An Unlikely Match (The Match Series - Book #1)

by Dunlop, Barbara

  “Buff?” he couldn’t help but laugh. He wasn’t even going near her hottest guy in the building claim. What a crock.

  She put her hand on his stomach, and he sucked in a breath of shock, every nerve ending jumping to instant attention.

  “Rock hard,” she declared.

  He might have responded, but he’d been robbed of the power of speech.

  They affixed their name tags and entered the big, dimly lit ballroom. Conversation rose up in the faint purple glow. There was a dance floor in the middle, tables set for eight with fine china and crystal. The chairs were draped in rose, the tables bright white. Each floral centerpiece held a flickering candle inside a hurricane lamp. Gauzy streamers draped the ceiling and pillars, while massive, balloon-bedecked wall signs welcomed the grads back to Sacramento.

  “I don’t know who will sit with us,” Morgan observed, struggling not to feel intimidated by the crowd.

  He spotted a few familiar faces. But nobody smiled. Nobody greeted him. It was like being transported back in time. He was overcome with an urge to walk back out the door. There had to be a sports bar nearby where they could catch a baseball game.

  Amelia squeezed his hand. “I’ve done this before.”

  Before he could protest, she was towing him along, marching to the middle of the room, zeroing in on a table with six occupants and two empty chairs. Where, to his horror, she smiled brightly at Chad Rawlins and Rudy Quentin. “Do you mind if we join you?”

  Both of the men were so dazzled by Amelia, they’d said yes to her before they realized she was with Morgan. When it dawned on them, their expressions faltered, but there was no going back. She plunked herself down, took a drink from the water glass, and began introducing them to the table.

  Morgan quickly realized he was drawing more attention standing than if he sat in the last chair.

  “Nina Rawlins,” said the woman sitting next to Chad. “Chad and I have been married for nearly a year.”

  “Congratulations,” said Amelia. She touched Morgan’s arm. “Morgan and I have been together since I moved to Pasadena. He’s an astrophysics researcher at Caltech. I’m originally from Arizona.”

  Morgan couldn’t help but notice how smoothly and naturally she’d bragged for him.

  “Go Wildcats,” said Nina with a bright grin.

  “U of Arizona?” Amelia asked her in delighted surprise.

  “A few years ago now. Nursing.”

  “I graduated in May. Fine arts.”

  While the two women grinned at each other, Morgan forced himself to step up. “Nice to see you again, Chad.”

  “Hello, Morgan.” Chad’s greeting was polite, if cool.

  Morgan looked to Rudy, who immediately looked away, whispering something to his girlfriend who glanced to Morgan and giggled.

  “You weren’t by any chance on the cheerleading squad?” Amelia asked Nina.

  “Basketball,” Nina answered.

  “Football,” said Amelia. “I had a chance to try out for Seattle.”

  “No way.”

  “I decided I’d rather have the California sun.” She touched Morgan’s arm again. “Thank goodness. If I’d gone to Seattle, Morgan and I never would have met.”

  “You mentioned Caltech?” asked Nina, her gaze going to Morgan.

  Amelia nudged him under the table.

  “Yes,” he quickly put in. “I’m working at Caltech.”

  He could feel Chad’s gaze on him and couldn’t help but wonder if he objected to Morgan talking to his wife.

  “We’ve been in Pasadena for four months. I’m at the hospital, and Chad is interning at Hemmings Tech.”

  “Engineering?” Morgan found himself asking.

  “Mostly robotics,” said Chad.

  Rudy tapped Chad on the shoulder, tipping his chair back to say something behind Nina.

  Mercifully, the announcer stepped up, and speeches began. Although Morgan struggled through conversation at dinner, Amelia was quite obviously in her element. He began to wonder if the pecking order of high school wasn’t random. Maybe it was simply a first taste of life to come. He’d be willing to bet you could drop Amelia into any situation and she’d make friends. While you could plunk Morgan into any situation, and he’d feel awkward and uncomfortable. Unless it was a physics lab. He was fine in a physics lab.

