“I have a cousin who’s a freelance writer for a magazine. Would you mind if I told him about your business?” Sandra dabbed at her lips with the serviette and placed it on the table. “He’s always looking for interesting stories to share. You’ve probably seen some of his work around. He’s quite well-known in certain circles.” She named a couple of magazine articles, but they had no idea who he was.
Alice and Crease shared a glance. “No, sorry. I’m sure that would be fine though. All the advertising we can get can only be a good thing, right, Crease?”
“Sure. I’m all for it.”
Alice stood. “Excuse me, folks. I need the ladies’ room.”
“I’ll come with you.” Sandra walked with Alice to the back of the restaurant. When they were in private, she took Alice’s arm. “I have to say thank you again. The change in Nash is amazing, and I have really good vibes about us being together.”
Alice put her purse on the counter and took out her lipstick. “I’m so glad, Sandra. You two look great together.”
“Just like you and Crease. Gosh, you make the cutest couple ever.”
Alice looked at her in the mirror. “Thanks. We’re great friends and get on so well. Did from the day we met, actually.” She filled in her lips, watching Sandra fluffing up her hair. “Looks like you and Nash are getting on really well too.”
“He’s such a gentleman. I really didn’t think I’d find anyone at my age.”
Alice put her lipstick away. “Can I ask how old you are?”
“I’m thirty-eight. Spinster almost. At least that’s what my mama calls me. Past the use-by date once I hit my thirties, in her opinion. It got harder and harder to date the older I got. It’s not nice being a middle-aged woman on the dating circle, Alice. Lucky you and Crease have each other and you won’t have to experience that sense of failure like I have.”
Alice turned. “It’s not a failure because you don’t get married at twenty-five. Lots of women put a career first. It’s a different world these days.”
Sandra moved closer to the mirror and patted her hair. “Yes, that’s true, but try telling my mama that. I’m not one of those women who wanted a career really. I wanted a home and a family of my own. I never met the right man.”
“Until Nash?”
“Will I sound needy if I say yes? Look, I know it’s early days and we hardly know each other, but neither of us is getting any younger. We don’t have the time to be fussy or silly about a relationship. I know what I want and I’m not going to play hard to get like a younger person might do. If I like Nash as much as I think I do, I’m going to do my best to make this work.”
“I believe you, Sandy. You have your head in the right place, but if you need anything, please let me know. I’d love to see you guys make a good go of it.” Alice picked up her purse, checking the mirror one more time. “Crease always says there’s someone for everyone out there, and I happen to agree with him. You just have to be open to recognizing that person when they cross your path.”
Listen to her giving out advice as though she knew everything. Was Crease the person for her? What if she ignored that little niggle and let him go? Would she find herself resenting her life when she hit her late thirties because her career got the better of her? Alice shuddered at the thought of being alone looking for love. How sad would it be for her, after helping set up a business that specialized in couples, to be single because she was too scared to put her heart on the line?
“Exactly. Just like you and Crease.” Sandra turned toward the door. “Shall we return to the boys? They’re probably wondering what’s keeping us.”
*
“She’s smitten with Nash,” Alice told him on the walk home later that night.
Nash had acted like someone without a care in the world after Sandra’s revelation. Crease admitted he’d never heard him talk so much in his life. As the evening progressed, he’d opened up about his father’s illness, how his brother and sister had gotten so angry with the way Nash’s father had treated their youngest brother Bradley and his wife that they’d up and left Marietta, swearing never to return while Pa was still alive. He touched on the work it took to run the ranch with only two of them left. Sandra had hung onto his every word, putting a few well-chosen comments in the conversation as the opportunity arose. When it came to discussing her career, she glowed.
“I love working at the library because books are my thing. I’ve loved them since I was a small child. If working there came to an end, I think I’d like to set up a bookstore and specialize in second hand and collectables. Do something different like you two have with your matchmaking business. It might be a good time for me to take up my other passion.”
“And what is that?” Nash asked.
“I like to write. Something I’ve been playing with over the years. I’ve written a few pieces for magazines and had them published. I often wonder if I could go one better and get a book deal.”
“I think that’s a great goal to work toward.” Alice chewed over Sandra’s comments. Everything she said made sense. People should go after their dreams, which was what Alice was doing. So why did it feel as though she was taking the easy way out where Crease was concerned?
The rest of the evening had raced past. Seeing Nash and Sandra becoming more and more smitten with each other left a gaping hole in Alice’s heart and she had no idea what to do about it.
Chapter Nine
“Alice Winter speaking.”
“Hello, Alice. Ryan Chandler here. My cousin, Sandra, gave me your phone number.”
Last night. Gosh, this guy was quick off the mark. “That’s right. She mentioned you. How can I help you, Ryan?” Alice kicked Crease under the table to get his attention from the screen he was glued to.
“I wanted to do an interview with you and your business partner. The sooner the better for me as I have a deadline looming and have nothing in the way of a good news story standing out as yet. I’m hoping you can give me what I’m looking for. How about later today?”
