Chapter 1 #3
“Deal,” Rachel said tersely, holding out her hand.
She knew it was stupid. She knew she should just ignore his provocation.
But in the last few months, it seemed all she could do was lose — and she needed a win.
Besides, there was no way this man would ever find a woman who loved him!
No matter what methods he used! And she needed a push to get her life back on track anyway.
Why not officially end her stable-boy phase and start the Prince Charming project?
Maybe it would help her be…happy again. Get her life in order.
Find a home. She believed in love. Love at first sight, at first click, at second touch…
She believed it heals all wounds. And by God, she could use that.
“I’ve been wanting to try out our agency myself for a long time anyway, to work out any potential flaws. Why not kill two birds with one stone?”
“Um, Rachel…” Hailey said, alarmed, jumping to her feet. “I think we should discuss this with Maddie and…”
“Deal,” Connor echoed, taking her hand. Slowly, he wrapped his large, warm fingers around her hand, his eyes never leaving hers…and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Heat crept from his skin to hers, spreading rapidly through her body…
“Oh my God.” With a smack, Hailey’s hands landed on her cheeks, and Rachel hastily dropped Connor’s hand.
“You didn’t seriously just do that. You can’t just…
This is ridiculous!” she cried out in disbelief.
“You’ll both just pretend you’ve found your dream partner.
If necessary, you’ll hire actors to say they love you, and no one will be able to decide who the winner is!
You’ll have to wait years to see which relationship lasts longer! ”
“She’s right,” Connor muttered, narrowing his eyes. “We need rules so that the bet doesn’t go on forever.”
“No problem. Five candidates, male or female,” she replied calmly, because that was the average number of dates her clients went on to find their perfect match. “Whoever ends up with the most promising candidate wins.”
“But how the hell do you know who that is?” Hailey snapped. “Rachel, you can’t…”
“Izzie and Tara decide,” Connor replied coolly.
Rachel frowned. “Who are Izzie and Tara?”
Hailey ignored her. She was far too busy staring at Connor with her mouth open.
“You want Izzie and Tara to decide? Your best friends, who’ve seen you pick up more women than the AAA has seen cars?”
He stared at her darkly. “There haven’t been that many.
And it would be fair, wouldn’t it? They’re friends with you and Maddie, and they’re friends with Cian and me.
One believes in your bullshit, the other doesn’t.
You know full well they’ll make rational decisions.
And Izzie will check if we hire actors.”
Hailey blinked. “Well, yes, but…”
“Why will Izzie do that?” Rachel asked, confused.
“Because she’s a private investigator and extremely skeptical,” she said with a sigh. “She’d find out if you’re cheating. But I still think the idea is stupid! They’re supposed to just ask your new 'friends' if they love you or what? And the one who’s more convincing wins?”
“Yes,” Rachel and Connor answered simultaneously.
Because if Hailey trusted this Izzie and this Tara, she would too.
Hailey groaned. “Maddie’s gone for a morning and the world ends! Seriously, Rachel: Do you even want a boyfriend?”
She blinked. Well…not necessarily right now.
But just because it hadn’t happened yet didn't mean it couldn't still happen. In the long run, she definitely wanted to get married and have children. She had always known that. Why not change the long run to a short run? It would be nice to meet a man who wouldn’t bore her after a few months like her other relationships.
Someone who supported her, made her feel like she belonged somewhere…
“Sure. I’d really like to meet someone. Marriage, kids, the whole package,” she stated calmly. She turned to Connor and smiled sweetly. “What about you? Ready to leave your cynical bachelor life behind?”
He shrugged, unperturbed. “I wouldn’t mind a long-term relationship, if it’s with the right woman. Marriage is bullshit. But the right woman will know that, which is why I don’t see a problem with it.”
Rachel smiled. The man was so ridiculously full of himself that he could only fail. She would damn well make sure of that.
“Then we’ve figured it all out,” she replied sweetly.
“Oh, and one more thing: This is about a real relationship. Not about screwing around a bit and then utilizing whatever woman is sharing your bed. If you want to show that you’re serious about this, you’d better remain abstinent for a while.
Until you find the woman of your dreams. If I catch you with a woman who isn’t part of our bet… you lose.”
