Just a Friend for the Lion (Uncle Uzzi’s Date to Mate #4)

Prologue Uncle Uzzi

From the Desk of Uncle Uzzi Stregovich

Magical Matchmaker Extraordinaire, Fated Mate Facilitator, Hope Dealer, and Proudly Confused Technophile

Hello, Lieblings!

It’s me again—your favorite old Witch with a crystal ball in one hand and a smartphone in the other.

I just returned from a delightful visit with my nephew Hank and his lovely mate Annabeth down in Blue Valley, and let me tell you, love is truly blooming like moonflowers after midnight.

Watching the two of them fuss over their growing family filled my heart with so much joy, I swear it nearly overflowed onto my boots .

But that’s not even the most exciting part.

While sipping my second espresso at a charming local café (yes, they had cinnamon sugar cubes—what a treat!), I happened upon an old friend.

You might remember him. Carter Leone— Lion Shifter, big as a truck, with a charming smile, a sharp jawline, and a long-standing allergy to anything resembling commitment.

He used to work for Hank’s Falcon Limousine Service, chauffeuring the rich, the magical, and the magically rich across half the East Coast.

But now?

Carter is relocating to Newark, New Jersey—my new favorite stomping grounds!

He’s decided to open his own limousine company, right in the city. Turns out he inherited a tidy little fortune from a distant relative and wants to turn it into something lasting.

Can you believe it? The cub who once refused to commit to a coffee order is now building a business from the ground up. I almost didn’t recognize him.

Naturally, the moment he mentioned Newark, my matchmaking senses tingled.

You know the feeling—the spark that tells you fate is winding up for something special .

A zing in the air.

A whisper in my third eye.

That unmistakable flutter of destiny stretching her wings.

Because— listen closely now —I also recently welcomed a brilliant young woman into my Date to Mate family.

Miss Marianne Jeanne Coppola. MJ to her friends and sisters. She’s the genius behind the recipes at Pizza Girls , Newark’s most enchanting pizzeria (and now my personal obsession).

Her marinara? To die for.

Her sausage arrabbiata? Don’t get me started.

The spice! The richness! The absolute perfection!

But behind the culinary magic, I see something more.

MJ is thirty, single, and bursting with the kind of magic no spellbook can bottle.

She’s independent, hardworking, and hiding a hopeful heart beneath layers of flour, sarcasm, and extra cheese.

Sure, she’s a normal, but with her sisters both mated to Shifters, MJ already has a leg upon the supernatural world. Oh, she is special this one.

Now, tell me, what are the odds that Carter Leone—a confirmed bachelor with zero interest in matchmaking—suddenly ends up just blocks away from the one woman who could challenge every belief he’s clung to?

Coincidence? Ha! Don’t insult me.

I’ve been doing this for a long time, Lieblings.

And while I may be a bit slow to embrace the trappings of the modern world (these app updates! Oy vey!), I have to say, Date to Mate has become one of the greatest magical achievements of my long, wand-wielding life.

I’m proud. So very proud. Because this little enchanted app of mine? It’s not just making matches— it’s making families.

Building bridges. Healing hearts.

I’ve watched jaded warriors, lonely Witches, single dads, and tired waitresses all find their fated mates with nothing more than a swipe, a spark, and a bit of faith.

So, what’s next?

Well, I have a plan. I always have a plan.

And this one starts with lunch.

A very special lunch.

At Pizza Girls, of course. I’m inviting Carter.

And I won’t leave until not-so-little Carter signs up for Date to Mate, even if I have to lure him with garlic knots and threaten him with glitter curses.

The future is magical, my darlings— and I, for one, am ready to swipe toward destiny.

With sparkles, sauce stains, and sincerity,

Uncle Uzzi