My alarm went off and I sighed. “I guess it’s time to get this over with.” I stood. “Wait, since you were playing me this whole time, do I have to go on these last two dates?”
Courtney pushed me. “Go. Just get it over with.”
I took a seat at a table near the bar. My phone buzzed, and I read the incoming text.
Bliss:Please put some lip gloss on.
Frowning, I glanced around the bar. Courtney was still sitting alone, looking down at her phone and typing furiously. I craned my neck to check behind the bar. No Bliss, no Blake, and no Dallas. Curious, I typed:Where are you?
Her response came seconds later:Don’t worry about it. Just do it. And fix your hair, chile.
I did as I was told, applying a fresh coat of lip gloss and smoothing a hand over my head. I checked my reflection in my compact and dropped everything back in my purse.
“Is this seat taken?”
My head popped up, surprised to see Maddox standing there looking like a dark chocolate treat. “What are you… How did you know I was here?”
He sat down across from me. “I had a little help.”
I knew it. I leaned forward. “Tonight, or the whole time?”
“The whole time,” he told me. “Bliss has been giving me all of your date information. It was up to me to decide when orifI wanted to show up.”
I shook my head. “That girl… I had a feeling she was behind this.”
“She’s good at what she does,” he said with a shrug. “I can see why she’s a successful matchmaker.”
“I know. She gets on my nerves, but I love her to death.”
A short guy approached the table timidly. “Are you Sloane Wilson?”
Maddox glanced over his shoulder at the man. A wide smile spread across his lips. “She definitely is,” he said.
“Hi,” the stranger held out his hand, “I’m Jordan. My mother goes to the same church as Bliss’ parents.”
I didn’t shake Jordan’s hand, but I did greet him with a smile. “Hi.”
Jordan eyed Maddox tentatively. “Should I come back?”
“No,” Maddox and I said simultaneously. Then, we both laughed.
Maddox turned to Jordan. “She’s good, man. You can go now.”
Jordan backed away slowly, never taking his eyes off Maddox. “Okay. It was nice to meet you, Sloane.”
I waved at him. “You too. Bye.” The poor guy practically ran out of the bar. “I think you scared him.”
“He should be scared,” Maddox said. “Trying to date my girl.”
I love the sound of that. Because I was certainlyhisgirl. “I do have another date, though.”
“No you don’t,” he informed. “You’re done. I’m dates nine and ten. And eleven. And twelve. And every other date after that.”
“Are you sure about that?” I folded my arms over my chest. “You know I prefer twenty-minutes dates. Will that be enough time for you?”
He smirked. “I can get the job done in twenty. But I do like to take my time.”
The promise in his eyes made me want to pull him out of there and let him give me a sample in his rental car. But I said, “Sounds good. I think I can pencil you in. Before we skip to the main course, though, can I say something?”
