by Haley Weir
“Absolutely not. I wouldn’t wish Sapphire White on my worst enemy.”
After Michael left, Anders kept his pager on but went home for the night. He drove past Sapphire’s apartment and saw the light on, which did wonders to calm his raging nerves. Since the first night she arrived at the clinic, he had regularly broken into her home to feed her beloved pets and make sure things didn’t fall into utter chaos.
Though Anders pretended to despise Sapphire as much as Michael did, he had never truly gotten to know her over the years. Anders had learned of her love for poetry, books, flowers, and crafting while looking around her apartment. After all, it had been unknown as to whether she would recover from her injuries. It was the memory loss that caused him to feel remorseful...or so he told himself.
But in truth, Anders had avoided Sapphire White since her arrival in Haden Springs because she intrigued him. She was a woman who had extensive knowledge of firearms and hand-to-hand combat and yet she refused to use either. Sapphire’s words alone were enough to cut a man to his marrow. And in all the years she had been Brock’s friend, none of them had ever heard of her being in a relationship.
There hadn’t even been photographs of her with anyone other than the one with The Ladies In Waiting Book Club or Brock and the other firefighters. In her apartment was also a letter written to her friend named Tilly. In it, she described having an infatuation with Anders when they first met, but never having the courage to mention it to him. He wasn’t sure if her lack of experience or social relationships was an indication of her virtue, but on the rare occasions he had gotten close enough to examine her thoroughly, a rosy stain had appeared upon her cheeks. Sapphire White was not a bashful woman, nor was she a helpless damsel.
The sheer strength of her had been proven the night she had fought so desperately for her survival. In his bear form, Anders had burst through a wall of fire and rescued Sapphire from the flames. He ran with her damaged body clinging to his back until they reached the road. And then he had nearly left her there to fend for herself.
Seeing her hurt and feeling her in such a close proximity had done something to him; tt had changed him in some way. Suddenly, Anders felt a magnetic pull toward the strange woman. And it had been that pull that made him turn back and carry her to his car when she had fainted. For a moment last Christmas, there had been an instant when he thought she might have remembered seeing him turn, that she had remembered the way she looked at him as though he had placed the moon and the stars in the sky just for her.
Anders reckoned he might be the only person in Haden Springs capable of understanding her lapse in memory, for after his time at the secret facility, there were days when he would wake up without knowing how much time had passed. For a while things had started to look better for Anders, but when the fires pushed people from their homes and hunters came knocking, everything fell to pieces. Because of his nature—because of their nature—they would never be free to live normal lives.
Anders, Brock, Dorian, and Michael were all scarred mentally the day that they wandered into the forest after praying a foolish prank. Michael and Brock were arguing as usual, but something snapped in Brock and he shoved his brother. A loud growl emitted from Michael and he shifted into a bear, nearly killing Brock in the process. Only when Dorian explained their situation to his new wife Jenny did they realize that their changes began around the time most boys had begun puberty.
The hormonal changes in their bodies triggered the entire thing. Ever since, they had done their best to avoid spikes in their adrenaline levels. Only Michael had the willpower to actually master the strength of being a bear to the point that he didn’t need to shift in order to tap into his abilities. Anders and Dorian, however, often feared losing themselves to the change. Being in bear form wasn’t bad once the transformation was complete, but turning back into a man was the challenge.
Fever, nausea, headache, and disorientation were the usual side effects, but Anders often had light sensitivity and issues regaining his vision. At one point he referred to it as the “bear flu” to amuse his friends. Anders pulled into his garage and shut off the engine. He walked through the door into the hallway and stripped his clothes off, tossing them right into the washing machine. His bare feet slapped against the hardwood floors on his way into the bathroom.
The spray from the shower hit the side of his head as he stepped inside and arched his large body low enough to get beneath the water. As the steam began to rise, the thoughts that warred in his mind began to fade and he was grateful for the rare moment of peace. He didn’t bother getting dressed after his shower. Instead, he fell onto his back on the bed and closed his eyes.
