felt a twinge of guilt. She probably didn’t need to use the word “stupid.” She was so tired of Camden’s computerized solutions that it was easy to be insulting, even when she didn’t intend to.

  Before Camden could change his mind and insist they handle things differently, Bailey typed out the email to Drew Tanner and pressed send. Hopefully, he would get back to her soon, and she could work on setting up the other match.

  “Now, what about Kaylie?” she asked, letting the cursor hover over the profile picture of the cute blonde. “Should I find another match for her as well?”

  “No, let’s wait on that,” Camden said, returning to hover behind her shoulder. “She hasn’t posted a review yet. When she does, she might change some of her parameters, which could potentially give us a few more options.”

  “Okay,” Bailey agreed. She really wanted to just give Kaylie a call and talk to her directly, but she’d compromise with Camden on this one if only to show she wasn’t as difficult to work with as Camden seemed to believe. “But I’ll watch for the review to come in. As soon as it does, I’ll contact her with the same offer of a personalized free match.”

  Camden hesitated. “Just so you know, Bailey, we can’t do this for everyone who has a bad date. We can’t please everyone, especially on the first try. The hope is that clients like our service enough that they want to try again, even if the first date didn’t go as spectacular as they dreamed. I’m only willing to offer this single do-over because they are some of our first clients and because it seems like such a big deal to you. I don’t intend to offer free matches as a general rule to future clients who post bad reviews.”

  So much for trying to be agreeable. She might as well throw caution to the wind and tell him what she really wanted.

  “Knock it off, Camden,” Bailey stood from the chair, glaring at him once again. “Stop pretending to be so gallant, like you’re doing this for me. The reality is that you messed up. Even though you’ve managed a band-aid for this match, that doesn’t change the fact that you have a larger problem. Your algorithm isn’t as effective or meaningful as a human matchmaker. As you admitted, a computer can’t predict love. This is my site, and I want it to be different. I need to have quality control over our product. Now that the free promo is over, I insist that we switch everything so that all matches are created by a personal matchmaker.”

  Camden’s eye narrowed. With his voice calm but stern, he spoke. “Bailey, it’s not just your site. It’s my site, too. The algorithm works perfectly. Just look at all the positive date reviews. There is no problem. Like I said in the beginning, providing a personal matchmaker for every match is unnecessary and unrealistic. And I refuse to do it.”

  “I know it won’t be easy, but it’s necessary,” Bailey insisted, not dissuaded in the least. “We can’t afford other reviews from bad matches, especially when I can choose a better match than the computer.”

  Camden ran both hands through his hair, his intense frustration obvious. “You sure have an awfully high opinion of yourself and your matchmaking abilities. A single date doesn’t make one method a success and one a failure. I sincerely believe time will prove that the algorithm is a much better matchmaking tool than a woman sitting behind the screen playing eeny-meeny-miny-mo.”

  Bailey knew she should back off. In one part of her brain, she saw Camden and recognized his efforts to stay calm and treat her respectfully no matter what she threw at him. His control was slipping, and she knew she was to blame. However, she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Something about him antagonized her, and she had the uncontrollable urge to locate his buttons and push them all simultaneously. Knowing that she was getting to him only gave her permission to needle him more.

  “Ha!” she laughed mockingly, “Numbers spit out by a precious algorithm aren’t romance. You know nothing about love. How can someone who has never experienced love or romance identify it for anyone else? You have no idea what you’re looking for. That’s like asking a blind man to paint a rainbow.”

  “I can be a better matchmaker than you any day,” Camden retorted grimly.

  Bailey just shook her head and answered in a singsong voice. “Your algorithm is no competition for a real matchmaker. Between romance and science, romance always wins.”

  “Is that a challenge?” Camden asked, cocking an eyebrow.

  “I believe it is,” Bailey answered confidently. “It isn’t practical to wait until your algorithm does irreparable damage to our reputation and our site. I’m already tired of it. We need to settle this issue once and for all.”

  Bailey looked at him with sudden speculation, an idea slowly forming. “I know. How about we each set up three dates with our methods and see who is the most successful? Whoever loses agrees to let the winner decide how to structure the site using their method.”

  “A contest?” Camden’s tone showed amusement and mild interest.

  “Why not?” Bailey asked, liking the idea more and more as it formed in her mind. “We talked about wanting to figure out whose method works better. Why don’t we make it official?”

  Camden hesitated, and Bailey pounced.

  “You seem so sure your algorithm works,” she couldn’t resist taunting. “Are you scared that you’re wrong, and you’ll lose?”

  “Not at all,” Camden flashed her a cockeyed grin. “Challenge accepted. Three dates, huh?”

  A thrill shot through Bailey, quickly followed by a jolt of panic.

  What have I done?

  Despite her bravado, she didn’t feel nearly as confident in her matchmaking abilities as she liked to pretend.

  “Yes, three dates of your choosing,” she confirmed, working to hide her true feelings. “You just need to choose the dates prior to the results. No cheating.”

