Pretty?
He thinks I'm pretty.
No man has ever told me I'm pretty.
Ever.
Is he just being nice since we've been matched by the system? There's no way he could have expected a chubby city girl to be his match. It doesn't make sense.
Still.
I did put my trust in the system, and he hasn't run yet.
I swallow back my self-doubt and craft a response.
Ella:
Thank you. That's very...
Very what? I delete the words until the blinking cursor mocks me. What am I supposed to say now?
I don't even own a pair of hiking boots and I've never held a fishing rod, but despite all that, it looks like we're perfect for each other.
Ugh.
I need to stop overthinking this and just be myself. Before I can overthink it, I type:
Ella:
Thank you. You're very attractive, too. I'm glad you had a relaxing day. I spent mine working. What's it like in the mountains?
I agonize over every single word. And almost delete the part about him being attractive in case it makes me sound desperate, but ultimately, I leave it in because it's true. Heisattractive. And he gave me a compliment. It's only right.
I hit the send button before I can chicken out and then sit back. Waiting.
The minutes crawl by, each one longer than the last until I'm positive he's not going to answer at all. I'm ready to give up and go back to my work when the notification dings. I tap my phone screen so fast that I nearly knock over my glass of water.
I breathe a sigh of relief at his response, and something sparks in my chest and spreads warmth through me. Maybe this won't be so hard after all.
Jamie
The sun is setting outside, my little cabin is quiet except for the crackle of the fire. It's simple and predictable. Just the way I like things.
What isn't predictable is the new message that arrives in my inbox moments after sending the last one.
Hell, I hadn't planned on sending any at all. The plan was to delete the message and the entire app without responding at all. But when I read through the communication, I could see that Jaxon or Briggs, or both of them, had already initiated a conversation. Dick heads.
Only a total asshole would leave her hanging without an explanation, right?
I'm a lot of things, but I am not an asshole.
At least, not when it comes to women.
So much for the plan, because now I'm in the middle of an actual conversation with a woman I've never met, who looks like a complete and total city girl. The exact opposite of any woman I'd usually be interested in. And all because a computer program told me she's my perfect match.
That's not the only reason.
It's true.
