Chapter 4
FOUR
T he sleek private jet cut through the clouds, its engines humming softly as it carried Chaos and Baxter toward New York City. Chaos sat in one of the plush leather seats, his laptop open in front of him as he reviewed the quarterly reports. The numbers were good - better than good, actually - but he couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that something was missing.
Baxter’s voice broke through his musings. “You planning to call that matchmaker when we land?”
Chaos glanced up, realizing he’d been staring blankly at the screen for the past few minutes. “I haven’t decided yet. Part of me still thinks this whole idea is insane.”
“What’s insane is letting your parents railroad you into a loveless marriage,” Baxter countered. “At least give Gerri a chance. What have you got to lose?”
“My dignity?” Chaos muttered, but there was no real heat behind the words. Baxter was right. This might be his best shot at avoiding the fate his parents had planned for him.
As if summoned by his thoughts, Chaos’s phone buzzed with an incoming call. He glanced at the screen and groaned. It was his sister, Tia.
“Chaos!” Tia’s voice was shrill with excitement as soon as he answered. “I know you said you couldn’t make it to Vanessa’s dinner party, but I have the most amazing news!”
Chaos pinched the bridge of his nose, already dreading whatever was coming next. “What is it, Tia?”
“Vanessa’s moving the party to Saturday night instead of Friday! Now you can come!” Tia sounded as if she’d just announced world peace rather than a change in party plans.
“Tia,” Chaos began, his patience wearing thin. “I appreciate the thought, but-”
“No buts!” Tia interrupted. “You work too hard, big brother. You need to get out and socialize more. Vanessa’s been asking about you, you know. I think she really likes you.”
Chaos barely suppressed a growl. Vanessa Hartley was exactly the type of woman he was trying to avoid - a social climber who saw him as nothing more than a meal ticket and a status symbol.
“I’m sure she does,” he said dryly. “But I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. I have other plans.”
“What plans?” Tia demanded. “You never do anything but work.”
“I have a meeting,” Chaos lied smoothly. “A very important meeting that I can’t reschedule.”
Tia huffed in frustration. “Fine. But you can’t avoid the social scene forever, Chaos. People are starting to talk.”
“Let them talk,” Chaos replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ve got to go, Tia. The pilot needs me to turn off my phone for landing.”
He ended the call before Tia could protest further, tossing the phone onto the seat beside him with a frustrated sigh.
Baxter, who had been pretending not to eavesdrop with all the subtlety of an elephant in a tutu, raised an eyebrow. “Trouble in paradise?”
“Tia’s trying to set me up with her friend Vanessa again,” Chaos explained, his lip curling in distaste. “That woman is a nightmare. All she cares about is money and status. I’d rather date a cactus.”
“Sounds like exactly the kind of woman your parents would approve of,” Baxter observed. “You know, if the cactus doesn’t work out.”
Chaos shot him a glare that could have melted steel. “Not helping, Bax. Unless you’re volunteering to be my date to Tia’s next disaster dinner?”
Baxter held up his hands in mock surrender. “Sorry, boss. I don’t think I could pull off the arm candy look. But, hey, if you don’t want to end up with Vanessa the Viper or Cactus Carla, you might want to take matters into your own hands. Starting with that call to Gerri Wilder.”
Chaos leaned back in his seat, staring out the window at the clouds drifting by. If he didn’t do something soon, he’d find himself trapped in exactly the kind of empty, loveless marriage he’d always dreaded. Probably to someone who thought The Real Housewives was high art.
“All right,” he said finally, turning back to Baxter. “As soon as we land, I’ll call this Gerri Wilder and set up a meeting. But if this turns out to be some kind of scam, I’m holding you personally responsible. Hope you look good in a tux, because you’ll be my plus-one to every mind-numbing charity gala for the next decade.”
Baxter grinned, clearly pleased with himself. “Fair enough. But trust me, boss. I have a good feeling about this. And if it goes south, I promise to be the prettiest arm candy you’ve ever had.”
The rest of the flight passed quickly with Chaos diving back into his work to distract himself from thoughts of matchmakers, arranged marriages, and Baxter in a ballgown. By the time they touched down at JFK, he’d managed to review all the quarterly reports and draft a preliminary strategy for the upcoming board meeting. He’d also mentally designed Baxter’s hypothetical gala outfit, complete with tiara.
As they disembarked the jet, the hustle and bustle of New York City immediately enveloped them. Chaos breathed in deeply, savoring the energy of the city. There was something about New York that always invigorated him, sparked his creativity and drive. That, and the smell of street hot dogs.
A sleek black town car waited for them on the tarmac. As they slid into the back seat, Chaos pulled out his phone and pulled up the contact information Baxter had sent him earlier.
“Geraldine Wilder, Paranormal Dating Agency,” he read aloud, shaking his head slightly at the absurdity of it all. Before he could talk himself out of it, he hit the call button.
The phone rang twice before a warm, slightly husky female voice answered. “Paranormal Dating Agency, this is Gerri speaking. How can I help you find your perfect match today?”
