The contracts she drew up gave her six months to find a match. Not true love. A match. It was all based on a good faith effort. If after that time, her client hadn't gone on a single date, Morgan would refund the original cost. And thankfully, with so many people signing up during her promotion, she'd be able to take care of the rare, unsatisfied customer.
Morgan tapped the screen of her phone to choose a winner. When “Declan Adams” popped up, she sighed. There was no way she was going to let that jerk have the gift card. She still wasn't sure why she'd added him to the dating pool. Not that she was actively searching for his match...
If she picked someone else, who would know? She'd simply let her finger slip. Ta-da! Aileen Clarke was the new winner.
She remembered her interview. She was the most artistic of her clients. Her work hung in the local art museum. Morgan briefly wondered if an excursion to The Polk Museum of Art would be a tacky date for her match. She shook her head. Of course, it would. But there were other options either here in town, or even near Tampa. The Dali Museum was only an hour away and could lead to some interesting conversations.
Morgan texted Aileen.
Morgan: Congrats! You're the winner of the gift card. Feel free to come by my dorm and get it whenever, or we can meet up and I can get it to you.
Aileen: SRSLY? I never win ANYTHING! This just made my day. Thanks, Date Maker!
Aileen: I just realized that sounded like some cheesy commercial or something. DON'T hook me up with someone weird, k?
Morgan: It's going in the file. Aileen likes late night infomercials…
Aileen: Stoooooooop. I'll give up the gift card if you promise to hook me up with the hottest guy you've signed up so far.
A pang of guilt hit Morgan. Declan was definitely the most attractive guy she'd interviewed, and she'd just stolen a gift card from him.
Morgan: I can't do that.
Aileen: I know. But seriously, I can't wait to see who you choose for me. Thanks again.
Morgan: No prob.
She set down the phone, discouraged by the short text interaction with Aileen. She had no boss, no one to oversee. Morgan's clients put their complete faith in her. They just assumed she would be honest. And for the most part, she was. There was simply something about Declan that made her want to grind her teeth into stubs.
She walked over to her wall where she'd hung a giant cork-board she'd found online. At first, Morgan thought she'd be able to keep all her notes in a notebook. And while she still did that, she found having a visual map also helped. Anyone walking into her dorm might think she was trying to catch a serial killer.
Scattered across it were pictures and notes. There were clusters of similar types. The jocks in the top left, scholars underneath, then there were also groupings of the artistic types, the Greek-lifers, and other clusters.
Just seeing a picture of someone was enough to help Morgan remember most of the details about a client, but if she ever needed more, she had all their details written down. It wasn't the most efficient system, as Lacey had pointed out several times, but it all made sense to Morgan.
She grabbed a picture of a redheaded freshman girl and a blond sophomore guy off her board. She'd been toying with the idea of setting them up but wanted to wait for the perfect date. The Strawberry Festival had just started and was about a half an hour drive from the college. It had fried food, thrill rides, and the possibility of romance. She began writing up the plan.
Each date she made consisted of two parts: a meal and an activity. The clients were responsible for paying for the date, which usually fell on the guy, so Morgan made sure she had a section in her questionnaire that addressed how much each person was willing to pay on top of their Date Maker fee.
Most students didn’t think twice about dropping a decent chunk of change of a date. They were rich kids going to a private college in Florida, after all. But there were always outliers, like Morgan, and she wanted to be sensitive to everyone’s date expectations.
When Morgan was finished writing out the plan, she copied it. Part of the fun was delivering the plan to both parties. Each one would have an outline of what the date would entail, with a picture of their match. After that, they were on their own.
A couple of weeks later, Morgan would do a quick follow-up interview with each person. What they liked about their date, what they didn't like. If they’d found true love.
This would be the fifth couple she set up. Not too shabby for such a short time, and yet she wanted to do more. She set the date pages on the counter, then spent a few minutes moving pictures around. She had two girls who might be a match for one guy. Morgan also had two other girls who were well-suited for another guy. How would she choose?
