Page 27 of Seductive Heat

Having no one to discuss this with, I submerge myself in numbers until six p.m. I go home, change into jeans and a t-shirt, and knock on Helene's door at exactly five minutes to seven. The door opens fast and my goddess is standing there with a radiant smile on her face.

"Theo, I've missed you!"

She jumps into my arms and gives me a bear hug. The whole thing bothers me because, in her arms, I feel like I've come home. She lets go of me so I can enter the house.

"Food smells great," I say.

"Italian food. You'll love it."

Her smile is still radiant, but she seems to notice all is not well with me.

"Hey, Chip, what's troubling you?"

"We need to talk."

"Uh oh, that's never good. Come, let's sit down on the couch."

She takes my hand and guides me to her living room couch. I veer toward the armchair so I'm not sitting next to her. I need my space if I'm going to get through this tonight. Her face falls when she sees where I've sat. I fidget a little but decide being direct is always the best way to deal with something as important as this.

"I got a message from the mail-order bride app on Monday. It was a message from Helen Hudson, my agency match."

"Theo…"

"Helen without an e at the end. It seems she had an unexpected trip to help family members and has been too busy to get in contact with me."

Helene gets up from the couch and grabs her hands before her, almost like in prayer.

"Theo, I'm sorry."

"I had coffee with her. She seems nice."

"Theo, I wanted to tell you so badly that I wasn't her, but you came in like a whirlwind and swept me away. After knowing you for a while, I wanted to believe that I was that perfect match for you because I wanted you so much."

"Would you have told me?"

"Yes, of course."

"I'm not blaming you completely. I had a big part in all of this. It's just when I saw you that first time, I couldn't take my eyes off you. I think I fell for you right then and there."

"Theo…"

"The big problem I have, though, is that we were not matched. I was matched with Helen, and I think I owe it to her to see if things will work out between us."

"You're going to date her?"

"I owe it to her."

"You said that already."

Her tone is dry, and I think she's mad at me. I'm an honorable man. I have to do this.

"I should go," I say.

"What about us, Theo?"

"I need to do this, Helene. We'll talk soon."

I avoid looking at her because I can’t handle seeing her disappointment. I've never run out of a house as fast as I did this time, and my stomach hurts from what I've just done.

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