  Once again, he fought an urge to simply walk out of the event.

  o o o o

  As Amelia made her way back from the ladies room, she did a double take of their table. Morgan was gone. She knew he wasn’t having the best of times. Rudy was obviously snubbing him. But the man was an obnoxious boor, pretending he was a mover and shaker in concert promotion. He dropped names like Alabaster Fang and Sweet Isolation, claiming to have been backstage at their latest LA concerts and to have their managers on speed dial. If she’d had to bet, she’d have put money on him being the guy who brought coffee.

  Chad, on the other hand, seemed somewhat interested in Morgan’s career. Not that Rudy gave him a moment to ask anything, monopolizing all of Chad’s attention. Nina seemed great, and Amelia found it interesting that the couple lived in Pasadena.

  As Amelia glanced around to locate Morgan, Rudy appeared beside her.

  “Acting,” he drawled. “I may know some people who can help you out with that.”

  “Really?” Amelia pasted a smiled on her face. “Do tell?”

  “I’ve got a buddy down at International Studios. One phone call, I can have your picture in front of the president.”

  “Does the president do casting?” she challenged.

  The question seemed to throw him. “He makes all the final decisions.”

  The president might make the final decision on the disposition of a thirty-million-dollar budget, but he wouldn’t go near the casting of minor rolls. Unless it was his daughter or niece. Or maybe his one-night stand. If he’d made the promise of a role to get her into bed.

  “Dance?” came Morgan’s voice, as he appeared beside her and slipped his hand into hers.

  Amelia turned, her smile genuine this time. “Love to, sweetheart.”

  Morgan shot a glare at Rudy and turned her away.

  “What was that all about?” he asked as they wound their way toward the dance floor.

  It was a DJ rather than a band, but the music was lively and the dance crowd enthusiastic.

  “He says he knows people who know people in show business.”

  “I’m sure he does,” Morgan muttered.

  “No, he doesn’t,” Amelia countered. “He’s a loser and a boor. He offered to put my picture in front of the president of International Studios.”

  “Something wrong in that?” Morgan turned her into his arms.

  Her entire body sighed with contentment. There was definitely something about this man that made her feel at ease.

  “The president couldn’t give a damn who gets the bit parts and minor roles. Tell me you know a casting director, and maybe we’ll talk.”

  Morgan chuckled low.

  She tipped her head back. “How’re you doing?”

  He shrugged. “About how I expected.”

  “There are an awful lot of women looking at you and wondering who that hunk could possibly be.”

  He shook his head. “Amelia, you’re trying too hard. I appreciate the effort, but I’m still me, and they’re still them, and nerdiness is not the new hot.”

  “Nerdiness is too the new hot.”

  “You are such a cheerleader.”

  “And you are such a genius.” She gave in to the impulse to stroke her hand across his cheek. “If they knew you, they’d like you.”

  She meant it with all her heart. Morgan was an amazing man. There wasn’t a single guy here who could hold a candle to him.

  His voice went husky. “If I forget to tell you later, thanks for doing this. Your heart is in the right place, and your acting skills are phenomenal. I predict nothing but success in your future.”

  “I’m
having fun,” she reminded him.

  It may have had an unorthodox beginning, but this was turning into one of the best dates of her life.

  “The crazy thing is that you are.” His tone was nothing short of amazed.

  “You would be, too, if you’d just relax.”

  “I’m having fun dancing.”

  “Good. Let’s keep dancing.”

  They swayed their way through many more songs, with Amelia in a haze of near-hypnotic happiness. She wished the DJ would play forever, because she had no desire to ever leave Morgan’s arms.

  But too soon, the DJ announced the last dance. And when the music died away, and she looked around, she realized the crowd had thinned considerably.

  “Ready to go?” Morgan asked her.

  “I guess.” She didn’t feel tired. She felt jazzed. She was sorry Morgan hadn’t had a good time, but she didn’t want the evening to end.

  “We can get a nightcap,” he suggested. “There are some nice decks with a view of the river.”

