Page 12 of Love & Heart Braking

She flushed and extended a hand. “Yes, hello. I’m here to see…” She blanched. “I don’t remember her name. She’s the cupid from the newspaper a while ago.”

“That’s me.” I shook her hand. “I’m Cerys. Come to my desk, and we’ll get started.”

She clutched her handbag, smiling nervously.

We got clients like this sometimes. They tended to be older or descendants going against the “norm” for their type—like Vera preferring non-wizards, or like Hinkles’s attraction to tall men. Younger descendants seemed relaxed about the idea of finding love through a dating agency, but older men and women were almost easier to match. They were certain about what they wanted. They tended to be more open with their matches with any perceived baggage. Usually having experienced love multiple times, they knew a real connection when they saw it, and didn’t get stuck in the trap of forcing themselves to like the first match that came along, no matter the presence or lack of chemistry.

I sat behind my screen. “Evania is a beautiful name. What does it mean?”

She gripped her handbag on her lap. “Peaceful. I was named after my great-great-grandmother who was an earth maester.”

Which would make her an earth elemental. Unlike earth guardians, descendants of Neptune’s power who tended and protected nature, an earth elemental—a descendant of Ceres’s power—had an affinity with the land itself. They could mold the earth and encourage growth, and in old times, they’d used their power to attack and defend. Her type was usually in hot demand in the construction industry, especially because Ceres’s power tended to be less dominant in mixes with other lines and earth elementals were becoming rarer.

“Beautiful,” I repeated. “What has brought you into Yearning Hearts today?”

She cleared her throat, dropping her gaze. “I’m not sure if this is for me if I’m honest. A friend used your agency a while back, and she’s been at me to get back on the centaur.”

The squeeze of my heart warned me where this story was going. “You had a partner?”

“A husband, yes. He passed nearly fifteen years ago.”

My chest tightened. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

She took a breath. “Thank you. For a while I thought that was me done with love. But in recent years I’ve felt lonely. I want a companion to share the rest of my life with. Even if the thought of loving another man is foreign.” She met my gaze. “I’m a little unsure how another could ever compare.”

There were few things sadder to a cupid than lost love. Never loving ranked highest, then needing to love in secret, perhaps. But after that, losing your love match was a solid third. “I haven’t experienced the loss of a partner myself,” I said. “But I can share what past clients have told me?”

She swallowed. “Okay.”

“A new partner doesn’t compare. You will love another person differently. They won’t overshadow or erase what you had with your husband because you’ll like and dislike unique qualities within this new partner. You’ll form new memories and new traditions if you wish to. And none of that means you need to forget whatever you shared and created with your husband. He was an important part of your life for a long time, I’m sure. Take things slow, take pressure off yourself, and try to enjoy finding a second wave of love, knowing it’s normal to feel unsure and hesitant.”

Evania released a long breath. “That does make me feel better. Thank you.”

“Look, there’s no pressure to go ahead with anything today. We can simply take this step by step and see where things lead. If you decide to push pause until a later date, then you can let me know at any point. The journey to love can’t be forced.” I paused. “Your loneliness does have me wondering if you’ve been ready to get out there again for some time.”

She set her handbag on the ground and folded her hands in her lap. Evania was the epitome of the motherly type. I could see her baking or cooking up a storm for her children or neighbors.

“I’m ready,” she said firmly. “I just don’t know how to start. I’ve been alone for so long. And I won’t conceal that respect for my son’s grief has held me back for a long time. He’s never quite gotten over his father’s death, and I have a feeling me dating again will be difficult for him.”

It often was. My mother was a maiden, and that could only go one way if their true love died. I’d known that. But other kids often saw their parents remaining together as an irrefutable truth—no matter the child’s age. Her son had to be at least fifteen, and I imagined the loss of his father was hitting him harder than ever.

“Let’s take a peek at your questionnaire, then I’ll see if we have anyone in our system for you.” I logged into my computer. I was getting seriously slack on reading up on clients prior to them coming in. To be fair, my Venus gift had disappeared and distracted me, but still—I had to show my clients more respect. Evania was a reminder of how important my work was.

I clicked on her appointment slot, and her questionnaire popped up. “Mrs. Evania Vincori.”

I blinked.

Vincori.

“That’s me,” she said.

My heart hammered as I read through her questionnaire. She lived in Durita. Her son wasn’t a teenager, he was twenty-seven.

And I could guess that his name was Devereaux Vincori.

I leaned back.

“Is there a problem?” the earth elemental asked.

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