Page 3 of Earl

“Zilch.” She grinned at him. “You do absolutely nothing for me.”

“You really are a bitch.” He complained. “Now back to the subject.”

“I thought we already exhausted it.” She groaned.

“Not until you at least agree to check it out. Hand me the laptop.”

“What, now?”

“Nothing like the present.”

*****

He could not believe he was contemplating it. But damn her! His sister had placed the idea in his head, and it had burgeoned until it was all he could think about.

“Darling, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you are not getting any younger and you are going to eventually need an heir. In order for that to happen, you are going to have to start dating again.”

She had shrugged and tried to hide her concern. “I know after what that bitch did to you, it is still a sore point, but there are some wonderful women out there, someone you can trust. There is this dating app…”

He had blinked smoky gray eyes at her with a frown. “Online dating?”

“It’s all the rage.” She had rushed to assure him. “It is called ‘Hook Up’, a trite and completely juvenile name, but it says everything. The candidates are carefully vetted. The meeting is done through the app at first, you get to know the other person.

No surnames are used, no photos. You get to know the other person on an elementary level, just conversations at first and when the time is right, you exchange photos and see if you want to take things to the next level.”

His frown had deepened. “What if she is unattractive?”

Evelyn had taken the question seriously. “They are also vetted where physical appearances are concerned.” She explained patiently. “Darling, I am married with no hope of ever conceiving a child.”

That had been a constant source of bitterness and regret for her since she discovered she had cancer in her ovaries and the doctors had had to perform a hysterectomy. Her husband, bless his soul had not kicked up his heels and gone running off, but stuck with her.

The option of adopting a child did not appeal to either of them in the least. So, they had resigned themselves to being a childless couple. Earl had suffered significantly when he heard the news and supported her as best as he could.

The reminder that she would never be a mother, was one of the reasons he was contemplating this online dating nonsense, as well as the fact that she was right, and he was too disheartened, cynical, and much too busy running his company to try and start a relationship.

At least doing this online deal will take up less of his time than he was prepared to give.

“I could set it up for you.” Evelyn had instinctively realized that he was softening.

“You do not have to do anything. I know you are in the middle of the negotiating with the oil company in Texas.”

“That’s right. I will be away for the better part of next week.”

“And when you are back, everything will be ready and waiting for you.”

“I haven’t said yes.”

“You are on the verge of agreeing. And I know my brother happens to be smart and pragmatic. This will work, darling, you’ll see.”

He had been gone for most of the week and had been too busy to think about it. Now he was back, and she had been true to her word. It was set up, only for him to log in and start going through the different candidates.

He hated that it sounded so businesslike and impersonal. But he had done the traditional dating thing, and it hadn’t worked out for him. The last one had been particularly disastrous because he had felt something for her.

His mind unwillingly drifted to the night he had come back early from a business trip and thought to surprise her. Like a fool, hehad even shopped for an exquisite ruby necklace she had been admiring. He had been seeing up and coming actress Diana Codling for six months and had decided to make it official.

He had spoken to her last night and told her he would not be back for another couple of days, but the business meetings had wrapped up earlier than he expected, leaving him free to do some shopping and ask his pilot to get the jet ready for takeoff.

Letting himself into her townhouse, even before going to his place had been such a good idea at first. Until he heard the unmistakable sounds of moans and grunts coming from her bedroom.

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