by Haley Weir
His parents exchanged a loving glance, and his mother placed a kiss on his father's cheek before she headed off to the kitchen to bring in their prepared dinner plates.
"Thanks, Dad,” Will replied. “That helps. I guess I just look at Mason and Liam and I want what they have. I want what you and Mom have, too. Someone to love and cherish for the rest of my life." He fidgeted a little with the napkin in his lap. His throat went dry from expressing such raw emotion, so he took a sip of water.
"You'll find someone. Remember, you inherited the Sinclair handsomeness, too." His dad winked at him before blessing the meal once his mother joined them at the table.
Will ate mostly in silence, adding to his parents' conversation here and there. It was a comfortable evening and made him feel like he was apart of his family again. Sure, he might be hanging out with his parents, but he didn’t mind that. They loved him, and he loved them. Maybe he was more tightly connected to the pack than he’d imagined when he was younger.
His mind drifted a little, and he thought about his current situation as he watched his parents interact. He decided that, on Monday morning, he would swing by the Prince Dating Agency's office. It wouldn’t hurt to check with them. For all he knew, they might have news that they hadn't been able to share with him via phone or email yet. The office wasn’t too far away from his route to work, so he didn’t have an excuse to not go.
He considered calling or sending a text to his brothers, but he decided to do it another day. Why ruin the evening he'd had with his parents' tonight, especially if things didn’t go as he hoped?
Chapter Three
Sophie stifled a yawn. After two cups of coffee and several layers of makeup to cover the dark circles under her eyes, she’d finally emerged from her apartment this morning.
Ever since the Olivia’s call on Tuesday, Sophie had busted her booty to make sure she didn’t need to worry about work today. It took long hours and tremendous effort, but she was all caught up on her current projects. Hopefully no secret wedding party plans would pop up tomorrow, because she would definitely need to get back to work then. But for the moment, she could put all work-related thoughts aside and just be Olivia’s best friend and maid of honor.
This was the first time in a few weeks that all of her friends were in one place. Hanging out with them was something she really needed. They were like a team, all getting together to help prepare for Olivia’s wedding. As Olivia talked with one of the bridal consultants and Sophie browsed through the wedding dresses, Isabella and Courtney talked on the couch reserved for the bridal party after the group voted on which dress they liked the best for Olivia.
Looking at these gowns tugged at Sophie’s heart strings. Her thoughts drifted, and she started imagining what it would be like to plan her own wedding. She thought about what type of venue she would like, and the fact she'd always loved white roses at weddings. Olivia would be her maid of honor, of course. Maybe one of her new husband's ruggedly good-looking friends would be his best man.
A smile curled her lips as she slid her hand over the lacy sleeves of the off the shoulder gown. She chewed on her lower lip as she imagined what she'd look like in something like this, and her thoughts were shattered when Isabella approached her.
"Wow, this one is really pretty. Are you looking for backup dresses for Olivia?" Isabella tilted her head to the side and smiled at her. "Or are you maybe planning for yourself?"
Sophie released the wedding dress, letting it slip back into the rack for some other bride-to-be to discover. "Maybe a little of both,” Sophie admitted. “But it's not like there's big dating news on my horizon. I mean, I'm working as fast as I can just to stay on track with my business goals. Do I really have time for a man in my life?"
"That depends. Do you want a man in your life, Sophie?" Isabella's smile faded a little around the edges. "Your business is going well. You don't need burn yourself out just to prove that."
"I do want someone to share my life with. I just don't know how in the world I'll ever find someone by myself, especially now... I don't have time to go out and socialize. Even if I did, who knows what kind of guy I'd end up with? It could it be another jerk like..." she glanced over at Olivia, and Isabella understood that she was talking about Jared. She continued, "I just never imagined there were people like that out there in the world. Now I’m worried they are all like that."