Just when Anders thought he was calm enough to get some sleep, Sapphire White invaded his mind. He licked his lips and tried not to think about how uncomfortable his bed was. Holding her through the night had been a mistake, but she had felt so soft and smelled so good that he had been too weak to deny himself. The constant throb of her heartbeat against his chest was a welcome change. There had been so many tubes covering her face for a year that he had grappled with remembering what she looked like before getting injured.
But the feel of her in his arms had engraved itself in his senses.
CHAPTER THREE
Sapphire felt a heavy weight on her chest—not figuratively, but literally. She cracked open her eye lids and saw Puffer, her ginger Maine Coon tabby, staring at her with big green eyes. He squinted slightly, reaching out a paw, and laid on top of her cheek. All of her cats were quirky little rescues that she hadn’t had the heart to abandon at the shelter. Puffer loved nothing more than his teal and brown striped hoodie. Whenever he wasn’t wearing it, he would carry it around in his mouth until Sapphire finally gave in and slipped it onto him.
She scratched the top of his head and he began to purr, causing the other three cats to climb onto the bed. Legolas, the gorgeous Peterbald, was often quite jealous of her showing affection to his wayward siblings. He nudged Puffer with his head until the fluffy cat slid off of her chest and landed in the crook of her elbow. Legolas resumed Puffer’s former position and she chuckled at their playful antics. It wasn’t long before her clumsy blue tortie Persian, Melby, got involved.
The poor thing was deaf in one ear and was Sapphire’s only rival for having the most rotten luck in the world. Melby, Puffer, and Legolas were her social felines, but it was Rocco that got into mischief on his own. With markings that made him look more like a raccoon than a cat, Rocco had a tendency to break things and slide through peoples’ windows in the summer to make himself at home. All of her cats wore distinctive tags, so everyone knew who to bring them home to.
Sapphire was used to hearing several complaints a month from her landlord who owned the auto repair shop beneath her apartment. She shifted on the bed to sit up against the headboard when her phone began to ring. “Hello?” she asked.
“Miss White, this is Lori Stevens with the Kodiak Dating Agency. We would like to set up an appointment for you to come in so that we can do a proper orientation.”
“Yes, Jenny mentioned you would be calling eventually.”
“Perfect!” Lori said cheerfully. “When will you be available to come in?”
“How about today? I’m free in about two hours.”
“I’ll put you down for three o’clock, then.”
They finished with the details and then Sapphire hung up. She unfolded her limbs from beneath the covers, massaging away the numbness that came from having her feet elevated for too long. The floorboards creaked as she parted the beaded curtain into her bathroom and took a quick shower. Once she was dressed and ready to make a good impression, Sapphire checked on the cats and then headed out the door. “We’re off to see the wizard,” she mumbled under her breath.
Because of her tendency to injure herself, Sapphire didn’t drive a car. She did, however, ride a bike with a woven basket on the front and flowers painted on the side. Her legs burned by the time she arrived at her des
tination.
Sapphire walked through the front door, hearing her sandals scuff upon the marble floor of the lobby. She gave her name at the front desk and waited patiently for Lori Stevens to join her. Right when her watch blinked to alert her that it was three o’clock, the woman she had spoken to on the phone stepped out of the elevator.
“Miss White, such a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“What can I say? It’s a small town.”
Lori Stevens wore a genuine smile that surprised Sapphire, given Lori’s sheek corporate appearance. “Our services include text message alerts letting the signups know when a match has been created and a date is available. You may treat yourself to a romantic spa day or personal pampering, etiquette classes, hobby exploration, and courses on self-improvement.”
“Jenny said the entire agency specialized in making perfect matches,” she replied. “I guess that means whether or not they naturally fit together.”
