Chapter Three
“So why do you think you'd be a good candidate for the Date Maker?”
Morgan had managed to add several guys to her client list over the past few days and was thankful for it. There were the typical nerdy types she'd expected to show interest. But surprisingly, that wasn't the case across the board. There were quite a few catches: cute guys with great personalities and interests beyond the latest Xbox game release.
Not that she had time for a romance of her own.
Not that she'd even know what to do.
Morgan might be great at helping others find their match, but she had never been in a relationship of her own. The closest thing she'd ever had to a date was taking her homeschooled neighbor to her Senior Prom. And she had done that more as a favor than because she was interested in him. He'd wanted to experience a school dance, and Morgan had been happy to oblige. Of course, she'd found his perfect match in one of her friends who went stag. The two of them were still dating three years later, and Morgan expected an engagement announcement any day.
She was truly happy for them and didn't feel like she was missing out. There would be plenty of time to find her on soulmate when she'd graduated college. With so much on her plate, she was content helping others for now. Really.
She tried to ignore the strange pull in her stomach as she sat across from a guy who threatened to distract her from her goals. His name was Conrad, and he'd agreed to meet at the coffee shop where she worked since their schedules didn't line up otherwise. His deep-tanned skin and dark hair that fell in his eyes gave off a rebellious vibe that made Morgan want to throw caution to the wind and try one of these date things for herself.
And his eyes. Morgan could get lost in those hazel eyes, if only they weren't looking at her with a mix of confusion and annoyance. A small line formed between Conrad's brows as he continued to stare at Morgan as if she'd just sprouted another head.
“What?” she asked sitting up, realizing she'd been inching slowly over the table toward the hottie across from her.
His eyes darted back and forth from her to the door. “Um… I was just waiting for the next question, and was afraid you were sleeping with your eyes open or something.”
“I asked a question already,” she reminded him. “Why do you think you're a good candidate?”
Conrad nodded his head slowly. “Right. And I said I was mostly interested in the gift card, but a date might not be so bad.” He ran a hand through his hair, avoiding eye contact with Morgan. “This was a bad idea.”
He started to get up, but Morgan grabbed his wrist. “Please don't go.” His eyes flicked to her hand on his, and she tried to ignore the electric current that had shot through her when she’d touched him. Morgan slowly lifted her hand off his wrist and was relieved when he didn't go running for the hills.
“I’m sorry,” she started. “I think I might be walking around like I'm half-asleep. It's just school, and work, and this dating service. I'm finding it hard to juggle it all, you know?”
She looked up to Conrad, who clearly didn't know what the heck she was talking about. Sure, he was nodding his head, his dark hair softly moving with each bob of his head, but when she looked at his eyes, they looked unfocused. He looked like he'd rather be anywhere but sitting with Morgan.
She cleared her throat and tried again. “So, you're only interested in the coffee? Or do you think you'd like to find love?”
A corner of Conrad's mouth lifted. “I don't know about love. Just a good time.”
Morgan sighed. If he was looking for a late-night booty call, he could stick with dating apps and college parties. She didn't need a guy like him in her catalog of potential dates. He would be a heartbreaker through and through.
“You know what? I think I have all the information I need.”
The line between his brows reappeared. “But it's only been like five minutes. My roommate said it was a pretty long interview.”
“For some it is.” Morgan inclined her head and folded her hands together on the tabletop between them. “Sometimes, I just know.”
“Sweet.” Conrad broke out into a full-fledged grin. The smile transformed his entire face, and Morgan was frustrated to find herself even more attracted to him. Why were the cute ones always so shallow?
“Erm…” Great, his looks had officially rendered her speechless. “I gotta get back to work. Thanks for your time.”
Conrad wrapped his hand around the back of his neck. “So, when do you announce the winner?”
Of course, that was his parting question. What was she thinking?
“Next week,” Morgan answered, getting up from her seat and pushing the chair back in. “I’ll post it online.”
The crooked smile was back. “Cool.” He crossed his fingers and left without another word.
Morgan looked down at her phone. Her break was already over. How could that disastrous interview have taken the entire fifteen minutes? Maybe Lacey was right when she said Morgan wouldn't be able to balance it all.
Not that she could back out now. She had clients, not to mention the big gift card that Conrad wanted so badly.
When Morgan walked back behind the front desk of the coffee shop, she found her co-worker Harmony leaning against the counter, her head propped in her hand. She was staring at the door Conrad had just exited. She let out a long sigh as she stood up and faced Morgan.
“That boy sure was yummy.”
Morgan chuckled. “Yep, but he's as dense as a doorstop.”
“The cute ones always are.” Harmony shook her head. “I wonder why that is? Maybe it's the same idea as the dumb blonde?”
“Hey!” Morgan punched Harmony in the arm. She then pointed to her hair, which was pulled back in a low ponytail. “I’m blonde.”
A slow grin stretched across Harmony's face. “Exactly,” she said before running a few steps away from Morgan, just out a reach for a second attack.
But Morgan didn't chase her. “What if I am an idiot? This whole Date Maker idea seems pretty stupid right now.”
