The handle rattled. “Hold on.” He unlocked the door with a flip of his wrist, and pulled it open. “Hi, Meghan. Sorry about that. I forgot I’d locked it. What do you need?”
“Everything is taken care of with Rusty’s owner. He apologized and gave me this for you.” She held out an envelope.
His brow furrowed as he tore into it. “Did he say what it is?”
She shook her head. “Only that he knows you’re a fan.”
Ben slid out two tickets to a Mariners game. “Excellent!” Maybe Mitch would be able to go with him.
Meghan smiled “That was nice of him.” She spun around, took a step and stopped. “Oh, I forgot to mention, I’m officially going into the matchmaking business, so if you need help finding a date to take to the game, I’m your girl.” She walked out of his office, her shoes slapping against the tile floor.
A date to a game? He hadn’t considered bringing a woman along, but maybe he would if Mitch wasn’t free. He checked the date of the game and groaned. Forget Mitch or finding a date—he couldn’t go. He’d promised Jeremy he’d talk with his 4-H group that same afternoon.
“Why the long face?” Meghan called, darting past his office door.
The woman reminded him of a butterfly the way she flittered around the clinic. He poked his head down the hall. “I can’t go to the game. It conflicts with another obligation.”
“Bummer. Guess one of your friends is about to become lucky.” She flashed a smile then disappeared around the corner into the waiting area.
He shook his head and stuffed the tickets into his pocket. His parents might enjoy the game. With an extra bounce in his step, he got to work.
For a Monday, the day was turning out all right except for one thing. The thought of his parents brought to mind their push to provide them with grandchildren, which in turn, reminded him of Meghan’s new matchmaking business. He couldn’t believe he was actually considering employing her services. The world must have turned topsy-turvy, because for the first time in a long time, he actually liked the idea of having a girlfriend.
* * *
Meghan grabbed her bag. What a day! It was definitely a Monday.
“Meghan.”
She looked over her shoulder and spotted Dr. Young.
“Do you have a few minutes? I’d like to discuss your new business venture.”
“What business? Oh! You mean Personalized Matchmaking by Meghan Black. Do you think my title is too long? I thought about having business cards made, but I’m not sure.” She’d picked up a few nonpaying clients over the weekend, figuring she needed to prove herself before anyone would pay for her services. They all happened to be women—friends of friends. She could really use a few men on her client list. She squared her shoulders.
His face flushed. “Err, yes, and I don’t know about the title. It is a mouthful.” He looked over his shoulder as if someone might be listening. “Maybe we could discuss this in my office.”
“Sure.” She did her best to keep a straight face, but on the inside, she bubbled over with excitement. The women who’d contacted her were all local and might be perfect candidates for Dr. Young.
He sat and folded his hands, resting them on his desk. “So what do you need from me?”
“Well, I already have a couple of ladies in mind for you.”
He shifted in his seat. “You don’t even know what qualities I’m looking for.”
Meghan pulled out a questionnaire she’d created and slid it across the desk. “I need you to fill this out.”
He raised a brow then scanned the paper. “Okay. But this isn’t going to tell you everything you need to know.”
“Then maybe you could fill in the blanks.” She grabbed a pen and notepad from her bag and prepared to take notes. “I’m ready when you are.” She flashed him an encouraging smile.
He nodded. “First and foremost, she must be a committed Christian with a heart for the Lord. That is nonnegotiable.”
“Okay. What else?” She already knew that thanks to Keira. Meghan had hoped he wouldn’t be firm on that issue, but clearly it was a deal breaker. She might need to resort to drastic measures—like visiting a church to find Dr. Young his match, or...no she couldn’t do that. Then again maybe it would be the answer to her dilemma. She planned to impersonate him on one of those online dating sites, but could she really pull it off?
“I don’t know. I’ve never given it much thought.” He skimmed over the questionnaire again and jotted a few things down.
“Perhaps you prefer blondes to brunettes, or maybe redheads are your thing?”
He shook his head. “No. I don’t care about hair color.” He rubbed his chin. “She should enjoy animals and sports. It’d also be nice if she could cook, but it’s not essential.”
Meghan looked up from her notes. “Okay. Between the questionnaire and my notes, I have enough to get me started. I’ll let you know when I find someone. You can call her yourself and set up the date or I can take care of that for you.”
“I’ll do it.”
She dropped the notepad and pen into her bag and stood. “Thanks, Dr. Young. I appreciate the confidence you’ve placed in me.” Without waiting for a reply, she hightailed it out of the clinic before he could change his mind. Finding a match for Ben wouldn’t be easy, but her idea was foolproof, if she could pull off her plan without getting caught.
She hopped into her Jeep and drove straight home. It was girls’ night at her place, and for once, it appeared she would beat her friends there. She rushed inside and straight to her room. There was no time to waste. She had to do this before she lost her nerve. A moment later, she sat on her bed with her laptop, searching online matchmaking sites. Finally, she found one that was appropriate. Twenty minutes later, the deed was complete.
