Meeting His Match

Chapter 1-4

Mac sat on his couch and sipped his whisky. Paul came from the kitchen with a beer. Mac had missed hanging out with his friend for the years Mac and his wife had been living in New York. The divorce—and coming back to Chicago—had righted Mac’s life. He’d become a man he didn’t particularly like and being at home made him feel like himself again.

“I don’t know why I’m drinking with you,” he said to Paul. “I can’t believe you let my mother do this shit.”

Mac stretched his legs out and set his feet on the coffee table. As soon as he’d gotten home, he changed out of his suit and into jeans and a sweatshirt. Paul mirrored his movements, but he still wore a suit. Mac couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Paul in anything other than a suit.

“I didn’t let your mom do anything. Gail does whatever she wants. We brainstormed options and ideas. The TV show was her idea, but it’s not a bad one.”

“I know. I was okay with doing it when it was just me helping people find love. That’s what we do. But what the producers are doing now is pretty bad. It’s gonna be a joke.” He glanced at Paul from the corner of his eye. “But as my friend, you’ll declare me a winner, right? No matter what.”

Paul’s face turned to stone. “You’re my friend, man, but Everyday Love is my client. I’ll help your mom decide what’s in the best interest for the company.”

“You’re f*****g kidding, right?”

Paul took a slug of beer. “Nope. The company comes first.”

Mac brought his feet back to the floor and braced his elbows on his knees. “This is my family’s company and she’s thinking about selling it.” Gripping his glass, he swirled the amber liquid. “It’s my legacy. I belong here.”

Paul hadn’t moved, so Mac looked over his shoulder. Paul shrugged. “Then don’t f**k it up. Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yeah.”

“I know you think you do. But I remember in college how you talked about your mom’s business. It was a joke. An embarrassment.”

“I was twenty and love was nothing more than having a n***d woman in bed. I am capable of learning from my mistakes.” An image of Ariel, his ex-wife, swam in his head.

Paul pointed a finger at him. “And that right there is what I’m talking about. Your whole face changes when you think about Ariel.”

Was he that transparent?

“I’m asking if it’s Everyday Love that you want, or are you using it to rebuild your life after Ariel?”

“Both. I came back because my mom said she was thinking about retiring and selling the company.” He finished his whisky. “Even after the divorce, I wasn’t happy in New York. Coming back to Chicago, working at Everyday Love, it feels like home. I’ve learned everything my mom always tried to teach me about matchmaking. I can do this.”

“Why do you want to?”

“Would you ask me that if I were a woman?”

“If you were a woman, I’d probably be trying to get you into bed.”

Mac cringed. “My point is, I believe in true love. Even after—no, especially after—Ariel. I know what true love isn’t. I should’ve listened to my mother when she told me Ariel wasn’t for me.” He pinned Paul with a look. “Don’t you dare tell her I admitted that. She saw something I was blind to. But I can see it in other people. If I can’t find it for myself, I can help other people find it.”

He set his empty glass on the table. “For the last year of our marriage, I drove Ariel crazy because I kept setting up all of our single friends. Every date we had ended up being a double date. She thought I was too much like my mother. Maybe I am. I was good at it.”

“Okay, man. If you’re sure. It’s one hell of a story. When the show hits, you’re going to have offers. Magazines, interviews, probably a line of eligible women looking to hook up with a man who professes his belief in true love.” He took another swig of his beer. “It’s like a friggin’ chick movie waiting to happen.”

Mac hadn’t considered those repercussions when he’d thought about the show. He’d only thought about it being a way for him to prove his skills as a matchmaker and businessman. “I only need that line of women to pay for my services.” When Paul chuckled, he added, “As a matchmaker.”

“So what’s your worry about how the show goes down, then? Why does it matter who they have working against you?”

“Because they’re all women. And the clients will all be women.” Mac reached for his tablet. “The one that’s in the lead—this Gem woman—there’s something about her.”

“Why is she in the lead? You didn’t say anything at the office about her.”

“Nothing’s a done deal, but she’s local so they save on getting her here and the last couple of videos she’s done have garnered a shitload of views.” He pulled up “Dating Gem” on the tablet.

The screen filled with a beautiful woman with long, dark hair and wide bright blue eyes. They were almost enough to distract a viewer from the lush pink lips curved in a seductive smile. Gem began speaking about her latest excursion to a bar and how many guys she’d managed to meet. Twenty seconds in, Mac hit pause. Her face froze and if he kept looking at her eyes, he could get lost.

“That right there is the problem,” Mac said. “She’s cute and bubbly and entertaining. The camera loves her. The clients will love her. She’s fun.”

Paul laughed. “If fun is the goal, she’ll have you beat hands down. But the producers want romance. Viewers looking for fun are going to MTV or something. If they want a catfight, they’re watching some Real Housewives show. You have the chance to be better than The Bachelor.”

Mac knew he could do this job. Maybe not as well as his mother had, but she’d been doing it for almost thirty years. He didn’t know if he could do it in front of a camera. He stared at Gem and wondered why she’d become a pick-up artist.

“Look at it this way,” Paul continued, breaking Mac’s concentration on Gem. “She’s looking to hook up, but the clients are looking for the happy ever after. You can provide that. She—“ he pointed at the screen, “—can only offer happy for the night.”

“It seems unfair, though. You think she knows what she’s getting into?”

Paul tapped Mac’s thigh and then stood. “Not our problem. You do your job and win. I’m out of here. Early day tomorrow. Let me know if you hear anything from the producers.”

“Will do.”

Paul let himself out of the condo and Mac continued to stare at Gem’s face. He didn’t like the dishonest feel of the show’s setup. He supposed once they hired Gem, or someone like her, he’d give her a friendly warning. Then it would be up to her to decide how to proceed. He was all for fairness in love and war.