“Girl.” Harmony lifted her hands. “You are one of the smartest people I know. You make dean's list every semester, work here, and are juggling this new business. There's no way you're an idiot.”
Morgan leaned her hip against the counter, careful not to knock over the painstakingly crafted cappuccino that sat untouched next to her. “I need more clients. Good ones. Not just the kind that wants free coffee.”
Harmony lifted her eyebrows. “Then maybe you shouldn't have used that.”
“It was Lacey's idea, and honestly, I'm still not sure it was a bad one. I have three times the clients I did a week ago, and I have an inbox filled with more people wanting to find love with the Date Maker.”
“Or free coffee,” Harmony added.
“Well, yeah, that too.” Morgan closed her eyes, trying to regain composure when she heard the front door of the coffee shop open. She'd agreed to run the register that morning and let Harmony make all the drinks. Harmony was a great barista but hated the human aspect of working at a coffee shop.
“Good morning,” she said in a chipper voice.
“Hey,” the guy who had just walked through the door answered. His face scrunched up, making his bright green eyes harder to see, as he looked at Morgan. “This is going to sound ridiculous, but do I know you?”
Morgan had never seen the guy, not even at the coffee shop. He looked to be college-age, but Florida Southern wasn't the only school in Lakeland. “I don't think so.”
He snapped his fingers quickly several times. “I know how I know you. You're that girl who sets people up.” The way he said it made it seem like the whole thing was a joke.
Morgan struggled to keep a bright smile on her face, despite this being the first time she'd ever felt embarrassed about her venture. “That's me.”
“And you're offering a gift card to this place for signing up.”
“A chance to win one,” she clarified.
T
he guy standing before her set his hands on the counter. “How do I sign up?”
“What?” The question caught her off guard.
He shrugged. “I’m single, and I like coffee. It seems like a match made in heaven.”
Morgan wasn't so sure she wanted this guy in the directory. She narrowed her eyes, also setting her hands on the counter. “How do I know you're not just looking to hook up? That's not the kind of service I run.”
He laughed, a deep and pleasant sound. Then he waved his hand at himself and spoke, ruining the entire illusion. “Do you see this? If I want something meaningless, I can get it.”
“Ew.”
He shrugged unapologetically. “Just calling it like I see it. But even someone as incredibly attractive as myself likes the idea of settling down.”
“And you're just so humble too.” Morgan felt the corner of her mouth lifting into a smirk, despite how utterly disgusting the guy's personality was.
“Seriously though, how do I join your little thing?”
“My little thing? You mean the Date Maker?” She pulled a piece of paper from the counter and wrote down her email address. “If you seriously want help finding your soulmate, which I highly suspect is yourself…” she mumbled the last few words to herself.
“Huh?”
“Email me. I'll get back to you in one to two business days.” She slid the paper toward the guy, who folded it haphazardly and put it in his pocket. Morgan doubted she'd ever hear from him again. He'd probably wash his pants without checking the pockets and forget all about this encounter.
At least a girl could dream.
“In the meantime,” Morgan continued. “What can I get you?”
“Now that I already have your email address?” He waggled his eyebrows.
“I could have Harmony make you something super frilly, you know. All sugar and whipped cream. I'm sure you'd love it.” She put a hand on her hip.
“Nah, I'm sweet enough. How about just a black coffee?”
Morgan moved to get a paper cup and proceeded to fill it with coffee that had been sitting on the burner for several hours. It had to be bitter as hell by this point. The thought made her happier than it should.
When she turned to hand the guy his drink, he thanked her. “I’m Declan, by the way.”
“Okay.” Morgan pushed her lips together. “It's two-fifty for the coffee.”
Declan pulled out his wallet and handed her his credit card. “It's customary to give your name when someone tells you theirs.”
Morgan ran the card through the card reader. “Do you want a receipt?”
“Will it have a line to write in a tip?”
Morgan nodded and pressed the button on the register to print the receipt and handed it to Declan along with a pen. As he wrote, she took the opportunity to look over at Harmony, who looked like she was fighting a losing battle with the giggles. She walked quickly into the back, but not before Morgan heard her laughter ring out through the small shop.
“See ya around, Date Maker,” Declan said with a mock salute.
Morgan didn't respond but instead gave a tense smile. When he walked out the door, she looked down at the receipt. On the tip line there were words instead of numbers.
You'd be a lot prettier if you smiled more often.
Morgan shoved the paper in the register before sending up a silent prayer that she'd never hear from Declan again.
She was just finishing her plea when Harmony appeared out of thin air.
“That was hilarious.” She continued to laugh without any shame. Morgan found it incredibly frustrating.
“It wasn't that funny.” Morgan crossed her arms.
“That poor guy was interested in you, and you put up a brick wall.”
Now, Morgan laughed. “Oh, no. That guy was so in love with himself. I doubt there's' room for another love interest in his life.”
“He was cute though.” Harmony tilted her head.
Morgan opened her mouth to argue. Unfortunately, Harmony had a point. If you could look past his arrogance, Declan was attractive. The green eyes, the dark hair. The combination of features was striking. And while he'd been wearing a long-sleeved button-up shirt, Morgan would bet all $200 in her bank account that his body was ripped beneath all that clothing.