“Relationships take sacrifice. Some of us need to make personal changes before we can allow ourselves to love another person. ‘Love can be learned if one is willing to put in the effort’ is Mr. Adair’s motto.”
“Wait,” Sapphire gasped. “Did you say Adiar?”
“Yes. The founder and CEO of Kodiak Dating Agency is Michael Adair.”
She wanted to scream. Sapphire walked away from a flustered Lori Stevens and stormed into the elevator. She pressed the button for the highest floor, knowing someone with an unmatchable ego would need to be above everyone else. Sure enough, when the elevator dinged, Sapphire saw an enormous stone desk surrounded by a wall of windows. Sitting behind the desk was the face of her enemy.
“You prick!” she shouted. “You must have seen my name on the application.”
Michael didn’t even look up from the document in his hand as he spoke. “What does that have to do with anything? I am here to provide a service. My personal bias against you has nothing to do with that.”
“How did a self-centered capitalistic jerk end up playing cupid?” Sapphire huffed.
“The arts have capitalized on love more than corporations have, Miss White. I simply bridged the gap. What I do is no different than your precious romance novels.”
“It’s very different. You’re a glorified pimp!”
Michael slammed the file on the desk and stood up faster than she could blink. He leaned forward and sneered through tightly clenched teeth. “I help people find love because that’s what I’m good at. Making a profit off of it isn’t a crime. Love is a booming enterprise and I intend to exploit it.”
“Anyone could see that Jenny and Dorian were made for each other. What is between them has nothing to do with you.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Then prove it,” he challenged with a slight quirk of his brow. “Use the service. You and I don’t have to even speak to one another. Lori can handle your matches. If it doesn’t work, then you can have bragging rights that my company is a failure. If I’m right and you fall in love, then you have to admit that you overreacted that day in Washington when our rivalry began.”
“I could have been hurt—”
“Agree to the terms and we settle this feud for good or walk away with nothing,” Michael stated firmly. Sapphire was furious that he hadn’t gotten over the habit of interrupting her whenever she tried to make a point. “You could ruin me and hang on to this stubborn disagreement or you can fall in love and put it all behind us.”
“You’re on.”
“Good. Shall we put it in writing?”
“I’ll have Lori add it to my contract,” she said with a sickeningly sweet tone that didn’t match the hatred in her eyes. Sapphire turned to leave, but hesitated as she reached the elevator. Her head lowered slightly and she looked over her shoulder to see Michael staring at her back with a menacing glare. “All I ever wanted was an apology. I never wanted it to go this far or to ruin your life. In the end, I hope you remember that it was you who chose this path for us. You teach self-love, but you have a lot to learn about compassion and humility.”
The bell for the elevator chimed and Sapphire hurried down to the lobby to meet with Lori. To her surprise, the woman didn’t seem angry in the slightest. “I figured the whole storming off to shout at my boss thing had something to do with the legendary rivalry between the two of you.”
“Yeah,” she sighed. “I just wish he would see that it all could have been avoided.”
“Maybe for you. But for a man who seems to have everything, the only thing he truly has left is his pride. To him, it’s all much bigger than an apology.”
***
A week went by since Sapphire White left the clinic and yet he couldn’t seem to get her out of his mind. He wondered constantly about what she looked like when she smiled. “If this is anything like what Dorian went through with Jenny, I don’t know how he didn’t lose his mind,” he grumbled.
He laid down two hours ago and still had not been able to fall asleep. A million thoughts ran through his head all at once and he was tired of being tired. He heard his text tone and grabbed his cell.
ANDERS, after careful deliberation, we at KDA believe that we have found the perfect match for you. If she agrees to the date, the two of you will enjoy a wonderful evening at the HADEN SPRINGS PUBLIC GARDEN tomorrow night. Reply ‘YES’ to this message if you would like to go on a date with the match we’ve chosen for you.
