"You love it, too," I said as the women took a tour of the office, guided by some of the men.
"Do I?" He watched his friends with an amused expression and rubbed his hands together for my benefit. "What are we waiting for? Let's get this ball rolling."
I grabbed his arm. "Give it a minute. Let's see how this plays out. Who gravitates toward whom."
"Trying to see if you guessed right with your first shot at matches?" He may have been teasing me, but he was watching the men and women with excitement, too.
"Watching people you're hoping to pair meet for the first time is both instructive and thrilling," I said. "There's nothing else like it. Most of the time I'm not at the first meet. I only hear how it went later.
"When I first started out, I put together singles events. I learned a lot about people and how to match them at those. I still like the high of watching people meet like this. It never gets old."
"No one's approaching me," he said.
"Of course not. You're an odd combination of the boss and the grand prize. And you're with the coach," I said. "They're afraid of me. Which is ridiculous. I'm only here to help. But they don't see it that way yet. They're still afraid their skills aren't up to par. It's much too daunting to go after you in front of me."
"I should mingle—"
I blocked him with my arm. "Hold on. Give the other men a chance first. You and your reputation and money already overshadow them. You need to give them a head start."
I watched the crowd flow and the expressions of delight over the offices. "See anyone who captures your fancy?"
He picked out a blonde. "That one."
"Vanessa?" I pursed my lips and nodded thoughtfully, patting myself mentally on the back. Vanessa was the woman I intended to set him up first with. "You have exceptional taste. She's beautiful. Intelligent. Talented. Ambitious."
Our heads were still bent together.
"What do you think?" I said. "Is she the one? Consider your answer carefully."
He laughed. "Is this a trap? I like what I see. But I have to meet her first. Physical attraction is only one part of compatibility."
I laughed, too, enjoying this game. Partly because I felt the sparkle of sexual tension and teasing play between us. As if we were each testing the other and trying to provoke jealousy. "Good answer."
"I picked her out as soon as she stepped off the plane," he said. "When do I get to know her better?"
"Soon," I said, watching as little groups of women formed around each man. And others helped themselves to coffee. Watched as the women shot quick looks at Lazer when they thought no one was looking.
As I observed, I was pleased with myself. Lazer might have been the big prize all these women dreamed of. But they weren't displeased with the other men. Not at all. On the contrary, their eyes were wide and excited.
Yes, I'd gotten it right. We'd see how right once the actual dating started.
Only one of the women had headed to the wrong man, as fair as matching was concerned. Danika, what are you thinking?
I looked up at Lazer.
"How's it going?" he said.
"Perfect."
He looked at me, waiting for permission to be let loose as Mr. Charming on the suspecting and eager group of women.
I looked heavenward and shook my head, laughing softly. "All right, go." I grabbed his arm as he started to step away. "But be subtle and gentle. Mingle with all the women. And absolutely no asking Vanessa out now. You know the drill. I make the matches. After the meeting is over, I'll touch base with everyone and set people up. Before you ask Vanessa out, it's my job to determine whether she's interested in pursuing you or not."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Shut up," I said. "It's a possibility." An exceptionally slim one. "Don't get cocky." I shook my head and released my grip on him, watching as he sauntered into the room and began introducing himself.
Damn, he was smooth. But then I knew that. It was one of the things I liked about him. And hated.
Chapter 6
Ashley
After the meet-and-greet, the meeting part of the morning flew by. Excitement over the app ran high on both sides. The women were ready and eager to hit the Seattle nightlife and see whether my claims about Seattle men were true. They were looking forward to being courted like princesses and treated like queens. Several of them shared horror stories about walking into Manhattan bars and hotspots only to find they outnumbered available men by ten to one. They vented their frustrations about trying to find a place to meet men in New York, where there were at least almost enough men to go around.
The men shared their frustrations from the opposite side of the coin in Seattle. Almost immediately, the two groups hit it off and I could feel the camaraderie. They understood each other. Sympathized with each other. And were bonded by a common struggle. They morphed into a team almost immediately before our eyes.
I sat on the sidelines like a proud coach at the start of a new season. This team could do it. This manner of matching might just work even better than I'd imagined. Maybe my darkest fears wouldn't come true.
I saw a similar glimmer of excitement in Lazer's eyes.
Lazer and Austin were in charge of the app side of Pair Us. They explained to the women the experiment, the parameters, the scientific testing, and the way the beta was going to work. The women asked questions—very intelligent questions, I must add. But then, they would. Some of these women were as gifted at programing as the men were. The others were intelligent and interested. The men had ready answers and took copious notes on their suggestions and concerns.
Then the men installed the app on each woman's phone and explained the features and how it functioned. I watched as the men gravitated once again toward helping the women I'd hoped to match with them. Yes, I was good.
As the meeting broke up, I caught Lazer. "Still interested in her after getting to know her?"
"More than ever."
He was just taunting me now.
I kept my cool and smiled as if I was pleased. "Good. I'll talk to her and see if the interest is mutual. Expect my call later."
"I'll be waiting by the phone."
I laughed. "Please. Your phone's always on you."
