Page 122 of Failure to Match

Sunday, it all started to catch up with me.

Alice

Hey.

Can you talk super quick?

Sorry. I know it’s early.

I squint-blinked at the too bright screen, my fingers slow to draft the response.

I’ll call you in five

I locked my phone and, very slowly, attempted to slip out from underneath Jackson’s arm without waking him up. I was unsuccessful.

He grumbled incoherently into my hair and hooked a heavy, muscled leg over my hip, effectively locking me in.

“I need to make a phone call,” I whispered. “It’s for work.”

“Do it here,” he mumbled.

“I can’t. My phone only works on speaker.”

“It does? Why?”

“The pool.”

He hummed but didn’t loosen any part of his hold on me. “I’ll get you a new one.”

“Jackson.”

“I’m sleeping. Won’t listen.”

I sighed. It was a little hard to pretend like I wasn’t smiling, but I think I managed it.

Any sensitive info being discussed? People are around

Alice

No, all good. I’ll codename existing clients.

I cleared some of the groggy rasp from my throat before hitting the Call button.

She picked up right away. “Hey! So sorry, I know it’s Sunday.”

“It’s okay. What’s up?”

“A couple of things. First, we’ve already got four candidates lined up based on Ripper’s new profile. Great job on that, by the way. Even Vivian didn’t have anything negative to say when we reviewed it. And your report was so detailed, I actually think it pissed her off a little.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled awkwardly. It didn’t help that the compliment made Jackson smile into my hair before placing a kiss on the crown of my head. Almost like he was proud of me.

We needed to have the affection talk again. He hadn’t been listening at all.

“She wants you to confirm a time and place for his first date by tomorrow morning, and says it needs to be on, or before, Wednesday this week. Ripper’s aunt called and demanded it. I think her spiritual something-or-other gave her the timeline.”

“Will do,” I said, ignoring the painful jab that arrowed from my gut to my chest. “I’ll need to brief him on the candidates first, but you’ll have the info by the deadline.”

Jackson wasn’t smiling anymore.

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