“I don’t believe that either. Though of course I’m always happy to be special. You’re not the only one who’s a good judge of character. Let’s just say it’s an occupational hazard for both of us. And you, Rachel James, don’t like rules or people who talk down to you. You like to speak your mind. So don’t tell me you like harmony when you enjoy arguing with me so much.”
Heat crept up her throat. He was right. She did enjoy it. But…well, around him, she didn’t feel even the slightest desire to be perfect. He didn’t like her anyway, so she didn’t have to try to convince him otherwise. But other people...
“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re a secret people-pleaser,” he said incredulously. “Is that why you still wanted to please your last date? What a waste of your skills.”
“What skills?”
“Expressing your opinion. Defending others. Bringing a little more individuality into this gray world.”
She blinked, puzzled. “Was that…a compliment?”
“If you knew how much all those traits annoy me, you wouldn’t ask.”
Again, she laughed. She didn’t mean to, but…he was funny. She was opening her mouth to tell him she hadn’t even started being annoying when a shadow fell over her.
“Hey. Are you Rachel?”
She glanced up, surprised. For a moment, she’d forgotten she was on a date. But the man was clearly the guy from the Match Me! profile. He was tall and sinewy. He was better looking than she liked, but his smile seemed genuine… Oh, that was fine.
“Hey,” she replied pleasantly, standing and offering him her hand. “Yes, I am. So nice to meet you! I…”
“Hi, Connor. Nice to see you again,” a soft female voice said, distracting her.
Connor rose, smiled broadly…and Rachel’s stomach briefly churned. Because she was hungry. Just because of that hunger. “Mel, I almost didn’t recognize you without a Boston Cream donut in your hand.”
The woman laughed, and Rachel couldn’t help but stare with her mouth gaping at Connor. In the bakery – he’d met her in the bakery. God, the man could score a date anywhere.
“You were saying…?” Rachel’s date persisted.
“I’m hungry,” she concluded much too late, focusing again on Phil. Her date. The potential dream man with a sixty-three percent chance on Match Me! “I hope you are too!”
The person opposite her laughed – a pleasant laugh – and sat. “Oh, yes. I love this place. They make the best crepes.”
Loves crepes? Check.
A promising man, even if Rachel found it difficult to concentrate one hundred percent on him because, as he told her about his job as a cameraman for the next few minutes, she also learned that Connor’s date, Mel, was nothing to sneeze at, either. She was not only beautiful, but also a soldier. Tough, funny, intelligent, and interesting.
Shit.
Shit, shit.
“Is it true that Elijah Stone, that great woodworker, was your father?” Mel’s enthusiastic voice wafted over. It was way too easy to overhear her! And…seriously?
Her gaze flicked to Connor, who was looking at the drink in his hand. “Yes. That's my father.”
“He was brilliant! So, Allison Stone is your sister? She’s just as brilliant.”
“More so,” he said, his voice strangely firm as if that fact was important to him. “Allie is more brilliant.”
Mel nodded. “And you decided against becoming an artist?”
“Oh, I write full-time. Although I do make a new paragraph of almost every line.”
Rachel lowered her chin and smirked under the shadow of her nose. Mel laughed. Connor smiled, his eyes skimming his date’s dress. And something bitter settled in Rachel’s throat.
He liked her, didn’t he? And she liked him. Their conversation flowed naturally while her date felt one-sided. She just kept asking Phil questions. The job of a cameraman was interesting…but it didn’t occur to him that he could ask questions back.
How was that possible! Shebelievedin Match Me! Her questionnaire had worked for so many people. Why didn’t it give her dates with whom conversations were as carefree and easy as…well, as with Connor?!
