The Matchmaker

Chapter 41

"I will never again underestimate the capacity of the male ego to ruin everything," Celia muttered, her eyes narrowed into slits as she made stock of Patrick and Zander glancing everywhere but at her.

"Stupid pride," I groaned, equally as irritated as my best friend. I was seething underneath my skin and furious that Zander and Patrick were making light of a situation that was meant to benefit them.

"Stupid Desmond," Patrick pitched in, garnering him two ferocious glares from both Celia and I.

We were sitting in the waiting room like baby lambs about to be slaughtered since the Counsellor quickly shut the door in our faces, providing us with a single 'you better clean this up or else' look and returned to her session with Randy and Dana.

"Earl," I snarled, my tone unable to mask my anger.

"Yes, ma'am?" Zander offered sweetly, conscious of my rage but amused nevertheless.

The stupid shirtless boyfriend of mine knows I couldn't do much damage...I can barely snap a pencil in half but that wasn't going to stop me from attempting to come across as threatening.

"How do you intend to get us out of this mess?"

"The only thing that's a mess is Xeno here but to answer your question, I'd say we just continue to act the part."

"And what part would that be?" Celia asked thinly.

"We're all here for guidance, counselling...help."

Rolling my eyes, I merely shake my head without saying a word. Everything about this whole stunt we were trying to pull off was far fetched to begin with but this? This was a circus act straight out of 'Clownery for Dummies.'

The permanent marker writing sprawled all over his bald cap wasn't helping much either. Nor were half the buttons on his shirt unfastened that gave him the effect of being totally deranged since the broad smile he was giving me was out of place.

"Except three of us in this room are employees," I bit out, my teeth gnashing slightly to hold back my voice from rising.

"Okay then, we disappear and the Wyatts can continue to sit here and pretend nothing is amiss."

Snorting, I give him a fleeting look of indignation before plopping into a chair with a leg shaking like a tennis player on the sideline of a set break, jittery from nerves and a rush of adrenaline.

Okay, Catherine. Think.

"Cat?" Zander asked.

"Cat."

"Glacinda?"

Giving Zander an exasperated look, he runs a hand against the back of his neck before risking a seat next to me and whispering a plan that makes me flinch but also sigh with relief.

Nodding in silent agreement, we shake on it and he hooks Xeno by the arm. Despite Xeno's many protests, including a fleeting look for help in my direction, he leaves with Earl.

Turning towards Patrick and Celia, I clutch Patrick by the shoulders and practically dig my nails into him. "Okay, listen. No more craziness. When those two come out and the counsellor asks what happened, you tell them, all three of them, that this was a performance conducted by one of the Counsellor's to help a man with his low self esteem."

"Excuse me?" Celia asked confused.

"It's what now?" Patrick added.

"Just act like we acted all that out because Xeno has low self esteem and we had to stage some kind of scenario where he gains a bit of it back or learns how to deal with a real life situation should it arise."