Page 14 of Perfectly Matched
Chapter Five
Hannah sensed Payson become a little bit fidgety when Madison strolled over. She couldn’t tell if the shift in body language was a result of a shy attraction or intimidation.
“Payson,” Madison said without looking up from her phone. “Do you have the information on the rancher in Phoenix that I’m supposed to interview for the…” Madison trailed off as she glanced up, cocked her head, and stared at Payson.
Hannah lowered her head, but from the corner of her eyes, she continued watching Piper’s binding spell settle in. And although the magical attraction was one way, Hannah sensed from Madison’s behavior that it would be enough to at least generate the desire for a kiss if not more.
“His name’s Karl Johnson,” Payson said as she handed Madison a folder. “All the information on his ostrich ranch is in here.” She tapped the binder. “I’m giving you a minute and a half for the interview, and I’m throwing it at the top of the B-block. But heads-up, there may be a last-minute shift to one of the stories in the A-block. We have a tiger missing from Mic’s Magic Show, so depending on how that plays out, I may have to shuffle a few of the stories around, but I’ll let you know.”
“Uh-huh, yeah, no worries. Thanks.” Madison took the folder as she maintained eye contact. “Did you, um…did you do something different with your hair?”
Payson patted her head as though checking for any runaway strands. “No, why?”
“Huh. There’s something definitely different about you today.”
“No, just the same little ol’ me.” Payson fidgeted, then glanced toward Hannah. “Oh, hey, this is Hannah, my temp assistant. Hannah, Madison…Madison, meet Hannah.”
“Wait, what?” Madison snapped as if blinking herself out of the trance. “You got an assistant?”
“Well, it’s only for a few days, but yeah, Hannah has been assigned to help me. Corporate’s trying out some new program with rotating temps that—”
“Jason!” Madison cut Payson off as she stomped toward the corner office. “I want an assistant too. How come Payson gets…” were the last words that lingered in the newsroom before the glass door slammed shut.
“She seems intense,” Hannah said as she continued to stare at the spectacle unfolding in the office. So much for her hope that Madison would be a perfect match for Payson. What did the universe see in the pairing of these two women?
“Yep, that’s Madison,” Payson replied as she stretched in her chair. “Hey, you hungry?”
Hannah’s stomach had been growling for hours. “Yes.”
“Did you bring anything for dinner?”
“No, I didn’t know I had to.”
Payson glanced at the digital clock by the assignment desk. “There isn’t enough time to run out and get anything. Come on.” She shuffled out of her cubicle. “I always have an extra stash of veggie and bean burritos in the freezer. When it’s this close to the show, I really need to be at my desk.”
Hannah nodded as she followed Payson into another square room that was a smaller version of the one they’d just came from. Instead of cubicles, it housed a set of two roundtables and chairs, a refrigerator, microwave, and coffeepot. The blue tinge of the fluorescent lights created the same sterile look, and Hannah wondered if every room in the entire station lacked color, character, and charm. She let out a breath as she walked over to the coffee pot, grabbed it, and sniffed the liquid.
“I wouldn’t recommend drinking that sludge. I’m sure it’s been sitting out for hours. If you want a cup, I’ll make a fresh pot.”
“No, that’s okay.” Hannah recoiled as she looked at the dark-colored liquid that had an oil slick floating on the top and placed it back in its holder.
Payson grabbed two small packages, ripped them open, and threw them in the microwave. She pressed a few well-worn buttons, turned, and leaned against the counter. “Tell me a little about yourself.”
A knot grew in Hannah’s stomach. Although she and Piper had enjoyed being amongst mortals while eating, drinking, and celebrating in a variety of settings, she had no interest in having a personal conversation with one. She only engaged with them from an observer’s viewpoint, a stranger who was just along for the ride and had no intent on sharing even the simplest of intimacies. “What um…” She tried to clear the nervousness from her throat. “What would you like to know?”
“What do you do when you’re not temping? Where’re you from? Do you have any pets? You know, the usual interrogation stuff.”
“Well, um, let’s see. When I’m not temping, I work for a matchmaking service that’s—”
“Wait. Hold up. You work for an online dating site?”
Hannah chuckled. “Well…kinda.” She had pierced the hearts of many who’d participated in those sites. Unfortunately, many more of those hearts remained untouched by her arrows,their profiles unseen by the night sky. “But we tend to provide a one-on-one service, and we guarantee the match will end in love. Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee how long that love will last.”
“Wow, that’s a pretty bold company statement. You’ll have to let me know who you work for because I’ve been toying with the idea of trying one of those sites. But I just can’t seem to—” The ding from the microwave interrupted her. “And that’s dinner.” She grabbed a couple paper plates and transferred a burrito to each. She handed one to Hannah. “Careful, it’s hot.”
Hannah stared at the pathetic looking blob of folded dough and wondered what the hell Payson expected her to do with it. She sniffed, then poked at the tortilla. “What is this?” She held the plate out to Payson.
“A burrito. Don’t you like them?”