Chaos cleared his throat, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically nervous. “Yes, hello. This is Chaos Amato. I was hoping to set up a meeting with you to discuss your... services.”
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and Chaos could have sworn he heard a soft chuckle. “Chaos Amato, as I live and breathe. I’ve been wondering when you’d call.”
Chaos blinked in surprise, shooting a confused look at Baxter. “You... were expecting my call?”
“Let’s just say I had a feeling,” Gerri replied, a smile evident in her voice. “I’m actually in New York this week. How does tomorrow afternoon work for you? Say, 2:00 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton?”
“Tomorrow at two,” Chaos repeated, quickly running through his mental schedule. “That should work. I’ll be there.”
“Excellent,” Gerri said. “I’m looking forward to meeting you, Mr. Amato. And don’t worry - I have a feeling we’re going to find you exactly what you’re looking for.”
Before Chaos could respond, the line went dead. He stared at his phone for a moment, unsure of what to make of the strange conversation.
“Well?” Baxter prompted. “Did you set up the meeting?”
Chaos nodded slowly. “Yeah. But it was... weird. She said she’d been expecting my call.”
Baxter’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? That’s interesting. Maybe she’s psychic or something.”
“Or maybe this is all some elaborate setup,” Chaos growled, his natural suspicion reasserting itself. “For all we know, she could be working with my parents or the pride elders.”
“Come on, boss,” Baxter said, rolling his eyes. “Not everything is a conspiracy. Give it a chance, will you? What’s the worst that could happen?”
Chaos didn’t answer, his mind already racing with possibilities. He’d built his success on always being two steps ahead and anticipating every possible outcome. But this... this was uncharted territory.
As the car wove through the busy streets of Manhattan, Chaos gazed out at the towering skyscrapers and bustling sidewalks. Somewhere out there, he mused, his perfect match might be waiting. The thought was both exhilarating and terrifying.
They arrived at AmTech’s New York office, a gleaming tower of glass and steel in the heart of Midtown. As soon as Chaos stepped out of the car, he could feel the shift in the air. Employees hurried to open doors and clear his path, their respect and fear palpable.
Chaos straightened his shoulders, slipping easily into the role of the powerful CEO. Whatever doubts and uncertainties he might have about his personal life, here in the realm of business, he was completely in control.
The elevator whisked them up to the top floor where Chaos’s New York office awaited. As they stepped out, his assistant, an efficient-looking woman named Sarah, hurried over with a tablet in hand.
“Mr. Amato, welcome back to New York,” she said, falling into step beside him. “The development team is ready for you in Conference Room A. They’re very excited to show you the latest prototype.”
Chaos nodded, his mind again shifting into work mode. “Thank you, Sarah. We’ll head there now. Can you make sure we’re not disturbed unless it’s an absolute emergency?”
“Of course, sir,” Sarah replied, tapping something on her tablet. “Oh, and your sister called again. She said it’s urgent that you call her back.”
Chaos suppressed a groan. “I’m sure she did. Tell her I’m in meetings all day and I’ll call her back when I can.”
As Sarah hurried off to do his bidding, Chaos turned to Baxter. “Ready to see what the team’s cooked up this time?”
Baxter grinned, his eyes lighting up with excitement. “Always. Let’s go see the future, boss.”
They strode into the conference room where a team of eager young engineers and designers waited. The air buzzed with nervous energy as Chaos took his seat at the head of the table.
“All right,” he said, leaning forward with an intensity that immediately commanded everyone’s attention. “Show me what you’ve got.”
For the next several hours, Chaos immersed himself in the world of cutting-edge technology. He listened to presentations, asked probing questions, and offered suggestions for improvements. This was where he truly shined - in the realm of innovation and progress, pushing the boundaries of what was possible.
As the day wore on, however, Chaos found his thoughts occasionally drifting back to his upcoming meeting with Gerri Wilder. Despite his best efforts to focus solely on work, he couldn’t shake the feeling that tomorrow might mark a turning point in his life.
By the time the last meeting wrapped up, the sun had long since set over the New York skyline. Chaos stood at the window of his office, gazing out at the twinkling lights of the city.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Baxter’s voice broke through his reverie.
Chaos turned to find his friend leaning against the doorframe, looking as tired as Chaos felt after the long day of meetings.
“Just thinking about tomorrow,” Chaos admitted. “I can’t shake the feeling that I’m walking into something I’m not prepared for.”
Baxter crossed the room to stand beside him, clapping a hand on Chaos’s shoulder. “You’re Chaos Amato. You eat ‘unprepared’ for breakfast. Whatever this Gerri Wilder throws at you, I’m sure you can handle it.”
Chaos nodded, grateful for his friend’s unwavering support. “You’re right. I’m probably overthinking this whole thing.”
“Probably,” Baxter agreed with a grin. “Now come on, let’s grab some dinner. I’m starving, and I know this great Italian place nearby that makes a risotto that’ll knock your socks off.”
As they left the office, Chaos cast one last glance back at the city spread out below. Somewhere out there, his future was waiting. And for better or worse, he was about to take the first step toward it.