Page 2 of No Mane, No Gain
“Bingo,” Olive said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Seventeen years of dreading this moment, and it’s finally here. I swear, sometimes I think my parents care more about this stupid arranged marriage than they do about the foundation.”
Athena’s expression was serious. “Olive, I know your parents’ divorce was hard on you. But you can’t let your dad’s mistakes color your view of love forever.”
Olive’s fingers tightened around her cup. “It’s not just Dad’s infidelity, Athena. It’s... everything. The lies, the betrayal, watching Mom’s heart break. And now they both think they can dictate my love life based on some agreement they made when I was a kid. It’s like they’ve forgotten their own train wreck of a marriage.”
“Not everyone cheats, you know,” Athena said gently. “There are good men out there.”
Olive snorted. “Right. And they’re all living in the pages of romance novels, conveniently located between ‘Fantasy’ and ‘Too Good to Be True.’”
Athena’s eyes lit up suddenly. “You know, there might be a way to find your own Prince Charming and get your parents off your back.”
Olive eyed her suspiciously. “If you suggest online dating, I swear I’ll pour this tea over your head.”
“Nothing so pedestrian,” Athena waved dismissively. “I’m talking about Gerri Wilder’s Paranormal Dating Agency.”
Olive blinked, certain she had misheard. “I’m sorry, did you just say ‘paranormal dating agency’? As in, dating vampires and werewolves? Athena, I know I joke about it in my vlogs, but I’m not actually looking to get bitten on the first date.”
Athena rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. Gerri’s agency is legendary. She has an uncanny ability to match people with their perfect partners – human or otherwise.”
“And you know this how?” Olive asked, raising an eyebrow.
Athena shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Let’s just say I have my sources. Come on, what have you got to lose? At worst, you’ll have material for a hilarious vlog series.”
Olive chewed her lower lip, considering. The idea was absurd, but then again, so was letting her parents force her into a marriage based on an agreement made when she was barely a teenager. And Athena had a point about the vlog potential...
“I’ll think about it,” she conceded finally. “But if I end up married to a swamp monster, I’m blaming you.”
Athena grinned triumphantly. “Trust me, if Gerri sets you up, you’ll be too busy living your own romance novel to blame anyone.”
As they left the coffee shop, Olive’s mind whirled with possibilities. A paranormal dating agency? It sounded like something straight out of one of her books. But then again, wasn’t that what she had always dreamed of – a love story worthy of the novels she adored?
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of foundation work and increasingly outlandish scenarios playing out in Olive’s imagination. By the time evening rolled around, she had worked herself into a state of nervous anticipation. The family dinner at her sister Sapphire’s house loomed ahead, promising to be an exercise in diplomatic navigation.
Olive stood before her closet, eyeing her options critically. “What does one wear to a family dinner where they plan to interrogate you about your impending arranged marriage?” she mused aloud. “Probably not the T-shirt that says ‘I like my men like I like my coffee – hot, strong, and able to keep me up all night.’”
She settled on a knee-length blue dress that hugged her curves without being overly provocative. Pairing it with black heels and simple gold jewelry, she nodded at her reflection. Sophisticated yet comfortable – perfect for withstanding an evening of familial pressure.
As she applied a final swipe of mascara, her phone buzzed with a text from Sapphire.
Don’t be late. Mom’s already here, and she’s got that look in her eye.
Olive groaned. She knew that look all too well – the one that said Mariah Harper was on a mission, and heaven help anyone who stood in her way.
On my way. Have the wine ready.
The drive to Sapphire’s suburban home felt all too short. As Olive pulled into the driveway, she took a moment to steel herself. The house before her was a picture of domestic bliss – manicured lawn, warm lights glowing from within, the faint sound of children’s laughter drifting through an open window. It was beautiful, perfect even. And yet, Olive couldn’t shake the feeling that she was walking into the lion’s den.
“Here goes nothing,” she muttered, grabbing the bottle of wine she’d brought and making her way to the front door.
Before she could knock, the door swung open, revealing Sapphire. At thirty-three, Sapphire was the epitome of put-together – her blonde hair styled in a chic bob, her blue eyes warm but slightly harried.
“Thank God you’re here,” Sapphire said by way of greeting, pulling Olive into a quick hug. “Mom’s been here for an hour, and I’m this close to spiking her tea with something stronger.”
Olive snorted, following her sister inside. “I brought reinforcements,” she said, holding up the wine bottle.
“You’re a lifesaver,” Sapphire sighed. “Fair warning – Dad and his wife just got here too. And Mom’s new boyfriend is actually... nice? It’s weird.”
“Great,” Olive muttered. “Nothing like a full house to make this evening extra special.”