Looking at the pictures, it was clear the sexes were still off-kilter. Morgan sighed and closed her eyes. There were two more guys in the top drawer of her nightstand. Two guys who had paid for the Date Maker service.
Two guys she didn't think would make good boyfriends in a hundred years.
And yet, they'd paid, and Morgan needed more guys.
She grabbed the photographs and looked down at the smiling faces of Declan and Conrad. She'd downloaded the pictures online and printed them up using a one-hour photo. If the employees paid any attention to their customers and what they printed, they must think Morgan was a psychopath.
Between the bulletin board and the intimate notes she had on different people, Morgan wasn't so sure she wasn't already at the psychopath level. She wasn't sleeping, she was stressed beyond belief, and she'd barely made enough money for the recent oil change for her car. She’d been able to hide it from Lacey so far, but really needed this week to go well, or her friend would indeed find a different person after spring break: a total crazy mess.
Determined not to despair, Morgan took the dates she'd just written up off her nightstand and waited for spring break to end so she could deliver the good news personally.
Chapter Five
Spring break went by a lot faster than Morgan thought it would. She'd only worked four days at the coffee shop, but between those shifts and some projects that were due after the break, she hadn't gotten as much accomplished with the Date Maker as she thought she would.
Not from want of trying. She'd interviewed ten more candidates, with a surprisingly high percentage of males, and set up three more dates. Bookings were back to full-price, and people kept messaging Morgan to schedule their interviews.
It was amazing to see an uptick in profits, and satisfied customers were rolling in. Two sets of exit interviews were completed, and both couples seemed really happy. They loved their dates and were on their way to falling in love with one another. Most importantly, they loved telling their friends how great the Date Maker was.
Things were looking up, and Morgan finally felt like she had a handle on life when Lacey returned from Iowa. She was just finishing up the last of her schoolwork when Lacey burst through their door.
“I’m baaaaaack!” She dropped her suitcase on the floor and lifted her hands dramatically. After allowing enough time for Morgan to appreciate her theatrics, Lacey pulled her sunglasses from her face and looked at her friend. “Did you miss me?”
“Of course I did!” Morgan jumped off the bed and ran over to hug her. "How was Idaho?" she said, purposely saying the wrong state just to get a rise out of Lacey. It drove Lacey nuts, and it never got old for Morgan.
“Iowa.”
Morgan scrunched up her face. “Same difference.”
“No, they are most definitely not the same difference, you hick. And you know better.” Lacey paused and gave an exaggerated shiver. “It was so cold, and I'm glad to be in Florida again.”
“Didn't Farmer Brown keep you warm?” Morgan waggled her eyebrows.
Lacey's face fell. “Farmer Brown is engaged.”
Morgan tilted her head. “It's not like you liked him though.” When Lacey didn't respond, Morgan's eyes went wide. “Oh, my goodness! Is that why you've never don
e any serious dating? Because you were pining for that guy back home?”
She shrugged. “I don't know. I guess I just assumed I would act crazy at college, move back home, and that he'd be waiting for me.”
“Lacey, you spend more time in Florida than Iowa. Of course he's moved on. And so should you.”
Lacey straightened and put on a plastic smile. She grabbed Morgan's hand and lifted it, turning her wrist just so, causing her to twirl like they were dancing. “Which is why we're going out tonight.”
“Tonight?” She had expected they would get to her booming social life after Lacey had some time to settle back into Florida. Maybe get a week of school done, as well as some last minute Date Maker things.
Lacey nodded her head, narrowing her eyes. “Yes, tonight. Is that a problem?”
Morgan shook her head. She’d promised Lacey she’d be ready at the end of break. Sure there was more work to be done, but she’d missed her friend and was ready for some fun.
