Page 10 (1/2)

chapter 1

Kate Seymour studied the coain

And again

Her heart beat faster and that faled under her skin Impossible They were completely different--a match made in literal hell, not heaven Yet nu in the troops

She hit the interco Kennedy"

"Sure"

A few minutes later, her business partners and best friends joined her in the office Her face softened into a so to start their own ency in Verily, upstate New York, sounded impossible, but they'd es, and endless statistically proven committed happy relationships, they'd made the dreaency that catered to the twenty-five-to-forty crowd, and had already been featured in local newspapers and television stations as the new "hot" way to meet a mate Hell, it had actually worked for her and Kennedy Now if only they could find Arilyn her match

Kennedy Ashe, the social recruiter and h Her burnished hair, whiskey eyes, and plum Donna Karan suit screaood news I've already depleted my hotel bottles of liquor Is it Friday yet?"

Arilyn shook her head in sy down her back in pin straight strands Green eyes shone with concern She was both counselor and co a natural, healthy pathway to happiness She wore her usual outfit of organic cottons, and spent her free tia classes or with the rescue shelter "Do you need some chocolate, sweets? I have a Kashi bar in my purse"

Kennedy flashed her a grateful s my calories I'ht they were perfect together I hate when I screw up"

Kate tapped her finger against the desk "We can't be one hundred percent all the time We'll rematch them and maybe find a better fit"

"I guess" Kennedy pouted She hated when one of her ownthe journey to love was filled with a mix of emotions that included heartbreak too many times

"Which brings me to why I asked you in here" She swiveled her Apple screen around so her friends could look "Rehbor Riley Fox?"

Arilyn nodded "CEO of Chic Publishing Naeous, smart, and completely kick-ass Can't believe she still lives in Verily Aren't her offices in Manhattan?"

"Yes, but Riley prefers to stay out of the li to convince her for years to sign up with Kinnections, but she always refused"

Kennedy cocked her head "Riley probably doesn't need us With her background, I bet finding men isn't a problem"

"Guess again"

Arilyn let out a shtbulb cranked on "Ah, that's the problem, isn't it? Plenty of quantity but little quality?"

Kate grinned "Her last date drove her to the Ben & Jerry's and a weekend ical clock just turned on"

"Ticktock," Kennedy said "Rotten piece of machinery if you askago"

Kate's lips tugged in a grin "How many times has Nate proposed this month?"

Her friend grunted "A few"

Kennedy had found her soul mate and the love of her life in Nate Dunkle, but she was still refusing to surrender to the final step ofher friend's barriers crash down one by one as Nate first e wasn't a deadly trap for females

"Well, Riley has a different approach I've done her intake, and she's refused counseling and makeover"

"The woman was on the cover of Fortune She doesn't need a trip to the mall," Kennedy pointed out

Arilyn pursed her lips "But everyone could use so for, Kate?"

This here it got delicate Kate steepled her fingers and stared at her friends "She was theshe wants, everything she doesn't, and is so specific I thought we'd never be able tosysteot a full match"

Kennedy leaned forward "Full? You mean, one hundred percent?"

The roo people with the cout instincts, and social networking A top-rated es from the statistic But this time it was different

Arilyn's face lit up "That's wonderful We found her perfect match Who is he?"

Kate tapped a key and pointed to the screen

Arilyn and Kennedy gasped in unison

"Full name: Ryan Dylan McCray," Kate announced "Preferred to be known as, and called, Dylan"

Arilyn looked pale "ThereThat's impossible"

Kennedy let out a huht Dylan's been with us for over two years now He's had twelve mixers, five socials, thirty-two dates, andHe's a Peter Pan billionaire playboy who says he wants a wife, but calls us within twenty-four hours of the first date and tells us there's no che to happen"

Kate ain to the screen "I know! I checked it numerous times, pulled their files, and manually went over each point Their personalities are cons them a perfect match"

Arilyn shivered "Maybe there's so to tell us so"

Kennedy walked over to the screen, dropped into the chair near the desk, and began studying the charts and data "I don't trust the universe, I trust Kate Why don't you bring them both to the office, lay your hands on them, and confirm whether they're a match?"

Kate groaned Her ability she tereneration She was able to sense an immediate electrical connection between two soulyears, until she touched Slade Montgomery, a client of Kinnections and her total opposite, and realized they were ether "Ken, I told you we don't run our business like that I' to touch every couple and try to reed on that point e opened"

Arilyn chi Kate for a shortcut I say we set the to lose If it doesn't work, we know there's a glitch in the system and I'll rework it If they fall for each other, it's a in"

Kennedy scrolled through the nureed I've never seen this before It's al completely opposite they're a perfect match Bizarre"

"I know They both attended Cornell the same years, too Think they know each other?"

Kennedy seeets more and more mysterious, doesn't it?"

"Yeah My instincts say to go ahead and schedule the date but not give them much inform

ation They both tend toblind would be better No full nah to take the leap"

Her friends both agreed and Kate relaxed "Good, that hat I figured, but I wanted to check with you both first I was thinking of setting the in Rinker's Park It's romantic around the holidays"

"I love ice-skating," Arilyn said dreamily "It forces couples to be intimate in a natural way"

"Like yoga?" Kennedy quipped

Arilyn shot her a glare "Don't knock it till you try it, Ken I've reached levels you never even heard of In and out of the studio" She paused "And the bedroom"

Kennedy laughed "I know a challenge when I hear one" She slid off her chair and headed for the door "Maybe I'll have Nate study Tantric sex and givefountain of knowledge" Her grin turned wicked "In and out of the bedroom"