She laughed.
The sound sent a burst of warmth shooting from him. “You’re enjoying this one.”
Hadley nodded. “It’s one of my favorites. The actors have great chemistry. And it’s such a sweet story.”
The other two movies had been “sweet,” too. She obviously had a type she preferred. One that he shouldn’t find too surprising given what he knew about her. But that made him wonder why she was still single.
“You’re a romantic at heart. You’re a skilled matchmaker,” he said. “Why aren’t you dating anyone?”
Her gaze traveled from the television to him. “Don’t you want to finish the movie?”
He would have expected to be talked out after his appointment, but Dr. Alvarez’s questions brought out others. Ones for Blaise to answer eventually and some he wanted to ask Hadley.
“Let’s take a break.” He paused the movie. “Need more tea?”
Angling her shoulders toward him, she raised her mug. “I have enough.”
“Hungry?”
“Not after that dinner.” She touched her stomach. “The lasagna was to die for.”
“The tiramisu is waiting for us in the refrigerator.”
“And we’ll get to it, but I need a break first or I’ll explode.”
“So, dating?” he asked.
“I thought you might have forgotten the question.”
“Never.”
She took a sip. “I’ve had little luck with relationships, so I took a break from dating and it keeps getting extended.”
“Why?” He studied her. She wore no makeup. Her complexion was still pale, but her cheeks had a rosy color to them. Her hair was tangled. “You’re smart and beautiful. Kind. And compassionate.”
Gratitude flared in her eyes. Hadley stared over the lip of her mug. “Please, go on.”
Blaise laughed. “I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
Except he could hear the humor in her voice. “Does living in San Francisco make dating harder? Or is it your family?”
“It’s a few things.” She stared at the fireplace, but her gaze was unfocused. “I may possess a gift for finding the perfect spouses for clients, but I’ve had zero luck myself. I’ve tried, but I fell for men who weren’t…transparent.”
“What happened?” Curiosity removed any hesitation he may have had asking.
Turning her attention to him, Hadley raised a brow. “You want the gory details?”
Yes. He’d take names, too. But admitting that might be rude. “How about you give me the condensed version?”
She took a breath and then blew it out. “They…used me.”
His hands clenched. “They?”
“I wish it had been just one.” Hadley half laughed. “You think someone cares about you the same way you do about them, but all they really want is something from you. It…hurts.”
Her words hit like a left hook. Blaise’s muscles bunched. He forced himself to breathe. “I want something from you.”