He shot up out of his bed and nearly tumbled to the floor. After so many years of never hearing a single word from his best friend’s agency, seeing the message made his heart pound against his ribcage. Anders reread the message over and over, still not comprehending the situation until he realized that he had sent a reply.
YES.
Perfect! Head to the HADEN SPRINGS PUBLIC GARDEN tomorrow night at 6PM dressed casually for the ‘Walk Through Nature’ charity event. If she agrees, your date will be waiting for you near the roses wearing a blue scarf.
One thing Anders McKinney hated was a mystery. He rolled over and opened the drawer of his bedside table, pulling out the letter he had stolen from Sapphire White’s apartment during one of his visits. Most of it held very little meaning to him, but there was a single passage at the end that made his chest tight each time he read it.
I met a new doctor today! Holy cow, he’s handsome! I’m almost tempted to fake a sniffle so he can give me an examination. When I walked into the emergency room for the eighth time this week, I didn’t think I would look into the lightest brown eyes I had ever seen. Dr. McKinney is absolutely gorgeous. There was even a spark between us until The King of Jerk Mountain showed up and ruined everything. Write back and let me know if you think I’m in love that I should invite him for coffee.
He knew the part that had been crossed out was meant as nothing more than a joke between friends, but it still rattled something in him. There was no mistaking who the so-called King of Jerk Mountain was to Sapphire, but the letter made Anders aware of just how much he allowed their feud to color the way he saw her.
“Anders McKinney, if you want any chance at making life easier for yourself, you will throw this letter in the trash,” he told himself. Anders started to crumple it up into a ball, but stopped and set it on the stand instead. “Later,” he vowed as he changed into a nice suit and prepared for a long shift at the clinic.
The doors opened with a loud whoosh of air to welcome him into the chaos. Anders jumped into action and tended to the victims of a brutal brawl that had taken place down at the local pub. By the day’s end, Anders felt a little disappointed that he hadn’t seen Sapphire. Normally, there would be one reason or another for her to make an appearance, but not that day. He hated to think that his accusations had made her feel as though she couldn’t seek treatment at the clinic anymore.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Saph, you really need to figure out what you want!” Jenny shouted into the dressing room. Sapphire hopped up and down, trying to
squeeze into a pair of skinny jeans that didn’t seem to want to go past her sizeable rump. She shimmied against the wall and sucked in her tummy, but the jeans just wouldn’t budge. In the end, she peeled them off her legs and tossed them over the top of the door along with the other rejected clothing items. “Easy for you to say!” she replied. “You’ve got a husband who loves your body. I’m going on a date with a guy I’ve never met and I don’t know if he likes his women extra fluffy.”
“Try that blue dress on again.”
“And look like a Cadillac in a plastic tarp?” Sapphire snorted. “No thank you. I’ll wear the black skirt with the orange, green, and purple flowers—” She heard her friends gasp in pure horror and poked her head out of the dressing room. “What?”
“That pattern is absolutely atrocious. It should be illegal.”
“Most of my clothes are flowers and plaid and…ok, I see your point. Maybe a new wardrobe won’t be a bad thing?”
Tilly smiled kindly. “We aren’t telling you to change, Sapphire, we just want you to try something new. This is the first time you’ve ever gone on a date and first impressions are everything.”
“Why would I want to be with someone who doesn’t think I’m just as beautiful in sweatpants and a tank top as I am in an evening gown?” she grumbled. “We’re doing a nature walk for charity, so I have to be a bit comfortable.” Her words were once again met with sounds of disapproval. “What now?”
“A nature walk for charity?” Jenny asked. “While it’s very admirable, it isn’t exactly the ideal way to spend a first date. Most people want a place they can talk privately and get to know the other person.”
“Says the woman who invited Dorian to a smoky blues bar.” Tilly shook her head and searched through the racks of clothes in the boutique to find something appropriate for Sapphire to wear on her date. “Destiny and Jenny might not approve, but I do. The walk will give them plenty of time to talk if they go off of the path.”