Alice put her hand over the phone. “He wants to do a story this afternoon. Is that good for you? Check your calendar.”
Crease nodded and gave her the thumbs-up.
She returned to the conversation. “Ryan, sure. That would be fine with us. Do you know where we are?”
“I certainly do. I checked you out online before I called in case my dear cousin had it wrong, being the romantic she is, but this time she was right on the money. I like what I see. How about three o’clock?”
“Sure. That suits us fine.”
“Do you mind if I bring a cameraman to take video as well as still shots? If the interview turns out well, I sometimes like to put it on my blog as extra content for my readers.”
Alice pulled a face. “Um, sure.”
After she hung up, Crease leaned back in his chair. “And?”
She rolled her eyes. “He wants to video us and if he’s happy with it, maybe put it on his blog.” That would mean changing clothes and making sure her makeup was perfect. Oh, boy. Why did it feel as though things were getting away from her? She wasn’t comfortable in front of a camera at the best of times, let alone a video recording. Even when she Skyped, Alice used an avatar instead of live feed.
“Great stuff. I can’t wait.” Crease jumped out of his chair and pulled Alice into a hug. “Between us, we’re setting the dating world on fire.” He started pacing the room, his excitement reverberating off him.
“Did I tell you another member of the ladies’ group has scored a second date with her man? She’s really doing well. So proud of her.”
Alice rested back in her chair, her nerves tightening with the impending interview. “It’s because you’re so good at what you do.”
He spun on his heel and pointed to her. “That’s because you nail down what these clients really want or need. If I didn’t have that, things would be different. We’d be going in blind with all the moves but no direction.” He clapped his hands together and
held his fingers to his lips. “This guy, Ryan. I think I should find out what I can about him. It could come in handy at the interview if we’re in the know. Is he married, single, in a relationship, or looking for one? Might be able to do a live setup while he’s here. That would give us so much more credibility, don’t you think?”
“Sure. But let me do it. It’s more my thing than yours.” It would certainly take her mind off performing in front of the camera, and gathering info was her version of adrenaline. She flexed her fingers. “Leave it with me.”
Two hours later, Alice shared a document link with Crease. “It’s in the database.”
“You’re a machine. Thanks.” Crease sat down at his computer and opened the file while Alice rocked in her chair. “Single, good. Bit of a show pony but that’s not the end of the world. He might need to tone down the bravado a bit, but at least he’s not a total recluse.”
“No. He has some good elements, but his style is a bit over-the-top for his personality. I think he’s overcompensating, trying to be as famous as some of his guests when he comes across as the quiet type at heart.”
Crease grinned. “You got it. This guy needs to let his true personality shine and he’ll be off the dating list for sure. He seems like a really nice guy once you get past all the flash he likes to push on social media. I think it’s scaring off too many of his type of women. It’d be hard to live up to what he puts out there.”
What about me, Crease? What do you see when you look at me? The nerdy Alice, the one who’s good with figures? But is that all you see?
What about the kind Alice, the one who hated to see people unhappy, because that was the real reason she agreed to go into business with him. How about the funny Alice? Quirky but serious Alice. Did he like her, too, or was it only her mind Crease liked best?
Tell me who my type is because apart from the first heady days of college, you don’t look at me like that anymore. Are you my type, Crease?
Wait. Don’t answer that.
*
Ryan gave his cameraman a nod. “One, two, three. Good afternoon, folks. Today I’m in the small town of Marietta to meet the one and only dating doctor, Crease Hansen, and the brains behind the operation, Alice Winter.”
The camera zoomed in on them and Alice stiffened beside Crease. He put his arm around her and pulled her close.
“Crease, I understand that your approach to matchmaking is very different from any other dating company out there. Give me a quick rundown of why you started this business.”
“It wasn’t anything I planned, Ryan. When I went away to college I was like any young guy, I suppose. Cocky and full of myself. Thought any girl would accept if I asked her out, but I was shot down so many times I was embarrassed. So, I started to find out why.”
Ryan’s lips twitched. “Care to share what you discovered?”
“My technique sucked, basically. I came on with too much bravado and not enough sensitivity. It was actually Alice who put things into perspective for me. She said, and I quote, ‘put it all on a spreadsheet, your misses and hits, and see what the common denominator is.’”
“Seriously?”
Alice perked up. Dare to question her data and she fired fast. “Yes, seriously.”
“I don’t quite understand. Surely it’s not that easy.”
“Not quite, but that’s the beginning,” she said. “When we take on a client, they fill out an information sheet, and that’s where I start to find their perfect type of match. I look at their social media, their lifestyle, and I determine the right type of people to target and what they’re doing that turns off that group. Crease is the one who helps them change their behavior if need be to become successful.”
Crease rubbed her back and she gave him a timid smile.
“So you can personalize a plan for any lovesick single?”
“Sure.” Crease leaned forward. “I can even tell you what you’re doing wrong after this interview, Ryan, if you want me to.”
Ryan’s eyes bugged and his mouth dropped open. “Really? How? I mean, I haven’t given you any information.”
