“So, you’re saying I should lower my standards?” he asked.
Veronica sighed. “I think the fact that you have what you considerstandardsis the problem. You can’t order your mate off a menu. They won’t fit into a mold you create before you even meet them. Your perfect match won’t be perfect. They will be the right one for you and you alone. Just like you will be the right fit for her.” She paused to take a breath. “I think you need to be open to the imperfections in others. Sometimes, those are the things we end up loving the most about our partners.”
Her words were true, and this particular truth hurt. As much as he would like to ignore that fact, Torin couldn’t. He’d vowed to always be honest with himself and never let success go to his head.
It seemed like he hadn’t kept that vow.
“You’re not wrong,” he finally conceded. “But I also don’t think it would be fair to continue with matches when I know I won’t have the time or availability to give a woman the attention she deserves for the next few weeks. When I return from my trip, I’ll call you and we can resume the process. When we do, I promise I’ll keep an open mind.”
There was a smile in Veronica’s voice when she said, “I think that’s an excellent plan. I hope your trip is productive and I look forward to talking to you in a few weeks.”
“Thank you, Veronica,” Torin said. “For everything you said today.”
She paused. “You’re welcome, Torin. And thank you for listening to what I had to say.”
“You were only being honest. While it might not feel great to hear the words, I know you’re helping me in the long run.”
“I’m glad,” Veronica replied.
“I’ll talk to you in a few weeks,” he said.
Torin disconnected the call and stared down at the phone in his hands.
A sharp knock on his office door brought his head up, and he saw Addie, his restaurant manager, standing in the doorway.
“Hey, boss,” she said. “We have to talk.”
He tossed his phone down on top of the messy pile of papers on his desk. “What’s up?”
“Delilah quit,” she said.
Torin winced. Shit, that wasn’t good. Delilah was one of the hostesses and she worked nearly every night.
“Did she tell you why?”
Addie sighed. “Phillip proposed and she’s moving to Austin as soon as possible. Meaning within the week because he has a friend who offered her a position at his restaurant.”
He’d known it was coming. He just wished she’d given him enough time to find her replacement.
“So, she’s not coming back?” he asked.
“She’ll finish out her shifts this week,” Addie replied. “But that’s it.”
“Fuck,” Torin groaned, letting his head fall back.
“I’m going to put out some feelers. Are you cool with me hiring someone while you’re gone?”
“Of course,” he said. “She’s our only full-time hostess. Helen and Julia can’t cover her because of their school schedules.” He dropped his head back down to look at Addie. “Just be sure whoever you hire knows they have a sixty-day probationary period. I want to be able to get rid of them if they’re not a good fit.”
Addie frowned at him. “When have I ever hired anyone who wasn’t a good fit?” she asked, sounding offended.
Torin had to admit she had a point. Addie had an excellent eye and she seemed to know when an applicant would be a good fit.
“Okay, you’re right,” Torin agreed. He was on a roll today, getting called out left and right. “A thirty-day probation period. Just in case.”
Addie rolled her eyes, but he saw her mouth twitch as though she was fighting a smile. His anal tendencies alternately drove her nuts and amused her.
“Fine, T,” she agreed. “But you can’t fire them for no reason. You have to give me a good one or they’re staying.”
