Page 11 of No Mane, No Gain
“No buts!” Tia interrupted. “You work too hard, big brother. You need to get out and socialize more. Vanessa’s been asking about you, you know. I think she really likes you.”
Chaos barely suppressed a growl. Vanessa Hartley was exactly the type of woman he was trying to avoid - a social climber who saw him as nothing more than a meal ticket and a status symbol.
“I’m sure she does,” he said dryly. “But I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. I have other plans.”
“What plans?” Tia demanded. “You never do anything but work.”
“I have a meeting,” Chaos lied smoothly. “A very important meeting that I can’t reschedule.”
Tia huffed in frustration. “Fine. But you can’t avoid the social scene forever, Chaos. People are starting to talk.”
“Let them talk,” Chaos replied, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’ve got to go, Tia. The pilot needs me to turn off my phone for landing.”
He ended the call before Tia could protest further, tossing the phone onto the seat beside him with a frustrated sigh.
Baxter, who had been pretending not to eavesdrop with all the subtlety of an elephant in a tutu, raised an eyebrow. “Trouble in paradise?”
“Tia’s trying to set me up with her friend Vanessa again,” Chaos explained, his lip curling in distaste. “That woman is a nightmare. All she cares about is money and status. I’d rather date a cactus.”
“Sounds like exactly the kind of woman your parents would approve of,” Baxter observed. “You know, if the cactus doesn’t work out.”
Chaos shot him a glare that could have melted steel. “Not helping, Bax. Unless you’re volunteering to be my date to Tia’s next disaster dinner?”
Baxter held up his hands in mock surrender. “Sorry, boss. I don’t think I could pull off the arm candy look. But, hey, if you don’t want to end up with Vanessa the Viper or Cactus Carla, you might want to take matters into your own hands. Starting with that call to Gerri Wilder.”
Chaos leaned back in his seat, staring out the window at the clouds drifting by. If he didn’t do something soon, he’d find himself trapped in exactly the kind of empty, loveless marriage he’d always dreaded. Probably to someone who thoughtThe Real Housewiveswas high art.
“All right,” he said finally, turning back to Baxter. “As soon as we land, I’ll call this Gerri Wilder and set up a meeting. But if this turns out to be some kind of scam, I’m holding you personally responsible. Hope you look good in a tux, because you’ll be my plus-one to every mind-numbing charity gala for the next decade.”
Baxter grinned, clearly pleased with himself. “Fair enough. But trust me, boss. I have a good feeling about this. And if it goes south, I promise to be the prettiest arm candy you’ve ever had.”
The rest of the flight passed quickly with Chaos diving back into his work to distract himself from thoughts of matchmakers, arranged marriages, and Baxter in a ballgown. By the time they touched down at JFK, he’d managed to review all the quarterlyreports and draft a preliminary strategy for the upcoming board meeting. He’d also mentally designed Baxter’s hypothetical gala outfit, complete with tiara.
As they disembarked the jet, the hustle and bustle of New York City immediately enveloped them. Chaos breathed in deeply, savoring the energy of the city. There was something about New York that always invigorated him, sparked his creativity and drive. That, and the smell of street hot dogs.
A sleek black town car waited for them on the tarmac. As they slid into the back seat, Chaos pulled out his phone and pulled up the contact information Baxter had sent him earlier.
“Geraldine Wilder, Paranormal Dating Agency,” he read aloud, shaking his head slightly at the absurdity of it all. Before he could talk himself out of it, he hit the call button.
The phone rang twice before a warm, slightly husky female voice answered. “Paranormal Dating Agency, this is Gerri speaking. How can I help you find your perfect match today?”
Chaos cleared his throat, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically nervous. “Yes, hello. This is Chaos Amato. I was hoping to set up a meeting with you to discuss your... services.”
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and Chaos could have sworn he heard a soft chuckle. “Chaos Amato, as I live and breathe. I’ve been wondering when you’d call.”
Chaos blinked in surprise, shooting a confused look at Baxter. “You... were expecting my call?”
“Let’s just say I had a feeling,” Gerri replied, a smile evident in her voice. “I’m actually in New York this week. How does tomorrow afternoon work for you? Say, 2:00 p.m. at the Ritz Carlton?”
“Tomorrow at two,” Chaos repeated, quickly running through his mental schedule. “That should work. I’ll be there.”
“Excellent,” Gerri said. “I’m looking forward to meeting you, Mr. Amato. And don’t worry - I have a feeling we’re going to find you exactly what you’re looking for.”
Before Chaos could respond, the line went dead. He stared at his phone for a moment, unsure of what to make of the strange conversation.
“Well?” Baxter prompted. “Did you set up the meeting?”
Chaos nodded slowly. “Yeah. But it was... weird. She said she’d been expecting my call.”