“I looked at your social media pages and made a profile from that.” Alice gave him a smug smile.
He dropped a casual kiss on her curls. “Nobody does data like my girl here.”
“This is perfect. Tell me now. I want to know what the heck I’m doing wrong. I get plenty of dates.” He preened for the camera. “But I’ve yet to meet anyone who made me think of forever. Sorry, ladies.”
Crease proceeded to tell Ryan what Alice had told him earlier. Ryan appeared dumbstruck.
“So what would you encourage me to do if we had time to do a coaching session?”
“You’re targeting the wrong kind of women, for starters. You need to venture to quieter venues, ditch the bars where the celebrities hang out and go to more meaningful places. Like local concerts and art shows. Join a painting class if that’s where your passion is. Stop acting as though you want to be in the limelight all the time if what you really want is the quiet life. You can have a different lifestyle from your job. The two aren’t exclusive.”
“On your private social media page, you post more photos of your cats and your art than anything. Why do you think that is?” Alice tilted her head and smiled at him.
“Because I like my cats. They’re not judgmental. They like me just the way I am.”
“And so should the women you date. If they don’t, you’re dating the wrong ones.”
Ryan raised an eyebrow. “You’re the first person to say that to me.” He leaned back in his chair, his face a mix of confusion with a dose of annoyance thrown in.
Alice gripped Crease’s hand. “Sorry, but you did ask.”
Ryan’s gaze flickered up to her face, and he lifted his chin defiantly. “Yes, I did. And you’re right, of course. I’ll freely admit it. I may edit that bit out later when my ego gets the better of me if I decide to put it to air, but we’ll see.”
“Your call, of course, and we’d appreciate warning if it does go live. But that’s how our matchmaking service works. And if you’ve checked us out, you’ll know we have great results, don’t we, Crease?”
Ryan pursed his lips, obviously still miffed. “What made you take your passion for setting up dates to turn it into a business?”
Crease sat up straight. “Have you seen the divorce rate?”
“Hasn’t everyone? It’s becoming a ‘thing’ to be married as many times as you can squeeze in. At least for some people, it would seem.”
“I don’t like to talk about it, but I come from a broken home, so you could say I have experience and it motivated me to do all I can.” He took a breath as Alice glanced at him sideways. He’d never been comfortable discussing his childhood with anyone before, including her. But it was too late to back out now. “Do you have any idea what that does to a child, Ryan? Does anyone think of what’s best for the kids in the relationship these days, or are they all about their own feelings and what works for them?”
“I would think they’d take the children’s feelings into consideration. Don’t they?”
“Some do, yes, but not everyone. Egos and hurt feelings tend to get in the way. My father didn’t care. He walked away and we never saw him again. That left a big scar, and I had to do something about it. I don’t want any child to go through what we did. The dating doctor, as you call me, came about because it’s something I’m passionate about.”
Ryan leaned forward, a softer smile on his face now that the conversation wasn’t focused on him. “I like that it’s personal to you, Crease. And you, Alice, why are you involved? Is it because your boyfriend is?”
She took a breath. “I believe in it as much as Crease does. His intentions are good, and we know it works.”
“I have to say, when I first heard about you, I thought this might be a convenient love affair to boost your business, but I can see that it’s the real deal between you. Tell me more about how you met, and when’s the big day?�
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Crease hoped he could keep a straight face as he brushed over the truth and gave the reporter what he wanted to hear. “We started out as best friends in college. The first time I asked Alice out, she turned me down. She was the one who made me want to do better.”
“That’s so sweet, Crease.” Ryan sighed and fanned his face. “I hope I get as lucky as you two lovebirds. You say Alice turned you down. How did you get past that? Give our fans something to cling onto, a spark of hope.”
“Alice turned me down multiple times. At first it hurt, you know. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong. But once I started to chart it like she suggested, a pattern emerged and Alice realized how accurate it could be if we took it a step further with data mining. Not only was I full of myself, I was targeting all the wrong girls, with the exception of Alice. Because I was the quiet country boy, I figured that putting myself out there would be a good thing. But it wasn’t. None of my dates lasted beyond the one night.”
Ryan nodded, a pondering look on his face.
“So, a pattern eventually emerged, I analyzed it, and changed the people I approached. I joined more groups that suited my lifestyle. Math club, book club. Things that mattered to me.”
“And that worked?”
“Yes, Ryan. It did. And that was the beginning for me.”
Ryan winked. “And that was the beginning for you and Alice?”
Alice shook her head and so did Crease. “Sadly to say, no. We did stay best friends and it wasn’t until we decided to start the business that we really clicked.” Crease squeezed Alice’s hand. “Good things come to those who wait and plan. Especially if you know what you’re doing.”
Ryan sat back in his chair, a fixed smile on his face. Crease hoped that giving him a live lesson didn’t come back and bite them in the butt.
“Best of luck with the business and all the best for your future together.” He turned to his cameraman. “And that’s a wrap.”
Dating the Cowboy Page 8
