by Susan Hayes
Lisa was having her best day of the season so far. There were plenty of potential customers out enjoying the sun, and she’d already made enough to cover next month’s rent, with a little extra to go into her rainy-day fund. She loved times like this. The energy of the people walking past was happy and upbeat, which in turn energized her and her muse. She was doing a brisk business, even selling two of her bigger pieces.
A break in the crowd finally gave her a chance to catch her breath and pull a peanut butter and banana sandwich out of her bag. She nibbled on her lunch while checking her phone for messages and emails. She was almost done when a new email popped up, and she read it with a gleeful squeal. After months of waiting, the dating site she and the others had signed up for had finally come online, and she had a match!
She didn’t bother to read the terms and conditions. Instead, she scrolled to the bottom of the email and clicked the link to her match. “Please let him be cute. Please let him be cute.”
“Hello, hotness.” She stared at the image on her screen, then squealed in delight, crammed her sandwich in her mouth, and hopped off the stool to crouch beside her bag. She grabbed her sketch book, thumbing through the pages.
Gotcha.
Phone in one hand, sketch book in the other, Lisa compared the two likenesses. The only detail that differed was his eyes. His were dark brown instead of the gold she’d envisioned. She set the book aside and sat down again, happily nibbling on her sandwich while she read through the rest of the information on her mystery man’s profile. His name was Vadir, and he was an entrepreneur with a wide range of corporate investments. She wrinkled her nose. Her match was a corporate suit-and-tie guy? How was that going to work?
She scrolled back up to his picture and took a better look. He wasn’t wearing a suit in the photo. It was a dress shirt, unbuttoned at the throat. Well, at least he knew how to be a little unbuttoned already. The rest, she’d just have to teach him. There was no doubt in her mind that she’d have the opportunity. His face in her sketch book proved they already had a connection. All that was left was for her to click the little button labeled “Accept Match.”
A tap of her finger and it was done. “Alright, Mister Corporate hottie, tag, you’re it.”
She set the phone to vibrate and left it on her easel while she finished her lunch. She was still wiping the last traces of peanut butter off her fingers when the phone buzzed.
It couldn’t be him already, could it? She checked to make sure there weren’t any potential customers nearby and then grabbed her phone. She had a new message on the dating site.
“Hello. Couldn’t be happier to know you accepted me as your match. I’m intrigued by your profile and entranced by your picture. I’m happy to communicate with you by email, but to be honest, I’d rather talk to you in person. Would you be interested in meeting me for dinner?”
No spelling mistakes. Complete sentences. No sexual innuendoes and he’d used multi-syllable words. Vadir had already managed to outperform eighty percent of her online dates, and they hadn’t even met yet.
Why don’t we do both? Chat now, meet for dinner later? Do you have time for that? Her heart was racing as she typed out her response and sent it.
The answer came back within seconds. “For you, I’ll make time. What would you like to chat about?”
Wow. Feeling flushed and giddy, she typed out her answer. “We should probably start by deciding where to meet for dinner. What’s your favourite food?”
While he was answering her question, Lisa called Maggie, eager to learn if she’d been matched, too. When it turned out she had, Lisa had bounced off her stool to do a victory dance right there on the seawall.
“You got one too? Who did you get? My guy is gorgeous. His name’s Vadir, and he’s stunning.”
Maggie, ever the cautious one, confessed she hadn’t clicked the link yet, which led to some cajoling and minor threats. Once she saw her match, Maggie was excited, too, even if she tried to hide it. Lisa knew her friend too well to buy the act. Maggie had a crunchy shell, but underneath, she was a gooey romantic who wanted what they all did--someone to share their lives with.
Once she was sure Maggie was on board, Lisa let her go and called Gwen. She was probably tucked away in her favourite corner of the used bookshop where she worked, reading through her lunch hour again. Gwen didn’t pick up, another sure sign she was reading.
“Hey, Gwen. Call or text me when you get this. Just checking in to see if you got your match from Star-Crossed dating agency, yet. Maggie and I did, so the odds are good you got one, too. I hope yours is as hot as mine.”
Two hours later, the wind was rising, and the ocean had turned from blue to greenish-grey, a sure sign that the weather was about to turn. The crowds had thinned, and Lisa decided it was time to head home.
She messaged Vadir to let him know she was finished work. They’d been messaging back and forth all afternoon, and the more they talked, the more Lisa wanted to meet him. He was smart, witty, and had asked her all sorts of questions about her instead of talking about himself.
“See you at six. Looking forward to continuing this conversation in person.”
His message made her want to kick up her heels and dance. It was about time things started looking up for her and her friends. They’d been on the downside of Fortune's wheel for what felt like forever.
The three of them had met in foster care, forging a friendship that survived every test and trial the world had thrown at them. Gwen was the first real friend Lisa ever had. They had arrived at their first home within days of each other, both of them reeling from grief and loss. Lisa had still been wearing the same clothes she’d worn to her mother’s funeral. They were the only ones she owned. The rest of her things had still been in an evidence locker, silent witnesses to her mother’s violent murder at the hands of her husband, Lisa’s father.
