Falling for the Matchmaker [ Chaennie ]

Chapter 3 : Jennie

Jennie

Roseanne is looking at me kind of funny. She might be annoyed with me and trying to hide it. Maybe she's just extremely nervous. She is not aware that I know she's looking at me, since I have my head turned, but my peripheral vision is pretty good. I know I should get started. I've already waited way too long and she's going to think that I don't have a clue about what I'm doing and stop being so nice soon. I've had that happen before. Let's just say that first days on the job can be really, really rough. I click my pen again, but for some reason, I just sit here. I know my whole list of questions that I want to go over by heart. They just won't come. Instead, I study Roseanne.

She's tall and athletic. I know that she's thirty-three, but I'd guess twenty-seven just from appearances. She's wearing dark skinny jeans and a plain black t-shirt, but has tossed a black blazer overtop, almost as an afterthought, and it looks good on her. She's got flat canvas shoes on, which makes the outfit sporty, not formal. She's one of those women who will probably be beautiful forever. She has dark blonde hair that borders on black, but isn't quite there. The sunlight illuminates the coppery red shot through the dark strands. She's let it hang loose about her shoulders. Her dark eyes snap with intelligence. She has high cheekbones in a heart-shaped face, a dainty jawline, and a heavy lower lips.

I can't help myself, I guess. I'm a little bit in awe of her. And more than a little attracted. I keep that to myself, of course. The only way I could make this day worse is if Roseanne realized that I was hitting on her. Which I would never do. It's not professional. On any level.

"I...sorry." I shake my head and glance at Tildy, who is racing up the steps to rocket down the yellow plastic slide again. "Just slightly frazzled from this morning." I click my pen again, third time's a charm, and lift my notepad. "So. I don't want this to sound like a massive questionnaire."

"That's fine. I understand. You need to know me in order to find a match." Something about that word, match, sounds off, but Roseanne rearranges her legs, crossing them neatly, and smiles at me and whatever it was is gone.

"Yes. Uh, so, I guess we'll just start, then." If I sound any more like a dummy, she's going to get up and leave and that will be it for me. I might as well submit an application for the serving wench position. Medieval life probably isn't so bad.

"Okay. Do you have a water by any chance?"

"Yes!" I dig in my bag and produce a bottle. I pass it over. "I brought it just in case. Sorry, it's not chilled. I thought that if it condensed all over my laptop or Tildy's tablet, I'd have some major issues."

"That's fine." Roseanne unscrews the bottle and drinks deeply.

I watch her throat, her mouth, the back of her hand when she dabs daintily at her naturally pink lips. My throat is bone dry. I gulp at my coffee with absolutely no grace at all and set it aside. Try to start again. I have no idea what's wrong with me. Yes, you do. Whatever. I have to ignore the fact that my client is stunning and I wish that I could match her with myself. Which is crazy, because she's interested in finding a male match. Also, it's crazy. She wouldn't be into me anyway. I'm not anywhere close to her league. Tildy rushes down the slide, then decides to tackle the monkey bars. They're made for little kids, thank goodness. I keep watching her out of the corner of my eye.

"I really just want you to tell me about yourself." There. That wasn't so bad. "Not your hobbies or your interests, but the real you. I think it is important when finding a match, that people keep an open mind, but that said, I should also ask if you have any physical preferences. Not a type, just things you absolutely cannot do. Habits you really don't want in a prospective partner."

"The usual," Roseanne says, then grins. "Not anyone creepy or dangerous."

"We screen quite thoroughly, including background checks. If someone has a criminal record, they can't apply for our services. It's just the company's policy. We do really value the safety and security of our members."