Wild Whispers

The Matchmaker's Deal

"This is an outrage!" Vivienne Varraso screams, slamming a picture onto my desk with her manicured nails. "Where is your professionalism?"

I don't need to look at the picture--I should have known someone would recognize me making out with one of my clients at our annual Christmas party last night. Kirk Arnett is rich, well-dressed, and very charming--plus, he just so happened to be more interested in me than his ex-girlfriend last night.

"You set me up with him and then stole him from me?" Vivienne screeches. "What kind of matchmaker are you?"

Obviously not a very good one.

"Vivienne, it was meaningl-"

But she cuts me off, flicking her long red waves over her shoulder. "What kind of imbecile do you take me for? The sort of women who lets her boyfriend cheat on her with the hired help?"

Her words stun me. "B-boyfriend?" I stutter. "Kirk told me you broke up!"

Her already porcelain skin turns a shade paler at my words. "Broke up?" she sputters. "We didn't break up!"

I don't tell her that Kirk also ranted to me about what a pretentious nag Vivienne is, about how she manipulates and uses him on a regular basis.

"Eliza," she says, using the nickname I detest, "you must get your facts straight. We are very much together. In fact, I was even..." She pauses to rummage in her Gucci purse. "Here," she says, slamming a velvet box on top of the photo of me making out with Kirk.

"Holy crap," I whisper, reaching across the desk for the box and prying it open. Inside is a Breguet watch with a black leather band.

"I was going to propose," Vivienne says with a sniff of her too-long nose. Only Vivienne Varraso would propose to someone with a watch that costs tens of thousands of dollars.

"So you didn't break up."

"Absolutely not."

Well, now I'm a homewrecker. Great.

"You set me up with this imbecile and then forced him to cheat on me, so you--"

I recoil. "I didn't force him to do anything. Let me assure you, he was a very willing participant."

Another sniff. "Well, either way, I am terminating your services."

I lean back in relief. Thank goodness--I was worried she would destroy me and my company with a million dollar lawsuit.

"Under one condition," she says, raising a finger. "You help me get revenge."

I grin at her. I may not be the heiress to a billion dollar oil dynasty, but I am a chronically single loser who lives with too many cats and consistently dates losers. For once, my bad taste in guys will come in handy.

"Oh, I can definitely do that. I just so happen to have his file right here," I say, pulling a manila envelope from my top drawer. "What are we thinking, bribery? Pregnancy scandal? TP his house?"

Vivienne gives me a hesitant smile and extends her hand. "I think we have a deal."

~~~~~

Entry for Aim to Enagage Day #4

Word Count: 495