  Camden dramatically rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “I guess we need to find our victims—er—beneficiaries.”

  Bailey ignored his confidence and sat down in her own chair to get to work. She hadn’t anticipated Camden’s eager response to the challenge, and it unnerved her.

  Don’t let it bother you, she coached herself. It isn’t really a question of if you’ll win. It’s just a matter of how long it will take Camden to lose!

  More than getting to set up the website her way or finding a couple their perfect match, she most anticipated proving Camden wrong.

  “Camden, can I talk to you a minute?” Lydia asked, popping her head into the office.

  Camden sighed. He didn’t really have a minute to spare, but it just seemed wrong for a guy to refuse his mom’s request to talk.

  Shooting an uncertain glance at where Bailey worked at her own computer, he answered, “Sure. What’s up?”

  Hopefully, she didn’t want to discuss anything personal. Maybe he should ask Bailey to leave. Nervously, he shot a glance to where Bailey worked at her desk across the no man’s land of open hardwood floor.

  Unfortunately, he already knew that asking her to leave would not b
e received well. But then, he couldn’t say that Bailey received well anything he did.

  “Do you want to talk in the kitchen or in here?” he asked finally.

  “Oh, in here is fine,” Lydia answered easily. “As long as our conversation doesn’t disturb Bailey.”

  Bailey didn’t look up from her computer, but offered, “It’s no problem, Lydia. With you in here, that means Camden won’t try to micromanage my every move. Trust me. Your voice is much more pleasant than his.”

  “You two aren’t fighting again, are you?” Lydia asked sternly.

  Suddenly, Camden felt very much like a little boy being scolded by his mom.

  “I don’t know that we’re fighting ‘again’,” Camden hedged uncomfortably. “I think in order to fight again, you must first stop the previous fight. With Bailey, it’s all just one big, long fight.” He waved his arms in ever-increasing circles.

  Lydia shook her head sadly, put her hands to her hips and looked disapprovingly at both Camden and Bailey. “I want to see each of you treating the other better. No excuse can justify days upon days of arguing.”

  Out of the corner of his eye, Camden chanced a glance at Bailey. Her sheepish expression and the fact that she couldn’t meet Lydia’s gaze confirmed that she also felt like a child caught misbehaving.

  Camden swallowed with difficulty and bravely told his mom. “We’re adults, Mom. We’ll work things out.”

  Never mind they hadn’t managed to work things out yet. Never mind they hadn’t even spoken to each other since they’d agreed to a childish competition with control of the website as the prize. Never mind the tension in the office never dropped below DEFCON 1.

  They would work it out. If for no other reason than his mother said so.

  “What did you need to talk to me about, Mom?” Camden asked, hoping to shift the topic back to why she was here in the first place.

  Lydia smiled easily, “I have a small favor to ask. Bailey, this actually includes you as well, now that I think about it.”

  Camden’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. While normally, a “small favor” didn’t sound alarming, one requested by his mom was potentially a different story. She’d usually just tell him what to do, politely, of course. Not following through was simply not an option. For example, before he left this evening, he could guarantee that his mom would pull him aside and instruct him to get along with Bailey. This asking for a favor was definitely cause for concern.

  Bailey stood from her chair, eagerly giving her attention to Lydia. “How can we help?”

  “My brother has a friend who signed up for your dating website. The poor man has a long history of being a very awkward dater, which is a shame because he’s a lovely boy. Anyway, his sister, Selby, wants to help him out by finding him numerous dates in which to practice his skills, but she needs the list of dates, preferably prior to Heath receiving the list. Your Uncle Wayne passed your phone number along, Camden, and I think Selby is going to call and ask you directly. I just wanted you to know who she was so you’d be sure to grant her request.”

  Camden turned away and took his seat in front of his computer again. “I already spoke to her,” he said matter-of-factly. “She called yesterday.”

  “She called, and you didn’t tell me?” Bailey protested.

  “What’s to tell? I explained to Selby that I couldn’t give her that information because it was against company policies. I told her ‘no.’” Camden brought up his computer screen and began working again. In his mind, the issue was solved. He’d taken care of it, and they didn’t need to be having this conversation at all.

  “Camden Hutchins, you did what?” Lydia asked, steel in her voice. “That poor young lady was trying to help her brother, and you refused?”

  Camden shut his eyes briefly, recognizing only too well his mother’s tone. Sighing, he turned to face her directly. “I told her ‘no,’ Mom. I cannot share clients’ information with a third party, no matter who he or she may be.”

  Lydia’s eyes flashed incredulously. “Camden, this is entirely different than official company policies. Those are good to have for strangers, of course, but this is a family matter!”

  Camden barely stifled a groan. He hated when his mom got like this. He really wished one of his siblings was around so he could tag them to deal with her and then take off running. “How exactly is it a family matter? I didn’t think we were related to Selby and Heath.”