A couple of hours later, Morgan was putting on a dress she’d scored at a local thrift shop for a faction of the price, mile-high shoes she’d borrowed from her roommate, and red lipstick. Lacey insisted they go to the new place in town. They had a college night, which meant drink special and dancing.
They found a great parking spot right out front and eagerly walked up to the club. Soon, they were sitting with two margaritas on the rocks.
Morgan wasn't a big drinker, not that she cared that other people did it. She just happened to enjoy having full control over her faculties. However, tonight was a celebration. Lacey was back, school was going great, and the Date Maker was beginning to feel like a legitimate business.
“So,” Morgan said after they finished their first round of drinks. “Tell me all about Peggy Sue.”
Lacey took a sip of her drink. “Who?”
“The hillbilly who stole your man away. Obviously.” She giggled, twirling the straw in her drink.
“Just what you'd expect—missing teeth, barefoot, pregnant.”
Morgan's hand flew to her mouth. “You're kidding!”
Lacey rolled her eyes. “Of course I’m kidding. She's actually really great. We used to be friends in high school. She's smart, sweet, and gorgeous—the perfect girl for him, really.” She closed her eyes and gave a quick shake of her head. “And get this, she even called me when I first got into town so she could tell me.”
“Like a jealous girlfriend?”
“No, like, she knew there had been chemistry there, and didn't want me to get caught off guard—especially not in front of anyone. It's impossible to hate her.”
“I’ll find you someone. I've actually narrowed it down to two guys,” Morgan assured her, admitting for the first time that she was actively searching for a guy for Lacey.
Lacey's lips pressed into a flat line. “I knew you were going to try to set me up. I should have told you that you weren't allowed.”
“I would have done it anyway.” Morgan shrugged unapologetically. “I think you'll make an awesome girlfriend. I want to give you that extra push.”
Lacey waved her hands at her. “Fine. Set me up. You have my blessing. But let’s just be girls tonight, okay? Like, one more drink and meet me on the dance floor.”
“How about this? A shot of something to celebrate, and then we go out to the dance floor. I'll even try to electric slide.”
Lacey glared at her. “Girl, if you don't know how to do it yet, there isn't any hope for you. That dance is as old as my parents.”
“Fine, but we're still ordering shots!”
Soon, the girls were out on the small dance floor. Small machines shone colorful lights onto the people gathered there. Lacey and Morgan laughed at themselves as they danced. At one point, Morgan even pulled out a dance move her parents had done called The Sprinkler. It consisted of putting one hand behind your head sticking your elbow out while putting the other hand straight out in front of you. It didn't even look like a sprinkler, and Morgan wondered if it was ever a legitimate dance move or just something drunk people did and thought was funny.
“Hey, Morgan,” Lacey yelled over the music, gaining her attention. “This guy says he knows you.” She leaned in and whispered loudly. “And he's cute.”
Morgan's head snapped up, causing the room to spin slightly. “Who?” When her eyes focused on the guy standing next to her friend, she was caught off guard. It was Declan.
Morgan's first instinct was to be upset that he was encroaching on her night out with Lacey. But he looked so good in his polo shirt and jeans, somehow looking dressier than the casual clothing should allow. His dark hair was styled in a way that made his eyes more visible. If possible, they looked greener than she remembered.
She decided not to let him ruin her fun. Instead, she decided to embrace his presence—maybe even arrogant jerks could be fun on the dance floor. She’d enjoy an hour or so, then never see him again. Unless it was for an exit interview—if she ever found him a match.
And of course, if she set him up, she'd be doomed for interview after interview, because Morgan knew his looks were all he had going for him.
Morgan gave her best attempt at a friendly smile. “Hey, Declan.”
The smile he gave in return made her heart skip a beat. Darn him.
“You're smiling. I see you took my tip to heart.”
And there it was, the attitude that reminded her why he wasn't a good candidate for her services. She rolled her eyes but kept the smile on her face. “Buy me a drink and come dance with me.”
At least if they were out there, she wouldn't have to listen to him talk.