"I understand what you mean, but you will drive yourself crazy and end up alone if you fixate and worry about that. You don’t need to put pressure on yourself either, there is no specific time constraint for love. Just allow yourself to be open to the possibilities, and to be social without worrying about work or evil men. Being social is the first step to having a successful relationship, you know? Just like with your friends." Isabella winked at her and nudged her arm.
Okay, maybe she had a point. It wasn't as if Sophie had been great about keeping in touch with her friends, either. "So, where did all this magical dating advice come from? Do you know something the rest of the world doesn't?"she joked. Isabella did not have a partner or a boyfriend. How would she know something that the rest of them didn’t when it came to love and sex?
"Actually, I do. I recently started working at a dating agency, and my boss is amazing at what she does. She's helped so many people meet their perfect match. It's actually pretty incredible. From what I've seen, it very well could be magic!"
"You started working for a dating agency recently? Why didn't you say something? I didn’t know about this!" Sophie wondered if Olivia knew. Olivia had met her fiancé through the Prince Dating Agency. Was that were Isabella was working?
Isabella shook her head. "I didn't want to say anything at first. It's a different field for me, and the job started out pretty intense. I messed up a few times, and I didn't think I'd be around there for long. What's the use of telling you guys about a new job if lose it immediately?" She dug into her purse and pulled out a business card from her wallet. "Here. Please, don't blow it off. I'll be happy to schedule time to go over the process with you. Just give me a call tomorrow morning, and we'll set something up, okay?"
Sophie accepted the business card and glanced down at it. Prince Dating Agency. She bit the inside of her cheek and nodded. "Isn't this the place Olivia went through to find her guy?"
Isabella's looked over quickly at Olivia, who was still deep in her conversation with the consultant, before making eye contact with Sophie again. "It is. I knew she was working with us, and I didn't say anything about it. It felt weird to mention it to her, like an invasion of privacy or something." She sighed and placed a hand on Sophie's shoulder. "Don't tell her, okay? Please?"
"Okay, I won't." She wasn't sure why Isabella felt so strongly about this, but then again, the process is probably very personal. Sophie decided not to dwell on it. "And I'll get in touch with you tomorrow about finding someone. I promise."
Isabella's bright smile returned, and she pulled Sophie in for a hug. "Good. I'm looking forward to it. Maybe after we get you fixed up with someone I'll feel more confident about telling the others about it." She pulled the wedding dress Sophie had been eyeing out of the rack again, and locked eyes with Sophie. "I’ll leave you alone so you can keep looking around. I know that friends getting married can stir up a lot of complicated emotions. But just know that you deserve to be happy too, Sophie.”
Tears threatened to well up in her eyes as Isabella encouraged her and gave her a hug. This exchange really meant a lot to her. Isabella was sticking her neck out for Sophie, regardless of her anxieties. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for her wonderful friends. "Thank you. I love you, hon. If we don't stop hugging, I might start crying," she told Isabella. "I've been working so hard recently that my streaky makeup will give my dark circles away."
Olivia walked over as the two of them talked, sneaking up just in time to hear Sophie's comment about her dark circles. "Awww. Don't cry!" Olivia wrapped her arms around the two of them and continued the hug for a moment.
"Are you okay, Sophie?"
Sophie exchanged a glance with Isabella before pulling away and nodded. "I'm okay. We were just talking about some of the dresses. They're incredible."
Isabella tilted her head to the side and smiled. "I came over to see what Sophie was looking at. She found a few stunning choices. Maybe you can aim the bouquet toss in this direction." She pointed at Sophie over her head as if her hands were neon signs.
Heat trailed up her neck as she felt a blush warm her cheeks. "Make it a little more obvious, will you? Olivia is here for a wedding gown, not me!"
Olivia grinned at Isabella and gave her a conspiratorial wink. "I'll keep that in mind. Maybe we should practice with the fake bouquet, so you'll be ready when the time is right, Sophie. And if you need a place that will hook you up with an amazing guy, let me know!" Her grin was contagious.
