Page 39 of The Autumn We Fell in Love

My app walks the user through a lengthy series of questions and quizzes. Then it creates a specific algorithm that’s unique to that user and matches it with other users with compatible algorithms.

It’s high-level science brought mainstream.

These men are going to invest in it. I know they will. It’s a spectacular piece of coding combined with cutting-edge relationship theory.

It’s dating 2.0.

Or 3.0.

Hell, it’s next-gen. They’d be fools to miss out on this opportunity.

And as much as they’re blustering about how much things have changed since they found their wives the old-fashioned way, I can tell — these men understand exactly what I’ve made, and its money-making potential.

I smooth my hands over my lap and laugh at some inane joke, as expected.

We finish our meal. Well, the men do. I’m so nervous I’ve barely touched mine, but I stir the food around so it looks like I’ve eaten.

A server clears the table and the men’s expressions harden.

I sit up straight in my chair.

It’s time.

We’re going to talk details.

“There’s no doubt that you’ve got a hell of an app here, Ms. Meade,” one of them says. “Truly remarkable.”

“Absolutely,” another pipes in. “We’re ready to lay serious money down on this thing to grow it to its full potential.”

“But,” the third man leans forward, eyes narrowing, “do you have any real-world experience with this thing’s results?”

I frown. “Well, as I’ve already shown, we have very positive results from our blind studies and a wealth of testimonials from our beta users—“

“Yes, yes, that’s all fine,” he waves my words away. “But have you used Blush yourself? Have you found your perfect match using your own technology?”

Suddenly all three men’s eyes are hard on me. “I — I didn’t realize my personal life was a player in this conversation,” I stammer, my palms sweating.

“It’s not,” says the lead investor. His eyes glint. “Not officially.”

“But it would go a long way to establish good faith in our customers to know that not only does Blush work for your test subjects, but it also worked for you.”

I look around the table, feeling trapped. My heart hurls itself against the inside of my rib cage.

“Of course it has,” I hear myself saying as if from far away. I offer what I think is supposed to be a carefree laugh. “I met the love of my life through Blush.”

Even though I haven’t.

Even though the only living being I’ve shared my bed with in the last year or more is Sirloin, my cat.

One of the men slaps his leg, chuckling. “I knew it. What’d I tell you, boys? This app is top shelf. If it can win our ultra-nerdy star designer a man, it’s a sure thing.” He slides me a sidelong glance. “Er, no offense.”

“None taken,” I mutter, even though my cheeks are flaming, and I absolutely resent being outed as the hopeless case that I so clearly am.

“Great,” says the lead, standing. The other men follow suit. I leap to my feet too, slamming my thighs against the edge of the table and making the whole thing jump loudly.

The lead pretends not to notice. “We’ll convene a week from today, my office. You bring your man and we’ll start filming promo video.”

I gape. “My man?”

---