He grinned. "Point taken. Should I have said, I'll be waiting with bated breath?"
I nodded. "A Shakespearean phrase. Much better."
"My embarrassment is suddenly abated." He grinned and walked away, leaving me with my heart racing.
That afternoon the team—both men and women—met with a media specialist for media training and coaching. Tomorrow morning, we were going to be featured on Northwest Mornings with host Sheri Carmichael. In the evening we were scheduled to film our first segment in a series for Seattle's top-rated local evening entertainment show. The segment would air tomorrow evening. It was important to present our mission in the best possible light.
The media training session lasted a little more than an hour before we headed back to the apartment complex to prepare for the evening. I began my matchmaking immediately by calling in the first women I wanted to match with the men. I met with them one on one in my living room, rather than in the Pair Us offices—I favored a relaxed, calming environment for these meetings—to get their impressions and find out whom they were most interested in.
The scientific aspect of this experiment and venture was dawning on me more and more. I got more and more excited by it. How many matchmakers ever had this kind of opportunity? What could I learn that would help me dominate the world of matches and enduring love? Further, what could I learn by playing this game of love with Lazer, where every game piece was a piece of my heart?
Naturally, I called Vanessa in first. After all, as the one footing the bill, Lazer was my top-priority client. Though I imagined the care I was putting into finding his match would have given him nightmares.
But this was nothing, really, to what I could have done, how I could have matched him if I hadn't been constrained by my Manhattan match pool a
nd women who were eager to give Seattle a try. That was the catch. Finding a match for anyone was challenging. Finding one for a billionaire was doubly so.
This was also my greatest test as a matchmaking professional and businesswoman. Could I put my personal feelings and bias aside? Imagine setting up another woman with a man you were in love with. A man you dreamed about. Couldn't get out of your mind and heart. Wanted beyond reason. A man who was your perfect match.
As much as I had stressed to Lazer how incredibly lucky he was, I was, too. Or maybe I was cursed. Anyway, back to my point—could you do it? Without subtly sabotaging things from the start? Without your heart breaking? Without giving your true feelings away?
Fortunately, Lottie was right there with me. But would she see what I was up to? That this was just another move in my game of love with Lazer?
When Vanessa knocked on my door, Lottie let her in and showed her into my living room. I had changed into jeans and a sweatshirt, and sat on the sofa with my legs curled beneath me. I was trying to give the impression we were old friends about to engage in some girl chat. I wanted her to be honest with me.
I'd told Vanessa, and all the girls, to change into something casual for our meetings. To relax and enjoy the little downtime we had between meetings, beta testing, public appearances, and, most importantly, dating. Vanessa had only approximately taken me at my word. She had changed into jeans, but still wore an expensive blouse and jewelry. While I was barefoot, she wore tall, spiky heels.
I didn't bother standing to greet her. Instead I offered her a seat with a sweep of my arm. Lottie had set a tray of beverages on the coffee table in front of us. I encouraged Vanessa to help herself.
Vanessa was one of those women other women love to hate on sight. She was thin, blond, and had cleavage that drew the male eye like candy. Her skin was pale and flawless, completely devoid of freckles, age spots, wrinkles, sun damage, or any other kind of imperfection known to mankind. Her makeup was applied perfectly. Her perfume was dabbed on in just the right quantity. Despite all this, in Manhattan, she was nothing special.
She was part of the group of women who'd aged out of being viable for good matches in Manhattan. She'd put her career and herself ahead of domestic life too long, and was now eager to correct her mistake.
Her voice was smooth and sensual, yet confident and commanding when she wanted it to be. I'd originally met her at one of the singles events I'd arranged back in the day. At the time, she hadn't been ready to settle down. She was still too busy climbing the corporate ladder. Or maybe storming it was a better way to describe her. She'd come to me last summer, begging me to help her just a month before I'd lowered my upper age limit, which would have put her out of my client base. Grateful for the way she'd supported me in the early days by faithfully attending my events and drawing in the men, I grandfathered her in.
Here was the whole rub of this situation—I liked Vanessa. I really did. Maybe that shouldn't have been surprising, given we were both closely matched on compatibility points to the same man. We had a lot in common. Some would say too much, especially if you included our desire to catch Lazer. If either of us had had more leisure time to pursue friendships, and Lazer was out of the picture, we could have been the best of friends.
I felt for her, sympathized with her, and cursed the fickle nature of the male species with her. We'd had drinks together, meetings together, talked about her dates after. I knew her as well—better, actually—than I knew my longtime friends. Which was what made this so difficult.
The intersection of business and personal was one of the most dangerous places in this business. You know how nurses who deal with the terminally ill have to continually remind themselves not to get too attached to their patients or they'd never be able to do their jobs? The same was true for matchmakers. If I became too close to my clients, I lost objectivity. As their friend, I couldn't be critically and bluntly direct about what was holding them back from finding the partner they wanted.
Unfortunately, I didn't learn this until too late, long after I met Vanessa. Also, I wasn't, in this case, unfortunately, a robot or the Tin Man without a heart. I had one that was often too tender.