Gwen had lost her grandmother, the only family she had left in the world, and had only been in care for a week when Lisa was brought in. Lisa had recognized her on sight and run to hug the older girl. It didn’t matter that they’d never met. Lisa had sketched her face more than once, and she knew in her heart that this girl was destined to be her friend. Maggie had come into their lives a year later, and their little trio had been born.
Thoughts of Gwen had her checking her phone again. She had to have checked her messages at least once by now. There was only one reason her friend would have gone radio silent. Lisa sighed and looked skyward. “Come on, universe. Just once, couldn’t you let all three of us be happy at the same time?”
She packed up her homemade bike trailer a little faster, the need to get home and talk to Gwen pushing Vadir and their date to the back of her mind. Gwen wouldn’t want to ruin her friends’ good news, so she was probably already home, baking up a storm and trying to pretend it didn’t bother her that she hadn’t been matched. Gwen would see it as more proof that she was destined to be alone. As her thirty-fifth birthday loomed, Lisa could almost see her friend’s hopes for a family fade away.
Lisa still lived like she was in her twenties, and it was only recently that she’d felt any inclination to change that. It had been a gradual thing, but somewhere in the past year she’d stopped having short term flings and started looking for something more. So far, she’d come up short, which is why she’d joined Star-Crossed Dating Service.
The sky was darkening by the time she got home, and she pedaled the last few feet just as the first fat raindrops started to fall. She stashed her bike and trailer in the shed, locked it up, and made a run for the house she shared with her two best friends.
The scent of fresh-baked cookies was the only clue she needed to know where Gwen was the second she walked through the door.
Shaking the last stray raindrops from her hair, Lisa headed down the shared hallway until she reached Gwen’s door. Their living arrangement was a little different, but it worked. Each of them had their own suite on different floors. Lisa lived upstairs, Gwen had the
main floor, and Maggie claimed the basement.
“Hey, cookie momma, I’m coming in.”
“It’s open.”
Lisa opened the door and was enveloped in a fragrant cloud of sugar, chocolate, and cinnamon. Racks of cooling cookies covered the small kitchen table, and there was even a tray of brownies sitting on the counter. “I’d ask if you were okay, but I can see you’re not. Cookies and brownies? How bad a day are you having?”
Gwen groaned and gestured around her. “There’s an apple pie in the oven, too. Does that answer your question?”
“Oh man. That’s bad.”
“They’re closing the bookstore. Jeff says he just can’t afford to lose any more money.
We close the doors at the end of the month, but Jeff offered to keep me on to help him pack up and get the place ready to sell. But I’m going to be out work soon.”
“Shit. No wonder you’re baking. You’ve had that job for what, ten years? That store is like your second home.”
Gwen nodded and wiped her eyes with a corner of the brightly patterned floral apron she was wearing. “I’ll find something else, but I don’t think it’ll be the same. That was the one thing in my life I was good at, you know?”
“You’re good at so much more than selling books.”
“I’m thirty-five years old, and all I know how to do is read and run a cash register. I can’t even get a date right now. How am I going to find a job in this economy?”
Lisa winced. “No dates? So, you didn’t get an email from Star-Crossed like Maggie and I did?”
“Oh, I got an email. Basically, it said thank you for your interest, but there’s no match in our database for you at this time as they are catering to a younger age group. At least I’ll get the money, they’re mailing me a cheque. I’m going to need it.”
“They said you were too old? You’re only two years older than me! How can they say that? You’re young, gorgeous, and amazing. I’m going to email and tell them they made a mistake.”
Gwen shook her head, making her black curls bounce slightly. “Don’t. Whatever they’re looking for, I’m not it. I’m okay with that. Not every guy wants a borderline spinster with a double helping of curves. I’ll just have to look for my forever guy somewhere else. I haven’t given up on him, but I wish he’d get here soon.”
Lisa wished her friend could see herself the way others did. She was beautiful, inside and out, but Gwen couldn’t see it. “Your forever guy is out there. I know it.”
“Forget me and my non-existent love life. Show me the guy they matched you with.”
“Which one do you want to see, the picture they sent me today, or the drawing I made of him months ago?”
Gwen’s mouth fell open. “You drew him? But you only do that when…Oh my god. Show me both!”
They talked for another twenty minutes, and when she left to get ready for her date, Gwen had stopped baking and was starting to clean up her kitchen, which Lisa took as a good sign.
Soon, the three of them would have a girls’ night in and make sure that Gwen was truly okay. She’d have to check with Maggie and find out when she had a free night.
As she made her goodbyes, Gwen tucked a baggie full of cookies into her hand. “If the date goes badly, they’re good comfort food.”
“What if it goes really well?”
Her dark eyes gleamed with amusement. “Then they’ll be a great high energy snack between rounds of mind-blowing sex. I’m living vicariously through you, so have fun!”
Lisa nodded and dashed upstairs to get ready for her date. Tonight was going to be something special, she could feel it. The only thing darkening her mood was the fact that Gwen wasn’t sharing in their good fortune. Sometimes, the universe was grossly unfair.