  She seized on the suggestion. “Sounds good to me.”

  He nodded his agreement, and they made their way back to the lobby.

  “I’d like to get rid of this jacket and tie,” he said as they approached the elevators. “Do you want to change?”

  Amelia caught a glimpse of Nina and Chad leaving through the main doors. She nodded toward the other woman. “I’d like to say goodbye to Nina, if you don’t mind. Meet me out front?”

  “Sure.”

  While Morgan went for the elevator, Amelia hurried down the short marble staircase, past the fountain, through the revolving glass door, glancing both ways on the front sidewalk.

  She spotted Nina and Chad in the taxi lineup.

  “Well, well, well,” came Rudy’s unwelcome voice. He moved in front of her, blocking her way. “Leaving the party all alone, are you?”

  “We’re going out for a drink.”

  Rudy made a show of glancing around. “Where’s the other half of we?”

  Amelia flattened her lips. She didn’t owe Rudy or anyone else an explanation.

  He ran his fingers down her bare arm.

  “Hey!” She jerked away.

  “I knew you were too good to be true.”

  “Keep your hands to yourself.”

  “I said to Chad, there’s no way Morgan gets a date like that unless he’s paying her by the hour.”

  “Go to hell,” she told him, stepping out to go around him.

  He reached out to grab her arm.

  “I’d rather go to heaven. I bet a girl like you could take me to heaven.”

  She tried to wrench her arm away, but he held her tight.

  His tone turned to a growl. “How much would you charge, baby, to take me to heaven?”

  A split second later, he was on his back on the sidewalk, Morgan bending over him, his hand firmly gripping Rudy’s collar. “What the fuck did you just say?”

  “Sir?” Two of the valets rushed forward as the small crowd turned to gape.

  “He accosted my girlfriend,” Morgan ground out, his focus never leaving Rudy.

  “Rudy?” came his date’s high-pitched voice through the small crowd. “Rudy?”

  “Apologize,” Morgan demanded.

  “We all know she’s not your girlfriend,” Rudy stated, with only a slight quiver to his voice.

  Amelia was frozen in place.

  “Apologize,” Morgan repeated, tightening his grip on Rudy’s collar. “Or I swear to God, I’ll break your nose.”

  Rudy glared at him a moment longer, but then apparently saw something menacing in Morgan’s eyes, because his attention moved to Amelia.

  “I’m sorry,” he told her. “If I misunderstood anything.”

  “You did,” she responded.

  “Apologize for laying a hand on her,” Morgan ordered.

  “Sir?” repeated the valet. “We’re going to have to call the police.”

  “Now,” Morgan said to Rudy.

  Rudy complied. “I’m sorry I put a hand on you.”

  Morgan jerked away, standing up.

  While Rudy scrambled to his feet to be comforted by his girlfriend, Morgan wrapped an arm around Amelia’s shoulders, turning her away and heading for the street.

  “What was that?” Amelia asked him, glancing back to see Rudy dusting off his suit.

  “That was an asshole behaving like an asshole.”

  “I meant you putting him on the ground like that. It was slick, and it was lightning fast.”

  “Shotokan Karate,” Morgan answered. “It’s the first time I’ve used it in real life.”

  “I didn’t even see you coming.”

  “That’s the idea.”

  “I mean, bam, there you were. And he was on his back. And, wow, really, wow.”

  “He deserved it.”

  “No kidding, he deserved it. He accused me of being a hooker. Seriously, a hooker? He wanted to hire me.” She stopped and turned back. “I should probably tell his girlfriend that he’s into hookers.”

  Morgan firmly spun her around. “I don’t think so.”

  “Why not? She needs to know.”

  “If she’s foolish enough to date that guy in the first place, I doubt anything you say will make a difference.”

  “My God, he’s a jerk.” Amelia still couldn’t believe it had actually happened.

  “Yes, he is,” Morgan agreed as they came to a stop at the corner, waiting for the light.

