I couldn’t imagine living far away from my siblings. Tori was my other half and business partner, and Rocco was a best friend and confidante. Success and fame made it harder to trust people because you never really knew what they wanted from you, but with my siblings, I never had to question their loyalty.
“And are your parents still at the ranch?” I asked.
“They died in a car accident a while back. That’s why I’m running it now.”
I sat with the feeling of that loss, giving it the moment of silent reflection it deserved. “I’m so sorry. I lost my dad quite suddenly, and it was a shock, but losing both of your parents at once must have been a nightmare.”
“It was hard,” he said, “but being at the ranch makes me feel closer to them. I’m continuing their legacy, which is very important to me.”
“I’m amazed you took over the family business by yourself. My sister and I own a company together, and I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
He glanced over at me. “Is that right? What kind of business are you in?”
I considered lying, but wasn’t quick enough on my feet to think of anything other than the truth. “We own a matchmaking service.”
“Really?” He appraised me with fresh eyes, as if I’d surprised him. “I didn’t even know those existed anymore, what with online dating.”
I wasn’t offended. What would a guy from rural Wyoming know about elite Manhattan matchmakers? It was probably as foreign to him as something like rodeos were to me.
“Being on the dating apps is hard, and Stanley Cup winners and airline CEOs don’t necessarily want to post their photos for all to see. Many high profile people prefer being set up by professionals. We background check every client to weed out the creeps and the scammers, and we do in-depth interviews and even conduct mock dates to give them tips. It’s a process.” An expensive process that most people couldn’t afford. “My sister is actually the matchmaker. I’m the CFO, the numbers brain.”
“Oh, so this is matchmaking for millionaires.”
“And billionaires.” I wasn’t bragging, only stating facts, but I could see the slight shift in his expression. “Since it’s our company, we can choose who we work with. If our clients don’t treat other people with dignity and respect, we part ways with them.”
The last thing I wanted to do was get into a big discussion about work, but when people found out I co-owned a matchmaking company, there were always questions. I could never get away from my job and, in some ways, that was my own fault. I had cultivated little in my life besides my career and my role as a mother. Who I was beyond those two things was becoming a question I wanted to answer.
“Sounds like you offer an important service, then.” He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “Online dating doesn’t really work so well in small towns. You’d probably just end up on a date with your neighbor or cousin. People tend to meet the old-fashioned way here.”
“At the bar?”
He chuckled. “At the bar, definitely. Or church. My sister met her husband at college. A lot of folks marry their high school sweethearts.”
“I think those are ideal ways to meet someone, if you can. In a big city, it can be hard to connect with other single people, although it seems like it should be the opposite when there are so many options.”
“Women have a saying about meeting a man out here.”
“Tell me.”
He tilted his head. “The odds are good, but the goods are odd.”
I smiled as I processed his meaning. “Is that so?”
“I can only speak for myself, but I don’t think I’m that odd. Now my brothers are another story.”
I laughed again, then waited anxiously for him to ask how I met my husband. Yes, I was alone on this trip, but I was wearing a diamond engagement ring and a wedding band on my left hand, and there was nothing I wanted to talk about less than how I met Freddy. Shifting in my seat, I slid my hand under my leg to hide the ring and hopefully ward off any questions.
Fortunately, Matthew Hart and I were both comfortable riding in silence, and that’s exactly what we did for a good twenty minutes. Occasionally, I’d sneak looks over at him, enjoying his handsome profile and wishing I could do more than daydream about a vacation fling, but now wasn’t the time to risk another scandal. He didn’t seem like the type to sell a story to a tabloid, but did anyone ever appear on the surface to be a heartless sellout?
About forty-five minutes into the trip, I was impatient to arrive at the ranch. “Are we close yet?”
“About halfway.”
“Halfway?” Surprise made my voice higher and shriller than I’d intended. “Really?”
“We’re cutting through the Medicine Bow National Forest right now. It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?”
“Absolutely. I just didn’t realize…” I could have sworn Tori told me the ranch was a half hour from the airport. I wanted to have a look at a map on my phone, but there was no cell reception. Zero bars. Hopefully, the ranch had reliable WiFi, so I could do a few online meetings later in the week. I felt twitchy when I thought about being away from work for too long.