3
Vadir knew the moment his date arrived. The conversations around him hushed, and every male in the restaurant turned to watch her cross the room. She wore a dark red dress that skimmed over her slender curves and fell only halfway down her thigh, revealing her long, toned legs. Her shoes were unlike anything he had seen before. There was little to them except for a bit of leather over her toes, and the heels were several inches high and incredibly narrow. The effect was alluring, but he wasn’t sure how she managed to walk in them with such grace.
It wasn’t until Lisa got closer that he heard a faint, musical chime that seemed to match her stride. It took him a moment to spot the reason; she was wearing a delicate chain hung with tiny, silver bells around one ankle.
He didn’t recall anything like that being mentioned in the files and research he’d been provided with via cognitive augmentation. Of course, there hadn’t been enough time to do a full study of the diverse cultures and practices of the human species, so maybe this was common courtship attire for the females.
He stood and crossed the floor to meet her, and she smiled as she recognized him.
“Vadir?” Her voice was a light, soothing alto that flowed like cool water over parched rock.
“Hello, Lisa. It’s nice to meet you.” He held out his hand and was stunned when she ignored it, walking right up to him and giving him a hug instead. Even more surprising than the embrace was the blue spark that arced from her hand to his shoulder as she reached for him. He barely caught a glimpse of it, but the sizzling impact of the shock that accompanied the Spark was all the confirmation he needed. This female wasn’t simply his match, she was his mate. By the Flames of the First One, she was the real thing!
“It’s nice to meet you, too.” She stepped back to smile at him, her crystalline blue eyes bright with interest. “Look at that. One hug, and we’ve already got sparks flying.”
“Indeed.” He offered her his hand again, willing himself to calmness despite the storm raging within. “Shall we go to our table and order drinks?”
“That sounds like a good place to start.” She took his hand, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to walk back to their table with their fingers interlocked, despite the fact he’d never done it before. He had always kept his personal relationships out of the public eye.
He had regained at least some of his wits by the time they were seated. His plans hadn’t changed, but the timeline had. That spark, the Spark, meant the Scorching had begun. With every minute that passed, the mating fever would grow stronger. Soon, he would be at the whim of his desires, and so would Lisa. He needed to explain a great deal before that happened.
Once they were seated, a waiter appeared to take their drink order, giving Vadir a few more seconds to gather his wits.
“I’m going to start with the obvious question, first. Why would someone with your looks and resume need to apply to a matchmaking site to get a date?” Lisa asked the moment they were alone.
Direct. He liked that. “I don’t need help getting a date. I signed up because I’m looking for something more meaningful and I haven’t been able to find it on my own. I’m guessing you’re here for the same reason. You are far too lovely to be lacking male attention.”
“I always thought I’d find someone without having to look for him, but…” she shrugged. “I’m in my thirties, now. Since I don’t seem to be having any luck finding someone special, I thought I’d try something different. My friends signed up, too. We’re sort of doing this together.”
“I have a friend who signed up, as well.” Vadir briefly wondered how Joran was doing with his match. Had they met, yet? Had he found his true mate, too?
“Has he had any luck?”
“Not sure. I haven’t talked to him recently. I was distracted by a lovely woman’s photo and texts.” The truth of that statement made him grin. He hadn’t been distracted by anyone or anything in years. Not until today.
“I was happily distracted by our chat, too. I’m glad you made time to talk with me. It made meeting you tonight less nerve-wracking.”
“It was the same for me.”
They paused their conversation while their waiter returned with their drinks and took their meal
order. Vadir didn’t bother trying the wine he’d ordered. He was more curious about the woman sitting across from him. His interest in her was growing rapidly, and he knew it was more than her looks and charm. The Scorching was starting. Alcohol would only accelerate the process, and he was already on a tight deadline. By the time dinner was over, he needed to have this deal done or risk losing control.
He never lost control.
“So, what exactly do you do? What kind of company do you run?” she asked.
“I’m in trade. My business is mostly about making connections between buyers and sellers. I find new markets and set up distribution systems. Sometimes I maintain ownership, but often I sell my share and invest the money in a new market somewhere else.”
“You must travel a lot,” Lisa said. Her voice sounding wistful.
“All over the gal—globe.” He caught himself before the word galaxy crossed his lips, but only barely. It was growing harder to focus on anything but the beautiful female sitting just beyond his reach. Was her skin as soft as it looked? Would her lips taste of wine if he kissed her right now? Flame and fury, he was tempted to find out.
Belatedly he recalled that her profile had mentioned that she wanted to travel and he added. “What about you? Do you get to travel much? Your profile mentioned that you wanted to see new places.”
“I’ve never been further than Seattle. The spirit is willing, but the wallet…” she shook her head. “Unless I find a patron or get lucky with a gallery show someday, travel isn’t likely to be in the cards for me.”
“Where would you go if you could afford it?” he asked, curious.
“Anywhere in the world?” Her eyes lit up.
“Anywhere at all.”
“Greece. Or Spain. Or Italy. Maybe all of them. Yeah, definitely all of them.” She laughed. “Is that greedy?”