Amelia shifted the laptop so everyone could see the screen. “Now listen while I explain. The application process for eRapport is a little complicated because their goal is to match compatible people with similar interests. They’re upfront about being a site for people who want more than physical relationships. They have a whole slew of questions you’ll both need to answer.”
“What kinds of questions?” Rae asked. “I’m really protective about what I post about my kids online.”
“Don’t worry, hon. You get to choose what prospective dates will see. For them to match you with the right people, they need to know things like what you think of yourself, how romantic you are, your core beliefs. That kind of thing. They’ve evaluated a lot of statistical data about conflict in relationships. And that conflict comes from where?” Amelia grinned and held up both of her arms. “Areas where a couple isn’t compatible. Go figure.”
“Wow, Amelia. I can’t believe you know all this.” Dylan said, more than a little impressed she’d taken the time to check it out.
“I told you I’ve been researching it with my daughter.” She looked at Dylan. “You remember my youngest who left her drunk husband? Well, when her divorce was final last month, we started checking out all the sites, and this is the one she settled on.” Amelia opened a browser and typed in an address. “They require people to work a little bit to get to know each other first. Two people are required to have exchanged twenty communications—not only emoticons—before the system will let them share any pictures. They work really hard to stop the catfishers.”
“The what?” Rae asked.
“People who create fake accounts and pretend to be something or someone they’re not,” Amelia said.
“You haven’t heard of catfishing?” Dylan asked, surprised.
“I’ve heard of it.” Rae’s cheeks went that adorable pink he loved so much. “I’m not totally ignorant. I just don’t remember it being called that.”
“Oh, honey, there have been catfishers long before the internet made it so easy to fool people. Now, Dylan,” Amelia said, “fire up your laptop so you two can do this together.”
While he retrieved it, she shifted to the end of the table and indicated he should sit next to Rae. He did as he was told; he’d prefer to sit beside her anyway.
“Let me know when you have the site up.”
“Got it,” he said.
Amelia slid Rae’s laptop to her.
“Wait,” she said. “You’ve already started filling this out for me?”
“Only the basics.” Amelia held up a finger. “Remember, I was helping my daughter and needed someone I could plug in. I knew you’d be dealing with this eventually anyway, what with Jason asking questions about you—”
“What?” Rae asked, looking irritated. “When was he asking questions about me?”
Dylan gritted his teeth to keep from saying anything and took it out on his keyboard.
“Only the last little bit,” Amelia said. “Well, he did ask me about you right after he started with us, but that was last summer right after you’d lost Mike. I made it clear you were in mourning, and he’s respected that. Which is something that lifted my opinion of him.”
Dylan had to fight back a surge of alarm and reminded himself that Amelia was onhisside. But what if she accidentally sent Rae into the arms of another man? Like Jason Lee.
“I know neither of you think you’re ready for this, but all we’re going to do is let you get your toes wet. Like I said, this is an opportunity to meet some people you’d probably never have met otherwise. You both need to be exposed to people outside of your children and your good-looking neighbors.”
Rae met Dylan’s gaze, the corners of her mouth twitching. His neck muscles relaxed.
“Now,” Amelia continued, “I always told my teens it was important to date a lot of different people so they could see how they were treated by them. That applied to my boys as well as my girls.” She shot Dylan a meaningful glance. “When you both find someone you’d like to get serious about, they should treat you exceptionally well.”
“Like Micah treats you?” Rae asked.
“Exactly like how Micah treats me. I made the mistake of getting married right out of high school andnotto him.” Amelia’s face turned sad. “My parents didn’t get along well and fought all the time. They were the perfect example of two people who werenotcompatible. It was a tough house to grow up in, and I couldn’t wait to get out.”
“You married to get away from home?” Dylan asked. This was a side of Amelia he hadn’t known about. Ever since he’d started with the company, she’d been like a mother to him. He didn’t know why he’d always assumed she was naturally wise. It hadn’t occurred to him she might have gotten that way through the School of Hard Knocks. The term she’d used often over the years took on new meaning.
“That’s it exactly. He’d shown signs of a temper when we were dating but never toward me. After we were married, I also found out he was a mean drunk.”
“Did he hit you?” Rae asked quietly, covering Amelia’s hand with hers.
“Not at first, and when he did, I wasn’t expecting it.” Amelia’s face took on a pinched look Dylan had only seen a couple of times. Her throat worked, and it took a couple of seconds before she could continue. “See, I grew up in a home with a father who had a temper, but he was never physically violent. I guess I thought my first husband would be like him. The next day, he was full of apologies and promised never to do it again. I’d called my mother to ask about leaving him, but she said it’d be tacky to do it so soon, that maybe I should train him right.”
“You should have left.” Dylan wanted to find and hit the guy himself.