Not only did he buy one for her, but also one for Lacey, which gave him an unintended point in his favor. Not that she was keeping track of his points. She already knew his type, and he would always end up in the negative in her book.
At some point, Declan's friend joined the three of them on the dance floor, and they ended up in pairs. Lacey and the wingman, Morgan and Declan. Not that it was all bad. As suspected, the boy knew how to dance—no sprinklers necessary.
When Morgan's feet started to hurt, she called for a water break. It would give her a chance to clear her head after dancing so close to Declan. There were several moments while they were dancing that she’d wanted to rest her head against his chest or shoulder. Must have been all the shots she’d done. It was the only explanation.
When he followed her to the bar, she didn't wave him away. He was quick to grab the bartender and order two glasses of water. She looked up at him through lowered lashes. “Thanks.”
“No problem.”
The two sat together in silence, both drinking their waters. Morgan kept stealing glances at the guy sitting beside her. Even after an hour of dancing, he looked amazing. Maybe even more so with a light sheen of sweat on his forehead. And the way he sat in his seat. Relaxed posture, a slight curve to his lips. He looked like he’d be comfortable in any situation.
Meanwhile, Morgan probably looked like someone playing statue and failing miserably. She tried to keep her back straight so that she wasn't slouching, and her legs were crossed while her free foot bobbed erratically. Add in her twitching eyes that couldn't stray from Declan, she was the opposite of confidant, and silence was anything by comfortable.
Mercifully, Declan started talking first. “You're a surprisingly good dancer.”
Morgan's foot stopped, and her brows rose. “Surprisingly?”
“When I walked in, my eyes went straight to the dance floor. Wanna know why?” She nodded slowly. “I thought someone was having a seizure out there.” Morgan couldn't contain the giggle that came from her mouth. “Imagine my shock when I realized it was the Date Maker.”
“It's girls' night. I wasn't trying to attract guys.” She shrugged.
“Obviously.”
With some effort, she kept the smile glued to her face. One night. She could let his arrogant attitude charm her for one night.
“There you are!” Lacey shrieked from
beside her. “I was dancing with…” her voice trailed off, and her companion whispered in her ear. “I was dancing with Paul and when I looked up, you were gone. I should have known you were having a private movement with Declan.”
His name, she knew. How embarrassing. Not that Morgan had ever mentioned him to Lacey. She didn't want to think what conclusions Declan was drawing, but when she looked over, he waggled his eyebrows.
“She doesn't know who you are,” Morgan blurted.
His smile grew. “Of course not.”
“I don't talk about you,” she continued, the argument sounding more like an admission of guilt.
"I wouldn't dream of it.”
“More drinks!” Lacey yelled.
It was the perfect distraction. Morgan jumped up out of her seat to get the bartender's attention. Unfortunately, it knocked over the chair Morgan had been occupying, and it bumped into Paul.
Paul, who still had a drink in his hands, lost his footing and spilled his drink onto Lacey, who yelled again. This time, less happy.
“Ugh. I just bought this Judith March a couple of weeks ago.”
“Oh, Lacey! I'm so sorry.” Morgan grabbed the small cocktail napkins that sat on the bar and tried to help Lacey dry off her dress, but it was no use. The dress was soaked, and everyone could see how bad it was.
“I want to go home,” Lacey said, and Morgan knew there was no recovering. Still feeling buzzed, she pulled out her phone to call an Uber.
“What are you doing?” Declan said into her ear. His nearness was making her uncomfortable.
“I can't drive,” she answered, and tipped her head at Lacey who had her arms crossed over her chest. “And neither can she. I gotta pay for a ride home.”
“I could take you.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Are you sober?”
Declan lifted the glass of water in his hands. “It’s the only thing I've been drinking all night. Paul likes to go a little overboard, so I gave up drinking when we go out.”
The Date Maker: A Disastrous Dates Prequel Page 3
