Page 3 of Text Me A Kiss
“Uh huh. What’s wrong?”
That startled me out of my contemplation of both my skin and the people around me. “What? Nothing’s wrong.”
“Oh please. I’ll tell you what’s wrong. You know those statistics I told you I could find you? Well, they say CEOs perform better with a solid relationship. You stare regretfully at nail scratches, refuse to carry on any kind of conversation, and grin like a fool at a happy couple? It’s obvious what you want.”
“They were funny,” I said defensively. “And these aren’t from nails—”
“Don’t you lie to me, Graham.” The severity in her voice ushered mine into silence. “You need a woman. Not a different woman every night, either. You need a steady, healthy relationship.”
I leaned back, my gaze lapsing into that unreadable expression I usually reserved for certain aspects of business. “Even if I wanted that, it wouldn’t matter. The women in our circles want me for my body or money, nothing else. I’ll fuck a woman who thinks she can manipulate me, but I won’t stay with her.”
“Language, Graham.” Mary narrowed her eyes at me until I arranged my face into a contrite apology. “I’ve thought about this. You should try online dating.”
I laughed as I scooted my water back so the waiter could put a plate of steaming lasagna down in front of me. When Mary didn’t join me in my amusement, I dropped my smile. “What, seriously? I can get any woman I want.”
“Except one who will like you as a man and not a rich CEO,” Mary countered. “Make a fake profile and get yourself out there as whoever you want them to see you as. You’re not afraid to work hard. You worked hard in university, you worked hard for me, then you got your big break and made it big with Midwest by working hard. Put a little work into a relationship.”
The careless shrug I gave as I took a bite of my food feigned disinterest, but my mind raced, picking apart this new idea. I’d never even considered such a thing before, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that not only could it be a good idea, but that there was no reason not to try. “Okay,” I decided suddenly with the conviction of a man who makes a lot of decisions. “Let’s do it. This is your brainchild. Do you have a particular dating app in mind?”
Sternness vanished as Mary smiled one of those rare, wide, genuine smiles that changed her from a businesswoman to a true friend. “Of course.”