"Okay, okay… I'm not practicing with a fake bouquet! I'm not that desperate. Plus, I think I'm a pretty okay catch as it is." She glanced over at Isabella before pretending to think of a response. "Amazing guys, huh? I'll think about it. I might need one of those."
Olivia hugged her again before pulling back. "Are you guys ready for lunch? We're are absolutely going to need some mojitos to celebrate. They're going to size the dress for me, and I should be able to pick it up in a few days. I'm so excited!"
Courtney finally joined the group, inciting the need for yet another group hug. "I'm so ready for lunch! Woohoo! It's a gorgeous gown. You're going to look so beautiful on your wedding day!"
"Thank you for being here today, ladies! You're seriously the best."
The excitement of the occasion, the time with her friends, and Isabella’s words were giving Sophie a lot to think about. She was so glad work had not prevented her from being there. Maybe it really was time to make a change. Life couldn't always be about working and paychecks. Besides, what was the point of it all if she couldn't have fun and be with friends and someone who cared for her?
Her gaze slipped over to Isabella again, thinking about the business card and the revelation that she worked for the Prince Dating Agency. If Olivia had found her dream guy there, and if Isabella thought they were magical and worthwhile, then who was she to potentially pass up an experience that could change her life for the better?
The four of them headed to Oscar’s. Sophie was a little surprised that Olivia decided to go there, since the last time they went to Oscar’s, they had run into Jared. But maybe it was good to purge that memory with a positive one to reclaim their favorite hangout spot. Lunch at Oscar’s was fantastic, as usual. She didn’t let her eyes wander too far from her friends, just in case their waiter from that night was around. Ever since that night, Sophie always remembered to check for rings when flirting or being flirted with.
The rest of afternoon drifted by as they laughed, drank, and caught up on what they’d missed in each others lives over the past couple of weeks. They also looked over a wedding planner with Olivia and talked over some ideas. After Oscar’s, they hit a coffee shop before finally parting ways.
Isabella pulled Sophie in for one last hug of the day as the two of them watched Courtney and Olivia pull away before walking back to their cars.. “Don’t forget the call me tomorrow, okay?”
She rolled her eyes but smiled over at her. “I won’t forget, I promise. You’re going to hear from me. But please don’t expect a call too early in the morning. I need at least two cups of coffee to function properly, or I’m as irritable as a grizzly bear.”
Her friend clicked the remote to unlock her car. “You don’t need to remind me. I’ve seen your grizzly bear attitude in action. Maybe go for three cups tomorrow. Let’s make sure you’re in tiptop shape.” She turned and smiled before waving.
Sophie waved back and sipped her coffee, then she slid into the driver’s seat of her own car. Three cups, huh? Challenge accepted, Sophie thought to herself.
Chapter Four
Friday morning rolled around way too early for Sophie as she sipped on her third cup of coffee. After deciding to get caught up on some more work last night—and staying up way too late—she wished she was back in bed. The coffee barely seemed to help, and she breathed in the scent as if that could possibly rejuvenate her. The Folgers coffee commercials had always made it seem so easy to wake up if a person simply brewed their coffee, let alone drink it. Lies. All lies.
Sophie rubbed her eyes, trying to wipe away the sleepiness, but it was useless. She set Isabella’s business card in front of her and pulled out her cell phone. After clearing her throat a couple times to try not to sound as tired as she felt, she dialed the number. Isabella answered on the third ring. “Hello, Prince Dating Agency. This is Isabella. How may I help you?”
“First, you can remind me why I agreed to calling you so early. I’m on my third cup, and I think I’m officially immune to caffeine.” Sophie took a few deep breaths, trying to settle her nerves about doing this. Three cups of coffee probably didn’t help her jitters.
Isabella let out a muffled laugh and cleared her throat. “Because I’m a great friend, and I’ll be helping you find your dream guy.” She typed a few things into her computer. “Okay, so I’ll be able to tell you a little bit over the phone. It’s better to discuss everything in person then you’ll be able to meet Ms. Prince, our matchmaker. When do you think you can come in to the office?”
