Page 10 of Banter & Blushes

“Are you laughing at me?” I whine.

“Maybe?”

I throw her a scowl meant to dissuade anymore mirth. She reacts by clapping her hand over her mouth and giggling.

“Well, I don’t know how anyone in their right mind can answer some of these!” I huff.

“Which one is tripping you up?” she rasps, still trying to control the laughter.

“Here, this one,” I snipe, pointing to the odious question. “If you could have any useless superpower, which would it be?”

“Ooh, that one is tricky.”

“Tricky? It’s ridiculous if you ask me. I mean, who cares if you can untangle Christmas tree lights with a single pull?”

“That skill would come in very handy if you store your lights like I do,” she replies in a deadpan voice.

I grunt.

“But, Cade, you already excel at one of those.”

“Which one?” I ask, squinting intently at the screen.

“The superpower to find a parking spot right in front of a business,” she replies, then points through the front window at my cherry red Porsche.

My eyes go wide. “You’re right!” I shout as I select that answer.

“See, you just have to go with your first instinct. Don’t over debate the answers.” She waltzes away as if she’s given me an insider tip to completing this absurd survey.

Deciding to go with the flow, I quickly select that kitty as my best friend since I’m an animal lover and the karaoke machine for the desert island. At least I’ll be able to entertain myself while stranded.

My spirits lift when I realize there’s only one more question to go. Chewing on my fingernail, I debate the answers, saying each one out loud and trying to imagine my mom calling me any of these. After five minutes, I choose Sir Snacks-a-Lot as my secret nickname over Captain Cuddles or Duke Doodlebug.

Slamming the laptop shut, I stand and go in search of Luna, finding her beside the crystal jewelry display. Thrusting the computer into her hands, I say, “I look forward to my first match.”

“I’ll get back to you in a day or two,” she shouts at my retreating back.

I wave over my shoulder as I hurry out to my car, feeling guilty for taking so much of my morning on romantic matchmaking instead of real estate matchmaking. At this point, I hold very little hope that Luna is going to find my perfect woman based on that ridiculous questionnaire.

Grinning that I do apparently possess one useless superpower, I hop into my car parked right outside her shop and drive away.

CHAPTER 6

LUNA

After Cade leaves, Harmony saunters in. She accosts me when I’m behind the register and have no place to hide. “Was that Cade Bainbridge leaving your shop? I didn’t see a gift bag in his hand, what was he here for?”

Her nosy question irritates me, and I answer without thinking it through. “He’s my newest matchmaking client.”

The older woman’s eyes pop open. “Why does a good-looking man like that need a matchmaker?”

“I’m not allowed to discuss my cases,” I huff.

Harmony laughs. “Surely you can find him a match with all your connections in that matchmaking network. But just in case you need my help, I’ll spread the word around town that he’s available.”

I need Harmony’s help as much as I need a toothache. But before I can protest, Harmony waltzes out the door and back to her shop, chuckling as she goes. Now the whole town is going to know Cade is looking for a perfect match, and I’m going to look like an inept matchmaker if I don’t find him the woman of his dreams.

Harmony’s interruption,while annoying, spurs me into action. I upload Cade’s questionnaire to Cupid’s Matchmaking Network. Within seconds, the AImatchmaking algorithm comes up with several potential matches who live within a 200-mile radius of the Jacksonville area. Seabreeze Harbor is within that radius, but I’m doubtful of finding him a match with anyone who resides here in town and is in his age group. Elderly Mrs. Hilton comes to mind because she’s a retired businesswoman who loves karaoke, but she’s old enough to be Cade’s grandmother.

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