“Oh, that won’t be a problem. I’ve had enough sex in the last few months.” Smiling, he leaned closer so that she could feel his breath on her cheek. “Can you say the same about yourself?” he whispered. “Or why are you so terribly tense?”
The next moment, he abruptly turned and waltzed out the door.
Annoyed, Rachel snorted. She wasn't going to let him have the last word! “Hey!” she called out loudly, hurrying after him. “Good luck picking up women anywhere! These days it’s…”
“Hello,” he said, interrupting her to smile at a passing jogger. The jogger pulled her headphones out of her ears, surprised.
“Yes?”
Connor scratched the back of his neck, making his suit jacket stretch over his stupid biceps. “I’m Connor. Sorry if this sounds corny, but you’re incredibly beautiful. I…I couldn’t let you just run by. Would you mind giving me your number?”
The jogger blushed and brushed a sweaty strand of hair out of her face before laughing. “I’m so sweaty, how can you think I’m beautiful? But, why not? Give me your phone.”
Fuck.
Frustrated, Rachel tilted her head back and retreated to the dating agency. Hailey stood in front of her desk with her lips pursed and her hands on her hips, staring at her.
But before Hailey could get out the not-so-kind words that were probably on the tip of her tongue, the door behind Rachel opened and Maddie walked in.
“Rachel! You’re here!” she said breathlessly, smiling broadly.
Her little sister had always been brilliant at making you feel like a rare species that needed to be saved.
“Oh my God, you’re really here. I almost gave up on it because you kept postponing your moving date!
You were supposed to come at the beginning of the year!
” The next moment, she threw her arms around Rachel's neck and pulled her close. “I’ve missed you. It’s so good to have you back home. ”
Rachel swallowed, her eyes stinging as she returned the hug and gently rubbed Maddie’s back, like she used to when Maddie snuck into her bed during a thunderstorm.
She had missed Maddie too, the unconditional love that only Maddie could dispense, as generously as Connor Stone’s bad energy.
Even though she didn’t deserve it. Even though she had let them down. Both of them. Maddie and Lucy.
She had always believed that being far away from her family meant she would hurt fewer people.
But that wasn’t true. She’d caused just as much damage in Chicago, if not more.
And her therapist said that she’d only stop sabotaging her own relationships and feeling guilty if she talked to her family more often.
So here she was, back in Los Angeles. With her sisters, with whom she’d once been incredibly close, before everything in her hometown had become too much and she’d fled to Boston.
Before her mother had died and left her alone with her secrets.
“Hey, did I just see Connor leaving as I arrived? Oh dear.” Maddie pushed Rachel back by the shoulders and smiled at her apologetically. “What horrible thing did you do to receive such a nasty welcoming committee?”
Oh, Rachel could think of a few things. “It wasn’t that bad,” she assured her, which made Hailey burst into a coughing fit.
“It was a little wild,” she objected loudly. “You could say Rachel picked a fight with him.”
“Really?” Maddie looked at Rachel, astonished. “But you don’t pick fights with people. You’re always so…level-headed and reasonable.”
Rachel bit the inside of her cheek. Yes, that was the prevailing opinion. “He upset me,” she explained matter-of-factly.
“Oh yeah, he’s good at that. But what the heck. Whatever you said to him, he deserved it. My goodness. Not even two seconds back in town and you’re already fighting with the neighbors… I think you’ll fit in perfectly here!”
Rachel frowned. She wasn’t so sure about that yet.
“Did he complain about the sign?” Maddie asked, looking at her business partner.
“Yes! The sign I told you not to put up,” Hailey groaned. “I told you. Cian warned me that Connor’s patience was hanging by a single expensive thread.”
Maddie grimaced. “You know we need it. We generate most of our customers through them! All their super-rich clients get divorced and then sign up here because they’re convinced they’re obviously choosing the wrong partner and need professional help.
Without the signs, our sales would plummet.
Again. And with Tinder and Bumble, sales are already a bit…
let’s say, lagging. I was hoping that maybe you could change that?
” She batted her eyelashes at Rachel. “What if you join us full-time now? Although I must warn you that we pay poorly. Mostly with love and chicken eggs.”
“Oh, your sister has already taken the first steps in marketing. Tell her about the bet, Rachel,” Hailey said, pained.
Maddie looked at her, astonished. “What kind of bet?”