  “We aren’t, but you are related to your Uncle Wayne,” Lydia didn’t miss a beat and explained as if Camden should have known all this without asking. “Wayne knows Reid, who knows Kelsey, who knows Selby. Of course, Selby heard that Betwixt Two Hearts is your company. Your uncle is so good about spreading family info like that. When Heath signed up, Selby got your info to contact you directly.”

  Camden rolled his eyes, which he really couldn’t remember doing since his teenage years. However, in this case, it was entirely justifiable! “Mom, this is ridiculous. I can’t break company policy. I just can’t.”

  “I don’t know,” Bailey said, speaking up for the first time. “Doing a simple favor for a friend doesn’t sound too bad. It isn’t really breaking the rules, just bending them a little. Heath will still get the info from his list, as will anyone else who is matched with him. I don’t see what the harm is or why it would matter if Selby received the info, too.”

  Lydia nodded eagerly, looking ready to disown Camden in favor of Bailey’s immediate adoption. “What’s the worst that’s going to happen? If Heath is upset, he’ll be upset with his sister, not you. Wayne will smooth any wrinkles if any come up. He’s good at that sort of thing.”

  “No,” Camden said firmly, tempted to stomp his foot for emphasis. “We simply cannot make an exception to the company policies. Selby understood when I explained things to her. I checked and found that Heath did register for the site. He created a very nice profile and paid for a single match generated by the algorithm. He hasn’t yet been sent his info, but it should be going out this evening or tomorrow morning. I advised Selby to obtain any potential date names from her brother, not from me.”

  “A single date isn’t enough,” Bailey murmured as if doing mental math. “Five names would be better. Lydia, do you think five names are enough? Exactly how bad a dater is this guy?”

  Lydia shook her head sadly. “I don’t think even five is enough. From what Wayne describes, he needs lots and lots of practice. Smart, lovely boy, though. A strong Christian who loves God. He’ll make a woman a wonderful husband.”

  Camden groaned. “How can he make someone a good husband if he has never earned a second date? That’s another thing, are we really okay with setting multiple clients up with someone who is notoriously bad at dating? Bailey, just yesterday, you were complaining about a single bad date review. Now you want to purposely generate more of them by setting multiple women up on dates that are sure to fail?”

  “Hmm,” Bailey mused, seeming to completely ignore Camden. In fact, her eyes sparkled with excitement. “The more I think about it, the more this whole situation sounds like a great opportunity for our contest! Lydia thinks Selby needs more than just five names. What if I draft my own list of five names for Heath. That way, he’ll have a list of five from the algorithm and five from a matchmaker. If he ends up with one of the ladies, then whoever recommended her is the winner!”

  “What do you mean by ‘end up with’?” Lydia asked hesitantly. “Finding him an actual girlfriend seems a little ambitious, especially since Selby just wants him to practice. What about if he just makes it to a second date with one of them? Could that work for your contest?”

  “Oh, brother,” Camden groaned, sinking into his chair and putting his hand to his head as a sudden headache exploded in his temple.

  “Yes,” Bailey said thoughtfully. “That should work. As long as there is a clear way of telling which list is the winner, then I think it would be perfect!”

  Bailey’s eyes suddenly flew wide. “I know! What if we
put Eleanor from Milaca, Minnesota on Heath’s list? Remember? She’s a Christian. Her search radius wasn’t big, but maybe Heath’s is wide, and he could travel to her. Where does Heath live?”

  “He’s in Rockland,” Lydia supplied. “But I think he’d need someone more local than Minnesota.”

  “That’s too bad,” Bailey said, sighing dramatically. “If only they were in the same area. I just have a feeling Eleanor and Heath would be perfect for each other!”

  “No!” Camden vehemently protested, feeling like he was the only sane person in a mental institution. “No to Heath and Eleanor. And no to any other Machiavellian cupid plans in your head. We will not use this situation for our contest, nor will we break company policy for anyone or any reason!”

  “This is a family matter, Camden,” Lydia said with utmost seriousness. “You do anything in your power to help family. And this is very much within your power. With just a few little clicks, you can copy and paste Heath’s list into an email to Selby and be done.”

  How am I losing this stupid argument? Camden thought, feeling he might see more success if he pounded his head against his computer screen.

  Taking a deep breath, he spoke with a slow and exact tone as if talking to a disobedient child. “A family matter? Wayne, to Reid, to Kelsey, to Selby, to Heath? That’s family?”

  “Absolutely. Your uncle requested it. Your mother is asking you to do it as a favor to her. All to help a lovely boy. Camden, this is very much a family matter.”

  If she says, “lovely boy” one more time, I’m going to lose it!

  Blowing his breath out in exasperation. Camden stood to his feet. He needed to end this, yet even the pictures of his siblings lining the wall seemed to glare at him in disapproval. This all felt so very familiar, and he hated it. The family business was a “family matter,” and he’d refused that as well. Unfortunately, his answer to this ridiculous proposal was the exact same as it had been in the other matter, leaving Camden once again in the position of hurting his family because of something he felt strongly about.