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Prologue

Prologue

Abreeze chimed across Janice’s intuition like sea glass. She looked up through the trees, squinting at their pale, pink buds, and with a little hum of interest, watched the wind tug at the branches. This time of year, there was nothing unusual about a susurrus or two, but this one smelled different. It felt different. It plucked at her instincts like the errant fingers of a toddler over harp strings. “Interesting,” she murmured.

Holding onto that ethereal prompting, she turned and entered Kiss-Met, her dating agency. Located on the second floor of the historical, downtown building, Kiss-Met was her dream, her child, and her purpose. It was her past and present wrapped neatly in the promise of the future, and even if her spiritual instincts hadn’t nudged her to open the business twenty-two years ago, Janice had an inkling that she would have found her way to this professionregardless.

She loved love. She relished in the warmth that blossomed in her chest when she made a match for lonely souls, and she appreciated the chance to hone her natural talents for intuitive listening.

Some might call it “fortune telling.” Janice preferred to call it intentional watchfulness.

Taking the elevator to the second floor, she closed her eyes and gave that little blip of awareness some extra space in her consciousness to take root. Something was beginning today. She didn’t know what, but she had a feeling that it would be rather enthralling. Opening her dark chocolate eyes, Janice smiled to herself. “Veryinteresting.”

With her long, boho-patterned, blue skirt swishing around her ankles, Janice greeted the front desk staff and made her way through the modern, minimalist foyer and to the offices at the back of the floor. She had decorated her space with trinkets and mementos from around the world, accented with brightly colored rugs and shawls, and adorned with spiritually enhancing knickknacks that brought her joy. It looked more like a palm reader’s place of business than that of the CEO of a thriving matchmaking company in Oregon, but Janice liked to think that her success was due in part to the charm her clients felt when visiting with her.

Then again, it wasn’t just her efforts that were to thank for the success of Kiss-Met. Her matchmaking staff had all been chosen with the utmost care, and they had become the beating heart of the operation.

Still smiling over the little kernel ofsomethingthat Janice knew was about to unfurl, she deposited herself in front of her desk and forced her mind to turn to the essential tasks of the day. It was tempting to linger in the spiritual, to bask in the glow of intuition and kismet, but whatever it was, it would come along in its own due time.

And that time, apparently, was 11:43 in the morning.

As Janice pored over financial records she would much rather forget altogether, one of her best and brightest matchmakers entered the room with a tentative knock. Gemma, who was young and enthusiastic, and possessed a tenacity Janice had rarely seen in anyone, tilted her head at an adorable angle to catch Janice’s attention. Her long, blond waves spilled over one shoulder, and she gave a little wave. “Morning.”

Janice gave her a welcoming smile. “How can I help you, Ms. Daise?”

Gemma produced a thin packet of papers from behind her bright red, fitted dress. “I have a candidate for the Love Doctor position.”

Janice raised her eyebrows in surprise. It had felt like a bit of a long shot, but she had wanted to find a matchmaking professional with a doctorate to add some much-needed legitimacy to Kiss-Met as they continued to compete with dating apps and online services. Having a “Dr. Love” on staff would bolster their reputation and provide a helpful advertising campaign going into the summer. “You surprise me. Who have you found?”

“It’s actually my best friend,” Gemma admitted, droppingthe sheaf of papers at Janice’s fingertips. “Her name is Ruth, and she just completed her doctorate in… human relations.”

Her pause didn’t go unnoticed. Janice hooked Gemma with an arched-brow stare. “Is that so?”

“Mhm.” Gemma began pleating the skirt of her dress like she often did when she was nervous. “She really needs a job. It’s a whole story. Just,” she paused, chewing her full lower lip. “Well, just have a look. I have a good feeling about her.”

Janice glanced at the resume on her desk, and just like that, the little flit of awareness rang a bell in her intuition. Janice ran her finger over the paper, and then looking up, noticed that outside her wall of windows, the wind had picked up. It rattled the budding maple branches and swirled last season’s leaf husks over the busy street. Janice looked back down at the paper. “Doctor Ruth Coldwell.” The woman’s name sang through Janice’s awareness like a favorite tune.

Gemma pressed her dainty hands together. “She’ssosmart. I just know she could help us.”

“Janice,” Olivia’s voice said over the intercom. “You’ve got your twelve o’ clock here.”

“Send them back,” Janice replied distractedly. Her mind whirled with a nebulous kind of understanding that she hadn’t fully grasped yet. But could this doctor from Denver really have something to do with such a fortuitous feeling? Hiring a new employee on a gut feeling wasn’t a strange practice for Janice, but this felt like something else. Something more.

“She’s already here in town,” Gemma pushed. “She’s stayingwith me for a bit.”

Janice nodded slowly. “I will certainly consider her, Gemma. Thank you.”

A couple entered the office then. Polished, stately, and clearly brimming with success and confidence, they entered hand-in-hand, wearing bright smiles. They had contacted Janice a few days ago, desperate to match their son with someone who would give him the love and security they felt he deserved. The mother, Jayla, wore a deep shade of plum that beautifully complimented her darker skin tone, and she reached out a hand for Janice first. “Good morning! It’s so lovely to meet you.”

Janice stood and took the effervescent woman’s warm hand in her cooler one. “A pleasure, Mrs. Reed.”

“Thank you for seeing us,” Mr. Reed added, shaking Janice’s hand with his large, strong hand that matched his tall stature and square facial features. “Our son seems to be often dated but never matched.”

Janice nodded once. “A common occurrence, I assure you.” Turning to Gemma, she said, “This is Gemma, our best matchmaker here at Kiss-Met. I’m certain we can both help you guide your son in the right direction.”

“Good, he needs it,” Jayla said with a pointed flare of her dark-lashed eyes.

“What’s his name?” Gemma asked with a welcoming smile.