  “Don’t you ever dare care about that man’s opinion again. You’re twice the person he is, and he deserves to live out his pathetic, little life deluding himself that he’s worth something, without a single thought from you.”

  “Don’t hold back on your opinion,” Morgan drawled.

  Amelia stopped herself. “You should have seen the look on his face.” The memory reminded her of how hard Morgan had thrown him. “Are you okay?”

  “How do you mean?”

  “You’re not hurt or anything? Your hands?” She reached down to lift his hands under the streetlights.

  “No, I’m not hurt. I could use that nightcap.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Your choice.” He pointed to the other side of the street. “Anatola’s has a great view and the best margaritas in the city.”

  “Sold.”

  The light changed, and they made their way toward Anatola’s, taking a staircase up two floors to the deck. A hostess showed them to a table by the rail, where they could hear the sound of the river below and the wind rustling through the aspen trees. Morgan ordered two lime margaritas and a platter of nachos.

  “I assume you’re hungry by now,” he explained as the waitress departed.

  “I’m hungry,” she confirmed. “And what about you? So, you’re a karate master as well as being a genius.”

  “I’m nowhere near to being a karate master.”

  “Do you have a black belt?” She didn’t know much about the martial arts, but she thought that was how people were ranked on their accomplishments.

  “I have a black belt. But that doesn’t mean a lot. Your first black belt is really just a license to learn.”

  “Do you only have your first black belt?”

  “I’m still learning.”

  “That was a well-crafted answer.”

  “It’s the truth. Enough about me. Have you had any auditions since Monday?”

  Amelia blew out a sigh as the waitress set down their margaritas. “I did. One on Tuesday and another on Thursday.”

  “How’d they go?”

  “Same ol’, same ol’ at this point. I’m beginning to hate the inscrutable expressions on casting directors’ faces.”

  “I guess they have to disappoint a lot of people for every one they make happy.”

  “I’m guessing about a thousand to one.” She hoped she wasn’t destined to always be in the thousand.

  “It doesn’t seem like a very efficient system to me.”

  “That�
��s what agents are for. They narrow down the field.”

  “You should get an agent.”

  Amelia couldn’t help but laugh. “Agents are harder to get than parts.”

  His expression turned reflective. “Well, you did a terrific job acting like my girlfriend. I’ll give you a good reference.”

  She kept her smile in place, but she didn’t know how to respond. She hadn’t been acting tonight.

  Morgan raised his margarita glass into the silence. “To the end of the evening, failure that it was.”

  She raised her own glass, touching the salted rim to his. “It wasn’t a failure.”

  “Ha,” he scoffed.

  “You’re a pretty good dancer, and you really kicked some ass there at the end.”

  “I let my emotions get the best of me.”

  “Nothing wrong with that.” She paused. “Thanks, Morgan.”

  “Don’t mention it.” He put his glass to his lips.

  She took a drink as well.

  “Just do me a favor,” he said.

  “Anything.”

  “When my twentieth comes around, can we please just go to a movie?”

  “Sure.” As she gazed into his eyes, something shimmered deep down in her stomach. Would she know Morgan in ten years? Would she still see Morgan in ten years?

  One thing she knew for sure, she wasn’t ready to stop seeing him tonight.

  Chapter Eight

  On the way down the hall to their rooms on the seventh floor, Amelia made up her mind to get a kiss goodnight. She didn’t care how obvious she had to be. In fact, maybe she’d just grab him and plant one on his lips. Hinting around hadn’t worked very well for her so far.

  They came to their hotel room doors, seven-twenty-two and seven-twenty-three, directly across the hall from each other. She stopped and turned. He turned to face her.

  “I had a great time tonight, Morgan.”

  “I’m glad to hear that.”

  She eased in, hoping he’d take the hint. “What about you?”

  “It had its moments,” he agreed, but with obvious reluctance.

  She tipped her chin up, tilting her head. “Dancing was fun.”

  “It was,” he breathed, eyes going opaque. But he didn’t bend down, didn’t take her in his arms.