So why had I decided to take Vanessa along with me to Seattle? Couldn't I have refused?
Not when she wanted so desperately to come. Not when she matched Lazer the most closely of anyone in my client base. Not when, as a friend, I wanted her to be happy. So what was I trying to prove with this? And why did Vanessa always have to look so damn perfect and be so nice?
I crossed my fingers, figuratively, at least, that I was doing the right thing. That this wouldn't blow up in my face. As well as she matched Lazer, and as much as I thought they'd get along, matchmaking wasn't an exact science. The tests, and my gut feeling, couldn't always detect exactly whether those few misses on the compatibility scale would be deal breakers.
Deal breakers, too, varied throughout life. If either party wasn't really ready to settle down, minor annoyances that could be overlooked by a serious partner-seeker could end a relationship with great potential before it had a chance to bloom.
So far, my gut feeling that Lazer would be attracted to her had been right on the money.
I smiled at her. "What do you think of Seattle? What did you think of my men? You're not sorry already that you've come?"
Her face lit up. "Sorry? Are you joking? The city is lovely. And the men…" She laughed softly. "The men."
I nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. They were adorable, sweet, hot, everything a woman could want. "Glad to hear it. Wait until you hit the nightlife scene here. You really won't be sorry you came. You definitely won't. I spent one of the most fun weeks of my professional career scoping it out." And also made one of the worst mistakes.
I pushed that aside. "There will be plenty of chances to meet many, many Seattle men. This city is full of eager men."
I smiled reassuringly. I'd done this so often with clients that my smile was almost a reflex. "Before we left Manhattan, I made it clear that there is no obligation to be matched with any of the men on the team. But if you were to be interested in one…"
She met my eyes, her expression sharp and alert. "Are you asking me if I am? Is one of them interested in me?"
She was definitely interested in one of them. That much was obvious.
I took a deep breath and steeled myself. "Yes. One expressed definite interest."
I had been upfront with all of the women before we left New York that dating the team members would be perfectly acceptable, even encouraged. That I had performed my matchmaking magic and determined that many of them would be well suited to the men on our Seattle team. That this would have to be acceptable to them if they agreed to be part of the Seattle experiment. I had even warned them that these adorable men, who were used to a tough dating scene with few choices and many women who made little or no effort, would be exceptionally susceptible to their charms.
Vanessa's face lit up again, but she looked the slightest bit apprehensive. She hoped the same man she liked was interested in her. "Are you going to tell me who?"
I kept a sly smile plastered on my face. "You're very lucky. Like you always are. Very lucky. Lazer has expressed his interest."
Her apprehension disappeared. I would have said she relaxed, except that now she tensed with happy anticipation and utter eagerness. "Really?"
"Would I lie?"
"Naturally not." She laughed, and I had the feeling she had to resist the urge to clap like a delighted little girl.
"And just as naturally, with every upside comes a downside." I paused. "You've been to enough of my singles events to have seen this for yourself. The other women are going to be horribly jealous. I don't have to remind you that all of them are dreaming of marrying a billionaire."
I took another deep breath. "Though some of them would be disastrous with Lazer. I wish they'd see that happiness in a relationship shouldn't be predicated on money and status as much as on mutual com
patibility—"
"Which means you think I am compatible with Lazer?" There was so much hope in her voice and eyes.
Why did the room seem short on oxygen? Why was my chest so heavy?
I nodded. "Yes, absolutely." I leaned toward her. "It's one of the reasons I asked you to be part of this. I thought of you from the first."
She looked like she wanted to jump up and do a cartwheel. She was that pleased that I'd thought of her. She had that much faith in me as a matchmaker. I should have been flattered. So why wasn't I? Why did I feel like a fake? A liar. A backstabber.
"Are you prepared to be ostracized by the other women because of your good fortune?" I didn't want her walking into the situation without realizing what she was up against. All's fair in love and war was a popular saying for a reason. As a matchmaking professional, I'd seen all's-fair ugliness in action too many times. "Being the first woman matched with Lazer won't make it easy on you around here—"
"I'm used to other women being jealous." She paused and laughed at what she just said. "Or, rather, I was before I moved to Manhattan and got out of my twenties." She burbled so happily that she sounded like a girl again.
I didn't have the heart to tell her that she hadn't thought all the ramifications through. That while being the first one up gave her first shot, the odds weren't in her favor for a host of reasons. The usual ones, of course, the ones I had nothing to do with. I was a good matchmaker, but very few first matches took for the long haul. It was just a fact of life and human nature.
People liked to shop around for the best value. They wanted to make sure that what they "bought" was the best they could do. After a couple of matches, people usually settled down. And then there were the things I was in control of.
If Vanessa had taken the time to think cynically and like a cool-hearted, calculating businessperson, she would have realized that it wasn't in the best interest of Pair Us to have its only billionaire client taken out of the pool immediately. That we wanted him in there for a decent amount of time. Was it my duty to point this out, though?
Dating Lazer: A Jet City Billionaire Romance (The Billionaire Matchmaker Series Book 4) Page 6