The replies to Dr. Young’s profile would be sent directly to her. She’d filter them and reply in his name—perfect! He’d never know she couldn’t matchmake on her own. She logged off and then quickly changed into sweats. Good thing the girls were late, or she wouldn’t have had time to finish the posting. But now she was becoming antsy. Why hadn’t anyone shown yet? She ambled into the kitchen and filled a glass with ice and water.
A knock at the front door had her sprinting to answer it. She pulled it open and drew her friends Sidney and Allison inside. Each of them carried a takeout bag from McDonald’s.
Allison thrust the sack at her. “I know it’s not pizza, but we were running late and McDonald’s was faster. There are several salads in there to choose from.”
“It’s okay. Come in. I’ll get my wallet. Thanks for having a Plan B.”
The girls kicked off their shoes and plopped onto the couch.
Meghan hustled into her room and snagged a five from her wallet, which would cover her share. She zipped back into the front room and gave Allison the money.
Her friend pocketed the cash. “Thanks. Where’s Cassie?”
Meghan pursed her lips. “I don’t know. I’ve been running since I walked in and didn’t even notice she wasn’t home.” She glanced at the whiteboard in the kitchen where they usually left each other messages. Too bad she hadn’t thought to check it sooner. “Oh, Cassie won’t be here. She was called in to work and has the late shift tonight.”
“Cassie was on movie duty,” Sidney said.
Allison grinned. “No problemo.” She pulled Breakfast at Tiffany’s from her purse. “I grabbed it on my way just in case. I love this movie.”
Meghan shrugged. “Works for me if that’s what the two of you want to watch.”
Allison and Sidney nodded.
Meghan settled into an easy chair and pulled the lid off her salad. “Salad, first, then hot, buttery popcorn.”
Sidney started the DVD then dropped onto the couch. Meghan ignored the movie and studied her friends while chewing her
salad. Each of them was fun and attractive in her own way. Allison’s blonde bob framed her face and her clothes fit to perfection. Sidney wore her long, wavy hair free about her shoulders and almost always sported holey jeans.
Allison, Sidney and herself were all near or past thirty and still single, which made no sense to her. Technically, Sidney had been married, but only for a few days. She’d had her marriage annulled and, to this day, she’d never shared what had happened. Meghan sighed and focused on the TV. About two hours later, the movie ended and they all stretched like cats. She’d gotten so interested in the story she’d forgotten to make popcorn, but her friends hadn’t complained.
Sidney was the first to the door. “See you next week. I’ll bring the movie.” With a wave, she exited the apartment.
Allison cleared her throat. “Do you have a few minutes to talk?” Her face blazed red and she stared at her feet.
“Uh, sure.” Meghan perched on the easy chair.
Allison eased onto the couch and licked her lips. “I have something I want to tell you. I already told Sid and she thought it was cool, so I hope you aren’t bothered by it.”
“Spit it out. What could be so awful?”
“Oh, it’s not awful at all. In fact, it’s the best thing ever. But I’m not sure you’ll think so.”
Meghan frowned, but stayed silent.
“It’s like this. A friend of mine from work invited me to her church a million times, and I finally said yes about a month ago. I really liked it and have been going every week since. This past Sunday, I gave my life to God.” She leaned forward when Meghan didn’t respond. “Well?”
“That’s it? Uh...good for you. I’m not one for religion, but if it makes you happy, that’s wonderful.” She snapped her fingers. “That gives me an idea. But first, do you like sports?”
“You know I do.”
Meghan viewed Allison with critical eyes. “You’ll do fine. I already know you love animals.”
Allison frowned. “What are you mumbling about? I’ll do fine...for what?”
Meghan quickly explained about Dr. Young. “What do you think? Interested?”
“Ben goes to my friend’s church. In fact, he teaches the adult Sunday school class I’ve been attending. I’ve never spoken to him, other than to say hi, but he seems like a nice man.”
Meghan clapped her hands. “This is perfect. Can I give him your number?”
“I don’t know. The idea of dating my Sunday school teacher is kind of uncomfortable. If it doesn’t work out between us it could make things awkward at church.”
“It’d only be weird if you allowed it to be. You’re the only Christian I know, and you meet his other requirements. Please...” She drew the word out. “Oh wait. What about cooking? Do you cook?”
She shook her head. “You know I don’t. I eat out or do frozen dinners most of the time.”
Meghan waved a hand. “Doesn’t matter. Feeding him isn’t a deal breaker. Please say yes. It’s only one date.”
Allison wrinkled her nose. “I don’t know. Other than welcoming me to the class, he hasn’t acknowledged my existence. I don’t think he’s interested.”
“That’s because he doesn’t know you. Trust me.” She could see her friend wavering and held her breath.
“Okay. I guess.”
Meghan’s breath came out in a whoosh. “Perfect! My first match.”
“Hold on. We’re not a couple yet. You can’t claim we’re a match unless we become a couple.”
“Fine. I’ll give him your number, and we’ll see what happens.” But she knew it would work out between them. After all, Allison was beautiful and met his requirements.
“You know, if you started coming to church with me, you’d meet a lot more Christians and some may be interested in your matchmaking service.”
Meghan stuck her tongue out and nudged her friend gently toward the door. “Believe it or not, I’d already thought of that.”
