He choked on his own drink. “Judgmental?”
“Yeah. The way you like to live your life isn’t the only way, Torin. And it can’t be a comfortable way to live.”
“What would a flake like you know about that?”
“What makes you think I’m a flake?” she asked with a laugh. Oh, yeah, this guy hadpiece of workwritten all over him. Maybe he should have that added to one of his tattoos. She almost laughed again at the thought of how he might react if she was bold enough to say that to him out loud.
“You’re unemployed. You talk about people and places asexperiencesrather than meaningful additions to your life. And Veronica mentioned this was your sixth match in as many weeks, so it’s obvious you’re not really serious about finding a suitable partner.”
If she were any other type of woman, Nova would have been incredibly insulted by his assumptions. Instead, she couldn’t hold back a hoot of laughter. The hoot became a whoop and she leaned over, holding her stomach, as she tried to get the giggles under control.
Finally, she wiped a stray tear from her eye and met Torin’s gaze.
“I really hope you find what you’re looking for, Torin,” she said. “But it’s clear you haven’t found it in me. I would ask that you open your mind a little bit before your next date though because you drew a bunch of conclusions from random bits of information about me and they couldn’t be further from the truth.”
He was staring at her with his mouth open and his eyes wide, as though he were dumbstruck.
“I can’t say this was a great date, but I did enjoy getting under your skin a little.”
Nova finished her drink and saw the waitress was bringing the checks, so she took her wallet out of her little purse. That’s right, plural, as in two tickets. With a half-smile, Nova took the paper the woman held out to her, glanced at the total, and took out enough bills to cover her tab with an excellent tip.
“Thanks, hon,” she said to the woman, handing the check back. “Hope you have a good night.”
Nova put her wallet back into her purse, got to her feet, and hooked the strap over her shoulder. “Torin, it was interesting to meet you. Best of luck on your search for a suitable partner.”
He was still staring at her with those piercing blue eyes. “I’m afraid I can’t say the same.”
Nova shook her head and smiled. “That’s okay. I didn’t expect you to.”
She turned and walked away. As she wound her way through the tables to the door, she could still feel his gaze on her back.
She did genuinely hope he found the right woman for him. Even if he wasn’t right for her, everyone deserved to find their person.
Even if they were a piece of work.
ChapterTwo
Torin didn’t have time to deal with this, but he didn’t have a choice.
Veronica from Mystical Matchmakers had called him twice since the disastrous date three days ago. He knew he needed to call her back, but he wanted to calm down first.
Nova Eckhart had been nice to look at but she was a complete flake. She was also his third match through the service and, as far as he was concerned, the third strike.
The first woman they matched him with had interested him, but she didn’t return his calls after she found out he was a selkie. This was something he’d faced before. The sting wasn’t as sharp as it once was, but it was still there.
The second woman barely ate her meal, stating that she didn’t like most of the things on the menu or her plate. Torin understood there were picky eaters in the world, but he didn’t want to be in a relationship with one. He was a chef. It would drive him nuts if he couldn’t make delicious food because his girlfriend didn’t like ninety percent of the ingredients he would have to use.
Nova was the last straw. Sure, she was beautiful, with her light red-gold hair, bright amber eyes, and pale freckled skin. She had a good body, one with curves in all the right places. But none of that made up for her deficiencies. She was unemployed and didn’t seem to care. She was also staying with a friend, stating that she was “looking for her own place.” Torin didn’t believe that for a second.
To top all that off, she seemed to be amused by his reactions and she had the nerve to call him narrow-minded.
He wanted to cancel his membership with Mystical Matchmakers, but instinct told him to wait. While he considered himself a rational male, he was also borne of magic and he understood that sometimes he needed to trust his instincts more than logic.
This was one of those times. There was something inside him that insisted he not cancel his membership completely. But he was leaving town for two weeks and he wouldn’t have time to accept any more matches.
So, he was going to put it on hold.
Once he’d come to that decision, life seemed to conspire against him, keeping him too busy to make the call.
