The Matchmaker

Chapter 8

"Since when do you have friends?" Oh yes, I can always rely on Ms. Zhao to place me in an embarrassing situation. 

"Nice to see you as well, Ms. Zhao," I drawl out sarcastically, but to my dismay she ignores the hint and waves it off with her hand. 

Eying Zander and Patrick from head to toe in barely contained revulsion, she quickly flashes a few notes and envelopes in my face before walking past all three of us and opens a drawer to place them in.

Of course, how could I forget to grab the notes and letters from the bulletin board in the lobby?

It's only been a day and I'm already slipping.

"Who's the pretty lady?" I'm actually quite surprised and so is Celia when Patrick leans in towards her.

"None of your business," her eyes narrow, and I can tell from the way she's scrutinising him that she's summing him up, profiling him for our files of course.

"So Cupcake isn't the only one who's feisty, it runs among friends too." Glowering at Zander for that illuminating bit of information, I look back at Celia to see a perplexed look on her face.

"Cupcake? Who the hell is that?" Celia exclaims questioningly, eye each one of us with a raised brow.

To my complete dismay both Zander and Patrick point towards me, and I groan in embarrassment. 

"O-Kay, Um would you excuse the two of us for a moment, I need to talk to....uh Cupcake," Celia declares amusedly, silent laughs escaping her. 

Before I can even say a word, I'm dragged out the door and pushed into an elevator heading for the ground floor.

"Cupcake? Please tell me you did not come up with that?" 

"No, the President's son did. Damn idiot has the nerve to make fun of my baking habit."

"Aww, Catherine has a pet name, that's adorable," she coos and I smack her arm.

"Shut up! And besides, you have some explaining to do. What are you doing here?"

"I thought you might have fainted having the sexiest client we've ever had in your apartment. So out of friendly concern, I drove down here."

"Yeah right, your dad probably started reciting the Iliad."

"Damn, you know my family too well. But I'm not joking when I say Zander Nolan is gorgeous."

"And a total aggressor! He threatens people and loves fighting as a hobby. Oh yeah, he's totally the perfect man. Every girl's dream," I reply in sardonic humour.

"Is he now? So he has the makings of a sociopath... well that's definitely a first but nothing we can't handle."

"You're loving this aren't you?"

"What, your misfortune or finding Zander's match?" A fake angelic smile graces her face and I want to rip it off. How could she leave me alone like this and then mock me? What kind of friend leaves a girl in the lion's den?

"You're the worst."

"I try, and I guess the other guy's Patrick Greene."

"Yup, and it looks like he fancies you."

Gasping, her lips form into a thin line, "Oh, honey please. I don't think so, but whenever you decide to give Zander up then I'll gladly be available."

"And what the hell does that mean?"

"Oh come on, it's so obvious he's into you. What guy goes out of his way to get into a girl's apartment unless he wants something?"

"Yeah, and what he wants are my services."