Allison laughed. “Okay.” She gave Meghan a quick hug before she left.
Meghan locked up then gathered the garbage littering the room. Going to church only to help her business seemed wrong on so many levels. Then again...
Chapter 8
Meghan glanced at the clinic door for the fifth time in five minutes. When would Dr. Young arrive? She’d checked his online profile this morning. Several women had replied, but none had been quite right for him.
Keys rattled in the lock and she jumped out from behind the counter. This had to be him—Emma and Dr. Harding never showed up early—they always scooted inside minutes before the clinic opened.
Dr. Young stepped in and closed the door, wiping his feet on the rug. He looked up and their eyes locked. “Good morning?” he said slowly.
“I’ve been waiting for you.”
He crossed the space with a few strides. “Then I take it you found me a date.”
Meghan nodded, but her earlier excitement at finding him a good match faded at the frown marring his perfect face. Ack, she couldn’t be thinking about Dr. Young like that. Perfect face or not, he wasn’t right for her. But the blue in his eyes appeared richer than usual and drew her like a butterfly to a flower.
“Come to my office and tell me about her.”
Meghan followed and filled him in on Allison’s best qualities. She sat in the chair he offered then held out her phone to him with a picture of her friend.
He leaned against his desk and crossed his ankles. His frown deepened, and he sighed. “She’s lovely.”
“Then why do I feel like I handed you a death sentence?”
“May I be honest?”
She nodded. “I find honesty works best for all concerned.”
“Good. Here’s the thing. I don’t date often. School used to take all my time, then I started this business, and then my dad’s health scare. Life has gotten in the way of my personal life for years, and I feel as rusty as a hinge that’s been left in the rain for decades.”
“That’s honest, but you’re a great catch. Look at you. You’re successful, handsome, kind and great with animals.” She tucked her suddenly shaking hands beneath her legs—she’d said too much and her cheeks burned as evidence.
He chuckled. “Thanks. You know how to boost a guy’s ego.”
Meghan thrust a slip of paper with Allison’s contact information into his hand. “I believe you know her. She attends your Sunday school class.”
His brow rose. “Really?” He studied the picture again. “I thought she seemed familiar. Hmm, I’ll give her a call tonight.”
“Great!” Meghan smiled and dashed from his office. Her heart thundering, she ended up in the lot behind the building. As she breathed deeply of the cool mountain air, the tension in her shoulders eased.
After a few more slow deep breaths, she felt as normal as could be expected on the heels of what she’d said about Dr. Young being a great catch—which wouldn’t have been such a big deal, except that she had meant every word. Meghan realized she was jealous of Allison and her impending date with Ben. This was bad—very bad. When had that happened? Hadn’t she said he was boring and old? Had she been lying to herself?
What was she going to do? Ben was a client. Off-limits. Yes, that was it—he was off-limits. She was a rule follower. Granted, she’d just made up that rule, but it was her business, and she could make whatever rules she wanted, whenever she wanted.
The door to the clinic opened, and Dr. Harding peered out, annoyed. “What are you doing standing out here? I need you inside.”
She looked at him blankly.
“Now.”
His words broke through her muddled brain, and she stood at attention. “Sorry. I needed some air to think.”
“Are you finished?”
“No, but I’m ready to work.” S
he ignored his smirk and strode past him with her head held high.
* * *
Friday morning, Meghan arrived at the veterinary clinic thirty minutes early hoping Ben would be there to tell her about his date. She’d called Allison last night, and her friend had been enamored with him, but she wasn’t sure how things had gone in the end.
Allison was a little miffed that Ben hadn’t suggested another dinner date. Meghan assured her it wasn’t as bad as it might seem since he had admitted to being out of practice when it came to dating. Well, maybe not out of practice, but he didn’t date often.
The door swung open before she even had time to turn on the computer. “Good morning.” She placed her hands on her hips. “Well?”
He fumbled with the lock on the door then whirled around and tripped on the rug, but managed to regain his footing.
She rushed around the counter. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. One of those days.”
“I’ll make coffee.” She busied herself with the task, worried for the first time that Allison might have been right about her date. Ben didn’t seem overly happy this morning, and if he had any romantic notions toward her friend, wouldn’t he have a little extra bounce in his step?
She grabbed two mugs and filled them, adding creamer to both, then snagged a couple packs of sugar before carrying everything to his office.
He looked up from a file. “Thanks.” He reached for the mug and poured a pack of sugar into his coffee.
Meghan sat and sipped the brew. She’d seen on some TV cop show that when you want someone to talk, the best way to get the person to open up was to be quiet.
“I overslept and missed my run and my coffee.” He brought the mug to his lips, sniffed the rich brew then took a swallow. “Mmm, perfect. About last night. Allison’s nice and attractive like you said, but I didn’t feel any connection with her.”
Meghan let out her breath in a whoosh. “That’s okay. I’ll keep searching.” Her matchmaking skills obviously needed work, but she would find his true love sooner or later. She worried for her friend, though. Allison had really liked Ben.
A Match for Meghan (Heartsong Presents) Page 6
