Page 71 of The Matchmaker and the Marine

“I have faith in you and I’m sure he’ll fall in love before long.” Stacey grabbed her handbag from the back of the chair. “I’ll be back soon.” She pointed to Melinda’s laptop. “And you need to get creative.”

Melinda tapped the middle of her forehead and smiled. “I’ve got it all right here.”

Stacey laughed as she walked toward the front door. “Then get cracking.”

Melinda returned to the task at hand and jotted down the address of the spa and the date and time. She typed out the information to print later. Clicking a few keys, she pulled up Adam’s questionnaire. After scrolling down the page, she sat back, even more confused. Based on Beth and Adam’s personal compatibility and this document, they should be a decent match. “Was there something I missed? Or what is Adam holding back?”

A sharp rap on the back door distracted her. She looked around the corner and on the other side of the glass was Adam, grinning from ear to ear. She waved him inside.

He pulled open the door. “Hey, Mel.”

“Hey yourself.” Adam stepped into the kitchen. Melinda closed the door behind him. “I thought you and Will were working on Stacey’s pergola.”

“We were. Are. But I needed to see you.”

“Why?” She leaned against the counter, trying to look casual.

“Beth agreed to go to the Stones cover band at Geer Musical Hall. And I have to thank you for pushing me to try again.”

“That sounds like a lot of fun. The Stones are great.” She couldn’t help but notice the excitement didn’t reach his eyes.

He cocked his head. “I told myself to give it one more date before I make a final decision.”

“Adam?”

“Mel?” His voice was light and teasing.

“Am I pushing you too hard to date Beth?”

“No, not at all. I haven’t dated for a while. I forgot it’s tough, putting yourself out there.”

“That’s just it, dating shouldn’t be hard. It should be exciting, nerve wracking, and most of all, something you look forward to. You shouldn’t have to convince yourself to keep seeing someone.”

Adam’s brow furrowed. “I thought you’d be happy. She agreed to do something I enjoy.” Irritated and frustrated, he spun around and started to stalk out the back door. He stopped and turned to look at her. “Mel, I’m confused. Are you trying to discourage me from going out with her again?”

Her stomach clenched. Is that what I’m doing? “Not at all. I want you to be happy.”

“Would you be honest if I was going about this all wrong?”

She was at a loss for words. She finally said, “Of course I would. You’re doing all the right things. Be patient and see if you feel differently after Friday night.”

“So…I’m going out with Beth.” His voice was lacking enthusiasm.

Her heart felt heavy in her chest. She felt like a fraud. She wished she was going with him on Friday. What was wrong with her? The next words came out in a rush. “You’ll have a good time.”

“All right then.” A look of confusion slipped across his face.

“Be sure to let me know how it goes.” Melinda forced herself to smile.

“I’ll talk to you on Saturday. Let’s get together for breakfast. My treat.”

“Sounds fun.” Melinda knew she spoke the truth. She was already looking forward to seeing Adam again. She quickly told herself it was nothing more than to hear about his date.

He crossed the room and gave her a peck on the cheek. “I’ll swing by and pick you up around eight?”

“Sure.” She nodded and watched as the door banged closed behind him. She reached up and touched her cheek. What the heck was happening? She never had another client take her to breakfast or kiss her.

Flustered, she went back and tapped on the computer keys while she waited for Stacey to return.

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