Page 7 of Sweetwater and the Witch

“I’m a busy man,” Ethan said. “I’m trying to build my amber and quartz analysis business here in Illusion Town. I’ve made time for nine dates—nine—arranged by you. Every single one has been a disaster. So much for your agency’s slogan.”

He had a point, Ravenna thought. The words on the front door and on the firm’s business cards made a proud boast:When you’re ready for Covenant Marriage, the best way is the Ottoway.

“I assure you I devoted a great deal of time to your case,” she said.

She had worked hard and succeeded in turning up nine potential matches. True, they had been less than ideal, but given the limited amount of personal information Ethan had provided and the not-so-hushed-up scandal in his past, she thought she had done remarkably well.

Harriet chose that moment to abandon her pen collection and vault down from the desk. She bustled across the floor and bounded up onto the windowsill to see what had attracted Ethan’s attention.

Ethan reached inside his jacket, took out a pen, and offered it to the dust bunny. Harriet bounced up and down a few times and accepted the gift eagerly. She fluttered down from the windowsill, raced back across the office, and jumped up onto the desk. She added the pen to her collection and hovered over it, gloating.

“I’m afraid you’re going to have a hard time getting that pen back,” Ravenna said. “Harriet is a very possessive collector.”

“It’s all right,” Ethan said. “I’ve got another one.” He glanced at the tray of pens. “Out of curiosity, are they all stolen?”

“Of course not,” Ravenna said, indignant. “Some were gifts. The rest are found objects.”

“Forget the pen,” Ethan said. “I don’t want it back. Let’s talk about my next date.”

Ravenna reminded herself that her goal that afternoon was to remove Ethan Sweetwater from the roster of clients in a way that would not reflect badly on the Ottoway agency. She had delayed too long as it was. She was not sure why she had not given up trying to match him after the abject failure of the first three dates.

The odd thing was that back at the start she had been certain she could find Ms.Perfect for him, in spite of the scandal. But she was still new at the matchmaking business and it was obvious now that she had a lot to learn.

She had joined Ottoway less than six months ago, shortly after moving to Illusion Town, and until Ethan, she had racked up an unbroken string of successes. Her intuition for matchmaking was proving every bit as accurate and reliable as her talent for criminal profiling. It was glaringly obvious, however, that she had run straight into a solid quartz wall with Ethan Sweetwater.

He turned away from the window, his amber eyes glinting behind the lenses of his glasses. “I don’t want my money back. I’m trying to find a soul mate for a Covenant Marriage. I want my forever match.”

“Don’t we all?” Ravenna said through her teeth.

She was horrified to realize she was in danger of losing her temper. That would be extremely unprofessional. But Ethan had hit a nerve. He wasn’t the only one who wanted a good match, or at least one that appeared to be a distinctpossibility. She needed a match, too—badly—and she was in a hurry. Time was not on her side. Her grandparents’ wedding anniversary was coming up in a few days.

She had abandoned hope of finding a real match in time for the big event. She was now trying to find someone who could get her through the harrowing ordeal of the big Chastain family celebration. She was so desperate she had been toying with the notion of hiring an actor to play thepart of prospective fiancé. Talk about humiliating and, in the long run, futile. But the future would have to take care of itself. She was no longer searching for Mr.Right. She needed to find Mr.Right Now.

The pressure was getting intense, and it wasn’t as if the upcoming family gathering was the only problem she was dealing with. Her day had gotten off to a bad start when she found the barbecue grill fire starter on the front step of the quaint little Colonial-era cottage she had purchased two months earlier. The fire starter was the third ominous package that had been left at her door. It was clear now that she had a stalker.

To her surprise, Ethan Sweetwater did not appear annoyed by her sharp tone. Instead, he watched her with a speculative expression. The eyes of an engineer trying to decide how to deal with a system malfunction? Or those of a hunter stalking prey?

After a moment he removed his glasses and proceeded to polish the lenses with a small square of cloth. His direct, unshielded gaze sent a shivery thrill through her, lifting the fine hairs on the back of her neck.

“I’ve been wondering why an employee at one of the most exclusive matchmaking agencies in Illusion Town isn’t married,” he said. “It’s interesting that with the full resources of Ottoway at your fingertips you haven’t been able to find Mr.Forever for yourself.”

She managed a steely smile. “My marital status is none of your business, Mr.Sweetwater, but for your information, matchmakers never date their own clients. Well, almost never.”

“But it happens?

“Rarely. It’s not illegal or anything, but it’s considered bad policy.”

“Why?”

“It’s an axiom in this business that matchmakers are terrible when it comes to finding a good match for themselves.”

He looked startled. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” She cleared her throat. “As it happens, I’m registered at another agency.”

She did not add that she was having less luck at the Banks agency than he was at Ottoway. Thirty-six dates now and counting.

Ethan’s brows rose. “Any luck?”

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