Kennedy leaned forward. “Full? You mean, one hundred percent?”
The room grew quiet. The system of matching people with the computer was a delicate balance of science, gut instincts, and social networking. A top-rated match was 80 percent, and they already had three marriages from the statistic. But this time it was different.
Arilyn’s face lit up. “That’s wonderful. We found her perfect match. Who is he?”
Kate tapped a key and pointed to the screen.
Arilyn and Kennedy gasped in unison.
“Full name: Ryan Dylan McCray,” Kate announced. “Preferred to be known as, and called, Dylan.”
Arilyn looked pale. “There must be a bug. That’s impossible.”
Kennedy let out a humorless laugh. “Arilyn’s right. Dylan’s been with us for over two years now. He’s had twelve mixers, five socials, thirty-two dates, and multiple sessions of counseling. He’s a Peter Pan billionaire playboy who says he wants a wife, but calls us within twenty-four hours of the first date and tells us there’s no chemistry. That’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
Kate motioned again to the screen. “I know! I checked it numerous times, pulled their files, and manually went over each point. Their personalities are completely contradictory, yet the computer assigns them a perfect match.”
Arilyn shivered. “Maybe there’s something bigger going on here. The universe is trying to tell us something.”
Kennedy walked over to the screen, dropped into the chair near the desk, and began studying the charts and data. “I don’t trust the universe, I trust Kate. Why don’t you bring them both to the office, lay your hands on them, and confirm whether they’re a match?”
Kate groaned. Her ability she termed the “touch” had been passed from generation to generation. She was able to sense an immediate electrical connection between two soul mates. It had been more of a curse in her endless dating years, until she touched Slade Montgomery, a client of Kinnections and her total opposite, and realized they were meant to be together. “Ken, I told you we don’t run our business like that. I’m not going to touch every couple and try to match people that way. We rely on our all assets here—we agreed on that point when we opened.”
Arilyn chimed in. “She’s right. No using Kate for a shortcut. I say we set them both up on a date. They have nothing to lose. If it doesn’t work, we know there’s a glitch in the system and I’ll rework it. If they fall for each other, it’s a win-win.”
Kennedy scrolled through the numerous pages and finally leaned back in surrender. “Agreed. I’ve never seen this before. It’s almost by being completely opposite they’re a perfect match. Bizarre.”
“I know. They both attended Cornell the same years, too. Think they know each other?”
Kennedy seemed to ponder the information. “Could be. This gets more and more mysterious, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah. My instincts say to go ahead and schedule the date but not give them much information. They both tend to make assumptions early on, and I think meeting blind would be better. No full names or background details. I think they both trust me enough to take the leap.”
Her friends both agreed and Kate relaxed. “Good, that was what I figured, but I wanted to check with you both first. I was thinking of setting them up this weekend. Ice-skating in Rinker’s Park. It’s romantic around the holidays.”
“I love ice-skating,” Arilyn said dreamily. “It forces couples to be intimate in a natural way.”
“Like yoga?” Kennedy quipped.
Arilyn shot her a glare. “Don’t knock it till you try it, Ken. I’ve reached levels you never even heard of. In and out of the studio.” She paused. “And the bedroom.”
Kennedy laughed. “I know a challenge when I hear one.” She slid off her chair and headed for the door. “Maybe I’ll have Nate study Tantric sex and give me a full demonstration. The man is a walking fountain of knowledge.” Her grin turned wicked. “In and out of the bedroom.”
Kate shook her head as her friend blew them kisses and disappeared. Arilyn fought a grin and got up. “Let me know if you need any help with this one.”
“Thanks. Hey, A, when you counseled Dylan, did you find any huge issues I should know about?”
Arilyn looked thoughtful. “No. Weird, because usually billionaire playboys have issues and angst galore. Dylan is charming, funny, and smart. But he seems to be looking for something I can’t pinpoint. Has a strong family background and seems like he’d make a great husband or father. I just don’t know what’s holding him back.”
Kate nodded. “Okay, thanks. Girls’ night Friday at Mugs?”
“Absolutely.”
She watched Arilyn retreat and swiveled back her computer screen. She’d set up the date and hope for the best. Her instincts hummed, as if something big was about to happen. Unfortunately, it could be a premonition of either great circumstance or complete disaster.
Kate prayed for the former and reached for her phone.
chapter 2