Miss Match (14 page)

Antonio shrugged. “This traffic isn’t moving.”

“I’m going to walk.”

“Are you sure? It’s just Luke. He won’t mind if you’re late.”

“He’s a client now, and it’s unprofessional to keep him waiting.”

Antonio looked like he wanted to protest, but nodded instead. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Brooke gave Antonio a quick kiss and jumped out of the car. She jogged to the sidewalk and started speed walking. She glanced at her cell phone. Eight minutes late. She uttered a curse and picked up her pace as she rounded the corner to Toujour.

A camera bulb flashed. “Miss Pierce,” a reporter called. “How will being Mr. Ryder’s matchmaker affect your personal relationship?”

“How does your fiancé feel about this?” another asked.

Brooke blinked, trying to school her face into a blank expression and hide her surprise. Well, the media had arrived. She ignored the reporters and opened the doors to Toujour, eager to get away from the chaos.

It wasn’t much better inside. Brooke looked around in amazement. There were eleven women and two men in the waiting room, and she didn’t recognize any of them. That meant they were new clients. Lianna talked on the phone, and Brooke could see from the blinking lights that three other lines were on hold. Several of the waiting clients held clipboards and were filling out their initial information. And Brooke thought they’d been busy when she left two hours ago. The transformation from yesterday was astonishing.

Brooke shook her head and made her way toward her cubicle. Phones rang throughout the office, and the chatter of voices filled the room. Brooke saw several matchmakers in parlours with new clients, probably doing initial profiles.

Luke’s dark hair was visible above her cubicle wall, and his and Zoey’s laughter floated toward her. “Sorry I’m late,” Brooke said.

Zoey smiled. “Luke was entertaining me with guesses of what kinds of women you’ll set him up with.”

“Ouch,” Brooke said, but she knew they were only teasing her. “I set you up with some good ones in high school.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “All girls I was totally uninterested in.”

“You’re difficult to please.”

“How’d the appointment with the wedding planner go?” Zoey asked.

“Fine,” Brooke said. If it was just Zoey, she’d talk about the gorgeous monogram that would be projected onto the dance floor and the way the fabric on the chair backers really complimented the table centerpieces. But she knew Luke hated hearing about the wedding. If she was marrying someone else, would he be so opposed? Was it the wedding he hated, or Antonio? “It took longer than I anticipated.” Brooke leaned around Luke, unplugging her laptop. “I’m ready.”

“We’re not doing it here?” Luke asked.

Brooke shook her head. “I scheduled Parlour Two. That’s the French spelling, of course.” She looked around the room. “Good thing I did. Already you’re bringing in business.”

“I’m glad.” Luke followed Brooke. “So everything’s good with the wedding, huh?”

Brooke glanced back at him.
Why is he asking?
“Yep.” Brooke had approved the final save the date, in fact, and the planner had assured her they’d arrive at her apartment in no more than a week so she’d have time to address and mail them. She wanted to give the Italian guests plenty of time to make travel arrangements. “Here we are.” She stood back and let Luke enter the parlour. It had two overstuffed arm chairs and a sleek, modern-looking coffee table. Quotes about love and relationships were stenciled on the walls.

“Love is friendship set to music. Joseph Campbell.” Luke raised an eyebrow. “Do you believe that?”

Brooke shrugged. Her spine tingled, and she felt inexplicably uncomfortable. “A solid friendship is usually the basis for a good relationship. Most of the couples I match develop a friendship before they develop a romance. Of course, there has to be a mutual physical attraction as well.”

“And do those couples last?” Luke sank into a chair, and Brooke followed suit.

“I have a pretty good retention rate. But I’ve only been in the business a few years.” Brooke opened her laptop and pulled up the questionnaire under Luke’s profile.

“You sound like you expect the couples to break up.”

Brooke glanced up. “That’s not what I meant. Yeah, a lot of people do break up. But it’s a choice, just like staying together is. The problem with couples today is they give up too easily. When things get tough, they bail.”

“I couldn’t agree more.” Luke’s eyes drilled into hers. “But I know you, Brooke. You’re not a quitter. You don’t give up when something is hard.”

Brooke shifted in her seat uncomfortably. “Are we talking about my relationship history, or are we talking about relationships in general?”

Luke leaned back in his chair. “Generalities, obviously. I meant you don’t give up on your clients.”

“Oh. Well, everyone has that perfect match out there. It just takes some searching. After a first date, it’s usually obvious if a couple will be compatible or not. Most of my couples who make it past the third date end up together long term.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “Huh. I didn’t know that. What do you think makes some people work and others not?”

“It’s intangible. That something you can’t put your finger on. When things don’t work out, it’s not necessarily anyone’s fault. It just means it wasn’t meant to be.”

“And who do you think I’m meant to be with?”

Suddenly it was hard to swallow. “I guess we’ll find out.” Brooke focused on her laptop screen. “I already filled in all the basics for you—name, age, occupation, that sort of thing. Hope you don’t mind.”

He put a hand to his chest in mock horror. “I thought only a client could fill out this questionnaire. Isn’t that what you told me last night?”

She rolled her eyes. “I can delete it all and we can start over.”

“No, no.” He sniffed dramatically. “I can tell you’re trying to get rid of me as quickly as possible.”

And there he was—a glimpse of the old Luke. Brooke grinned. Maybe this matchmaking thing would be good for him after all. “Okay, first question. What qualities are you looking for in a partner?”

“Oh, that’s easy. Someone hot.”

Brooke burst out laughing. “And what exactly is your definition of ‘hot?’”

“I’m looking at it.”