Morgan's face heated, and she looked up to see Harmony was watching her closely. “Ha! See? That dude was hot.”
Morgan grunted.
“Actually,” Harmony said slowly. “So was the guy who was in here during your break. Is every guy in your database that good-looking?”
“I guess so.” Morgan lifted a shoulder.
“I’ll do it.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Your dating service. Sign me up. If the guy I'm set up with is half as attractive as those two dudes, I think I could be one happy girl.”
Morgan lifted her brows. “Are you even interested in finding true love?”
“Are they?” she countered.
Morgan didn't answer right away. She didn't want to admit that even she doubted most people who signed up for the Date Maker service were looking to find their soulmate. But isn't that when most people found love? When they weren't looking?
If you believed romantic books and movies, you'd think that was the only time a person could even hope to find their other half. Maybe having reluctant participants would work in Morgan's favor. She looked back up at Harmony. “Fine.”
“Awesome. When do we get started?”
Morgan looked around the coffee shop. They had one customer in the back of the store. It was an older gentleman with a laptop opened before him. He wore headphones and looked like he was absorbed in his work.
Morgan put out her hand. “Give me your phone. We'll start now.”
Chapter Four
“I’m so out of here!” Lacey's voice was loud as she grabbed her small duffle bag. "Spring break in Iowa will probably be so lame, but at least I won't have to do my laundry for seven days."
Morgan laughed at her roommate's words. She watched as Lacey stuffed her small bag with shirt after shirt. There were enough changes of clothes to last Lacey a month in her hometown. Seven days wouldn’t be nearly enough to do it all. Her mother would have her hands full with washing and drying everything, but wasn't that what mothers did best?
A small wave of sadness filled Morgan at the thought. Her mom was off traveling with her dad over spring break. They were finally seeing the Grand Canyon and wouldn't return until school started back up again.
She would have been welcome to go to her house. It was only a four-hour drive from campus, and she would have all the comforts of home. But she would feel even more alone than if she stayed in her dorm. She wasn't the only student to remain on campus for the week. There would be plenty of familiar faces around. Besides, it would give her more opportunities to meet with clients.
“Are you even listening to me?” Lacey cried, a hand on her hip and a sour expression on her face.
“Of course I'm listening,” Morgan lied, her brain still half focused on planning her upcoming week.
“Then what did I say?”
Morgan bit her lip. “That you can't wait to see that hot guy whose dad owns the farm next door?”
Lacey laughed. “Good guess. And now that you mention it, he was looking pretty buff at Christmas.” She tapped her finger against her lips as her gaze went idly to the window. She shook her head. “But no, that's not what I was talking about. I was just saying I hope you have a productive week because when I get back to Florida, it's on.”
“Oh, yeah?” Morgan tried to keep her eyes on her friend and not the way her phone kept lighting up, indicating more messages from potential clients.
“Yes, Morgan, it is. I've been going out alone, and I'm tired of it. Not to mention the times I've stayed in.” She forced a dramatic shudder. “You promised four weeks. Next Monday is the official deadline. So get ready. I'll be back.”
Morgan threw her pill
ow at her. “Fine. Then get out of here so I can get down to business.”
Lacey started to sing. “To defeat.” Punch, punch. “The—”
“No,” Morgan interrupted. “No time for sing-alongs.”
“You're no fun.”
“Guilty.” Morgan shrugged her shoulders, her mind going to that week's work. “But when you get back, I should be a completely different person.” She crossed her fingers behind her back, just in case things didn’t work out the way she’d planned.
“Sounds great. Right, I'm out of here.” She ran over to Morgan and pulled her into a hug. “I’m going to miss you. Did you know that?”
“Of course, you are. It's because I'm awesome.”
Lacey smiled. “You really are. Have fun playing Cupid while I'm gone. I expect someone like Dionysus when I get back.”
“The drunk dude?”
“I mean someone ready to live it up a little. We're finishing up our junior year of college. I don't want to look back and regret not living life to the fullest.”
“I doubt you're in danger of that.”
Lacey laughed. “Fine. I don't want to see you doing that.”
“And I don't want to look back and think if only I had the extra money, I wouldn't have ended up stranded on the side of I-4 during rush hour. Or if only I studied a little harder, I wouldn't have had to repeat Humanities.”
“Don't worry, Morgan. You're not in danger of the second. And all your hard work this week will ensure the first doesn't happen either.” Lacey looked down at her phone. “But I really have to leave, or I'm going to miss my flight.”
Lacey blew a kiss at Morgan before racing out the door.
Morgan enjoyed the silence her departure brought for precisely two seconds before diving into her work. It was only fitting considering she hadn't been able to stop thinking about it the entire time they'd been talking.
The first order of business was picking a winner for the gift card giveaway. She put the names of everyone who had entered into a random name generator. Morgan was pleasantly surprised to see she had just over fifty entrants. That meant fifty people in the dating pool. There were about half as many guys than girls, but Morgan refused to let that bother her. Not yet, at least.
The Date Maker: A Disastrous Dates Prequel Page 2