Visit the office? She hadn't planned on doing anything like that. Wasn't that putting the cart before the horse? They were going to talk, and she'd see if this was something she was interested in, right? But it might make sense to meet the woman who could lead her on this supposedly magical path that had worked so well for Olivia.
"Uh, Monday morning, I guess. Hmm... I could pop in and pick up an extra strong espresso on the way home after the meeting before I start work." The idea of getting espresso sounded good, but so did plopping back onto her bed, even if the first choice would be more productive than the latter. And she needed productive right now.
"Monday morning, it is," Isabella said, and then lowered her voice a little. "Maybe you could get the espresso on your way here. Pick me up one too? I'm kidding. Maybe." She cleared her throat and continued talking in a normal tone of voice. "Okay, so... when you come in on Monday, I'll ask you about your current situation, your preferences in men, and then I'll get you signed up in our computer system. You'll meet with Ms. Prince, who will sit you down for some more in-depth questions. If we're lucky, after a few days, you'll be contacted via telephone or email on your perfect match. Do you have any questions so far?"
Sophie's thoughts began to drift a little over halfway through Isabella's explanation of the process. She blinked a few times and shook her head. "It all seems pretty straightforward. What kind of questions about preferences are we talking about here? Nothing too... outlandish, right?" She hoped she wasn't getting into anything too kinky or exotic here.
"No, no. Of course not. Preferences on height or body type, hair color, that sort of thing."
"That makes sense. Just wanted to make sure." Her cell phone vibrated, and she glanced down to see one of her clients calling. She wanted to smack her forehead against the desk. It was way too early for her to be dealing with clients. "I'm sorry to cut the conversation short. I'm getting a call from a client on the other line. I'll call you after work, okay? Thanks for running me through all of this, hon."
"No problem, Sophie. Bye," Isabella replied.
Sophie switched over to the other line. "Hello, this is Sophie Jensen. How may I help you?" Her voice was professional and cheery, just as it was when she usually answered the phone. She glanced down at her coffee cup. Fake it until you make it. At least that was what she’d keep telling herself about her current state of awareness.
* * *
While Will did not end up chatting with his brothers on the phone the other day, he had the chance to talk with them this morning during his family’s weekly Saturday breakfast. Apparently his mother helped see to that. He knew she was serious
about making sure they talked, but he didn’t realize she would actually nudge them in front of their mates to all get together sometime. If it hadn’t seemed like her idea, he probably would have been mortified.
At first, Noah got a little moody at the idea of more family time, but he warmed up to the idea when Mason agreed to come. Of course Noah would like spending time with Mason. The kid thought of him as the perfect role model, even if he wasn’t sold on the idea of taking a mate.
Will browsed his email inbox as the rest of the pack's members arrived for their prowl through the forest. His bear craved the chance to hike through the trees surrounding his family's land, but Will did not really feel like it. Despite the productive conversation with his parents, he was still bummed about not having found his mate yet.
His father chatted with other bears from the pack near the tree line and waved over at him. Will waved back with a smile, even if he wasn't quite thrilled right now. He should be happier and ready to shift, but it was hard for him to connect with his bear when they seemed to be at odds. Or maybe he was imagining that, since he didn't feel entirely connected with himself right now.
Noah walked past Will before stopping and letting out a sigh. He took a few steps back and turned to look in Will’s direction. "What are you doing on your phone?"
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm busy checking work email." He glanced up at Noah. That was true, but he wasn't looking at anything important.
"And what's so important that you're checking it on Saturday evening rather than spending time with your family and pack? Hmm?" He tilted his head to the side, looking a little too cocky for Will's liking. If they were younger, he'd have smacked his brother upside the head for his attitude. But they were all adults now, whether or not Noah chose to act like it. Not to mention that Noah was going for his black belt in karate in a few weeks, so Will wouldn't try anything physical. For safety’s sake.