Brooke’s laughter died. Her cheeks heated, and she looked away. “Be serious.”

“I am.”

“Luke, you can’t tell me I’m hot.”

“Why not? It’s true.”

“Well, because . . .”
Because Antonio would hate it. Because I’m glad you find me attractive.
“Because I’m engaged.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “Being engaged doesn’t diminish your hotness. It’s not like there’s a
rule
against complimenting you.”

“Maybe there should be.” Her heart pounded.

“We don’t want to mess up our lucky number fourteen by adding another rule.”

“Fourteen isn’t a lucky number.”

“Relax, Brooke.” Luke motioned to her laptop. “Honestly, I want someone compassionate. Someone loyal. I want a girl who cares more about others than she cares about herself. Someone who likes me for me and not for my money.”

“That’s a pretty generic answer.”

He shrugged. “I could make up something better.”

Brooke quickly typed out the answer and moved on to the next question. “How long do you feel a couple should be in a relationship before entering into an engagement?”

“Is that seriously a question?”

“Yeah, I know. Kind of a weird one. But you’d be surprised how often that becomes an issue—one person wants to move quickly and the other one wants to take things slow. So what is it?”

“Eight years. That’s how long we’ve known each other, right?”

Brooke’s fingers curled against the keyboard. What was with him today? “Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Stop flirting.”

“Why?” He leaned forward. “I like flirting with you. We always flirt.”

“Not like this we don’t. And we especially shouldn’t now. I’m getting married
.
”

He sat back in his chair, jaw clenched. “I couldn’t possibly forget that—you remind me every five seconds.”

Brooke closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “You’re out of line, Luke.”

“Admit it—you like
me this way.”

“That’s it, I’m making a new rule. Rule #15—no flirting when one of us is in a serious relationship.”

“Define ‘serious.’”

The man was impossible. “I think an engagement would qualify.”

Luke rubbed his jaw. “You can’t make up a new rule whenever you feel like it.”

“I just did.” She couldn’t make her toe stop tapping against the floor. Her laptop bounced on her lap with each tap. “I think we should get back to the questionnaire. Now answer the question—how long should a couple be in a relationship before they get engaged?”

Luke glowered. “Fine. But know I’m not accepting Rule #15 as a real rule.”

“Yes. You. Are.”

He ignored her. “Here’s my real answer—I think it depends on the situation. When it’s right, it’s right, and we’ll both know it. Maybe that’ll take a few months. Maybe it’ll take years.” He held up his hands. “I don’t know. Don’t you think that depends a lot on the couple?”

“Fair enough,” Brooke said, breathing easier. What had that been all about? Had she overreacted with instituting a new rule? Luke always flirted, and it had never bothered her before today.

Forget about it and focus on the job at hand.

“How many children do you want?” Brooke asked. Then she laughed. “Three, of course.”

“Same as you.”

Brooke nodded. “Same as me.” Antonio on the other hand wanted at least five. Somehow she knew that if they moved to Italy, he’d end up winning that battle. “Okay, this question is kind of random but actually says a lot about someone.” Brooke held back a grin. “If you won a million dollars today, what would you do with it?”

But Luke didn’t laugh. “Nothing. I would stay right here in Los Angeles, with my best friend and Ryder Communications. All my millions mean nothing without those two things.”

Brooke’s hands stilled. “If you keep bringing me up, these girls are going to run for the hills. They’ll think we’re an item. It’s bad enough the press is constantly speculating about our relationship.”

Luke shrugged. “If a girl can’t deal with the fact that you’re a permanent part of my life, she isn’t the one for me.”

“I feel the same way. About guys, I mean. But a first date isn’t the right time to bring it up.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Was that what this was all about? “Luke, I do feel that way. You’re my best friend, and that’s never going to change. Once we’re married, Antonio will feel more secure in our relationship, and the press will hopefully back off and stop spreading wild rumors about you and me.”

“Or they’ll spread even more. Only this time I’ll be cheating with a married woman in their gossip columns.”

Brooke rolled her eyes. “They’ll get bored of the story eventually.”

“Maybe.” He motioned to her laptop. “So what happens after we finish this questionnaire?”

“I’ll run your profile through the database and the computer will populate matches. Then I go over each profile in detail and pick the girl I think you have the highest chance of success with. I’ll talk to her matchmaker, and if everything looks good, we’ll set up your first date. That could take a day or two—we’ve had twenty women sign up this morning already.”

“So I could be on my first date in a couple days.”

A twinge of discomfort rocketed through Brooke’s middle. “Yeah, I guess so.”

For another hour, Brooke asked questions and Luke answered. Most of the answers came as no surprise to Brooke, things like hobbies, favorite color, and the like. But other answers did surprise her. She’d always assumed Luke couldn’t care less about relationships, but his answers showed he had thought about it before. Maybe he was finally growing up and considering settling down.

“Last question,” Brooke said. “But it’s one of the more important ones. What are you looking for in a relationship?”

“I’ve never really thought about it.” Luke pursed his lips as though concentrating. Was he mocking her, or taking this seriously? His eyes locked onto hers. “I guess what I’m looking for is a best friend. Someone I can tell everything to. Someone who knows me better than I know myself. But I want chemistry, too. That unidentifiable something that draws two people together, no matter how hard they fight it. Basically, I want a girl just like you.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Brooke clenched her hands together
in her lap, glancing over at Antonio as he drove.
Did Luke seriously say what I think he said?
It had been two days, and she hadn’t been able to stop obsessing about it. She looked out the windows at the tree-lined streets as they wove toward the gated community where her father lived.