Page 64 of The Wisteria Tree Cottage

He picked up his phone and sent Twilight a message.

Hi, sorry about earlier, I was in the middle of a breakfast meeting and was trying to be discreet about messaging you.

He cringed at how easy the lie came, but it was a tiny lie and it was only so she didn’t get hurt by her drunken ramblings.

He sent another message.I just wanted to wish you luck tonight with your smelly dating event.

Her little online light came on and then he saw she was typing a reply back.

I just laughed out loud at that. Hopefully it won’t be too pongy. I just hope my friend won’t chicken out of coming, he’s really against it.

Well, it is a bit of a weird way to meet people, but I’m sure he’ll come, for comedy value if nothing else,Bear wrote.

Twilight sent a reply.I think he’ll enjoy it. He smells amazing, I think the women will be around him like bees round honey.

He smiled at that, then rubbed his hand across his chin as he thought about her comment.I did a bit of research into the science behind pheromone dating after you told me what you were doing tonight. If you’re attracted to someone’s scent, you’re attracted to them too. So why aren’t you two together if he smells so good?

I don’t think a lifelong relationship can really be built on smell alone. But honestly, we have a long and complicated history. Not romantically, apart from one incredible kiss when we were in our teens, but lately I’ve felt like we were growing closer and that maybe something might happen. We matched at the speed dating the other night but he also matched with someone else. The organiser of the event said he matched with her because his heart was still racing after his date with me, so I was excited. But we had a silly row yesterday about something I did in the past and I don’t think he will ever forgive me for it. Well two things actually, at least as far as he’s concerned. He thinks I slept with his brother to get back at him for some silly argument and I didn’t. I did sleep with someone but not to get back at him, just because I was really sad and very drunk, which is a pathetic excuse but I was young. Anyway, while I think we’ll always be friends, I think the chance of anything ever happening romantically between us has long gone.

He sat down on the bed. He hated that she was carrying this guilt. He’d been chatting to her all day but there had been an awkwardness, she’d clearly put it down to their stupid row the day before as she didn’t know he was party to her biggest secret. He needed to make sure she knew he didn’t hold a grudge, especially now he’d discovered the truth about Heath. He read her message again.

It sounds like you’d quite like something to happen romantically.

There was no reply although her online light was still on. Maybe she didn’t want to admit it, especially to a man she was hoping to date at some point. Or maybe she didn’t want anything to happen. Maybe she was as confused as he was about the mixed messages flying between them over the last few days.

He sent another message.I told you before that I’m more interested in the person you are now rather than what you did in the past. And I’m sure your friend feels the same.

He paused before sending another message.

Maybe you should find out once and for all tonight if he has feelings for you. You should let him smell you at the pheromone event, see if he’s attracted to you too. I don’t think it’s ever too late if you love each other.

There was still no reply. He looked at his watch, maybe she’d already gone but not logged out of the conversation. Then he saw her writing a reply.

That’s some good advice. Thank you. I’ll let you know how it goes. Xx

Then her online light went out and suddenly he was looking forward to tonight a lot more. He could finally tell her how he felt without saying a word.

CHAPTERFORTY-THREE

‘I can’t believe I’m doing this,’ Bear muttered. ‘Spending the evening sniffing three-day-old t-shirts is not how I would choose to spend my time. I feel quite repulsed by the whole thing.’

‘You don’t have to sniff the t-shirts. You can sniff the women, if they give their permission of course,’ Meadow said, looking around. Tonight’s event was in a wonderful hotel overlooking the sea. They were in a large room that had big windows and patio doors that filled the room with the spectacular view of the sea.

‘You want me to walk around and sniff a load of women’s armpits?’ Bear said.

‘No, necks apparently, that’s the best place to get a good whiff,’ Meadow said and then laughed as Bear couldn’t have looked any less enthusiastic.

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ Imogen said, catching everyone’s attention. ‘Thank you for coming to our Mix n Match event. Tonight we are going to be focussing on scent. Everyone has a unique scent and our pheromones are probably more important than appearance when it comes to attracting someone. You might tell yourself you have a type, that you only go for redheads or blondes, but one day you meet someone who doesn’t fit with your normal type, and you are attracted to them and you don’t know why. It probably has more to do with their scent than anything else. Scientists have studied this attraction extensively and certain pheromones stimulate desire and arousal.’

There were giggles and raised eyebrows around the room.

‘Now there is one pheromone called androsterone which makes men attractive to women. Women also produce this attractive pheromone but in nowhere near the levels that men do. But ten percent of men produce an excessive amount of this pheromone and these men are considered to be the sexiest men in the world. Forget your Chris Hemsworths, Paul Rudds, or Idris Elbas, whoPeoplemagazine have voted as the world’s sexiest men in the last few years, even an average-looking man would be considered sexier and more desirable if they have this pheromone in abundance. But apart from our androsterone-excessive men, who tend to be sexually attractive to all women, our scents will appeal and repel different people. All of you will have very different reactions to the t-shirts you’re going to smell tonight. Some men might find t-shirt number one appealing and others will not and that’s the beauty of this kind of event. There is a scent for everybody.’

Meadow gave Bear an encouraging nudge. He still didn’t look happy.

‘So this is how tonight will work. All of you were asked to sleep in the same white t-shirt for the last three nights and bring it with you tonight. We’ve put the men’s t-shirts in the rather stereotypical blue bags and the women in pink. All the bags will have a barcode on and we’ve given you all a scanner, similarly to what you use at the supermarkets. You can sniff the t-shirts and, if it appeals to you, you can use your scanner to scan the barcode. If the same person is attracted to your scent as well then your wristbands will vibrate and show the number of the person you are matched with. We’ll also email you the details of who you match with, too. Now if sniffing bags and t-shirts isn’t your thing, you can ask if the men or women around you would be happy to be sniffed directly. The necks are the best places to have a sniff of your potential matches. But please ask permission before you do this. Hope you enjoy your night.’

‘Right, shall we get sniffing?’ Meadow said, moving over to the long table where there were t-shirts in blue bags on one half and t-shirts in pink bags on the other.

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