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My eyes budge at her question and I look down and see that there is a mixed drink sitting in front of me. Cassie must have ordered it for me, knowing I would need it. I pick it up and take a drink and the vodka burns on its way down. But it’s a welcome reprieve.
“I’m gonna guess he totally does because when I first ran into him, when Layla was brought up, he got the lusty eyes,” Cassie tells Stella.
Stella makes a noise of excitement while I take another drink.
“I don’t know what you guys are talking about, but this isn’t a thing.”
“It totally is.” Stella smirks.
“Heck yeah, it is,” Cassie adds with way more excitement than necessary.
“Whenever he was around you in college, he had that same look in his eyes when he looked your way,” Stella says.
“You like saw him three times, ever.” Leaning my head to the side, I give her a look of disbelief.
“Doesn’t mean the lusty eyes weren’t noticed.” She shrugs her shoulders. “But for real, why will dating him never happen? He’s obviously single. So are you.”
Cassie’s hand shoots up. “Oh! I know, I know! Pick me, pick me.”
Stella points at her. “Cassie, go ahead, share with the class.”
I shake my head at their antics.
“She won’t date him because he’s a client,” Cassie says, narrowing her eyes toward me. “Am I right?”
“You are.” I push my straw around in the glass with my finger.
“But isn’t he Ruth’s client?” Stella asks.
“Doesn’t matter. He’s a client of Happily Ever After, so that makes him a client of mine in the overall scheme of things,” I tell them and can’t help but realize there’s a tinge of sadness in my voice.
My besties pick up on it and their teasing tones fall away.
“I disagree with this wholeheartedly, though,” Cassie tells me. I glance away from my drink, finding kind eyes and a warm smile. “I mean, technically, Theo was sort of a client and look how that worked out.”
Stella nods at Cassie’s last point. “Cole is Ruth’s client. She brought him on in an unconventional way and you two have history. I think you should pursue him,” she offers. Then her eyes widen in excitement. “Or you could ask Ruth to match you. She could do that, right?”
“Ooooh. Yes, Ruth would pee her pants if you let her match you. I’m not a matchmaker, but I guess she’d send the two of you on a date right off the bat,” Cassie agrees.
“Plus, if it doesn't work out, he’ll just be matched up with another, right? Oh, I have a question about this whole matchmaking process. When you match someone, do you match them with multiple people at the same time?”
Thankful for the subject change, I pounce on her questions. “Well, it depends. Sometimes we have a match we think is a good fit, so we have the client date them until they either decide to make it exclusive and date outside our service or they don’t feel like it’s a good match. But a lot of times, we have several potential matches and pretty much throw them all at the client at the same time and see what sticks.”
Cassie lets out a big laugh and Stella looks thoughtful as she mulls over my answer.
“Phew, that liquor works fast,” Cassie says, repeating my “throw them all and see what sticks” comment.
Stella doesn’t let me off the hook just yet, unfortunately. “But you and Cole could be a match. Ruth just needs to know you’re interested?”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t think so. I would have known it already if we were a match.”
“Psst. I hear Ruth tell you all the time that you can’t match yourself.” Cass looks smug.
“People find their true loves all the time on their own. I agree to disagree.” I take a longer pull from my glass.
Stella chuckles. “I think that’s more of a matchmaker rule. Matchmakers can’t match themselves.”
Cassie points to Stella. “Bingo.”
