Chapter 1

It felt like he wasswimming through mud, struggling to fight his way to the surface. Eventually, he was able to pry open one eye, then the other. It was as if grains of sand were scraping against the inside of his eyelids. He tried to move, but his arms and legs were leaden. He took several slow, deep breaths, and then, with a monumental effort, forced himself into a sitting position. A moan of pain escaped his lips with the effort. He blinked several times as his surroundings came into focus.

It appeared to be a spacious living room. But it was in shambles. There was a white leather sofa across from him, its stuffing poking up from slashes in the cushions. A sleek, black chair stood at one side of the sofa, its mate lay opposite, toppled onto its side. The sofa sat at a strange angle before a large window, currently obscured by vertical blinds. Slivers of sunlight seeped out from the top and bottom, letting him know that it was daylight outside. In front of the sofa, the shards from a broken glass-top table were scattered across the thick, Arctic shag rug which lay beneath.

He lifted his gaze to slowly sweep over the rest of the room and noted more overturned furnishings and items scattered about. A cracked crystal vase lay on its side; the bouquet of fresh flowers that had clearly once been inside it now lay wilted and crushed in a puddle of water on the hardwood floor. Artwork that was still on the walls hung askew, the rest lay in broken frames on the floor.

The floor plan of the space was open, and he could see the dining area from where he sat. A marble dining table held a partially empty bottle of wine and two wine glasses. Beside them sat what must have once been a charcuterie tray. He could see the dried-up remains of cheeses and crackers poking up from the edges of it.

He could tell that the decor of the place was luxurious, high end. But he didn't recognize any of it. And the silence of the place was profound.

"Hello?" His voice came out like a croak. He squeezed his eyes shut against the sudden pain that rocked through his head as he spoke. He struggled to his feet and cleared his throat, trying again. "Hello, is anyone here?"

His words were met with silence. Confusion clouded his mind as he tried to piece together how he'd ended up in this unfamiliar, disarrayed space.

He surveyed the room once more, and his eyes fell on a large, gilt sunburst mirror that had somehow escaped the destruction. He stumbled his way across the room toward it, feeling strangely uncoordinated. It was as if his feet were having difficulty translating the message from his brain telling them to move.

He reached the mirror and gasped as he took in his reflection. A pair of extremely bloodshot gray eyes stared back at him. His thick, dark curls, normally combed neatly back, now stood on end, framing a face that sported a colorful bruise on his left cheekbone. He could see a bit of dried blood around his nose and there were a few drips on his rumpled white polo shirt. He lifted his fingertips to gently touch the tender bruise.

His head was really beginning to ache now and he was starting to feel nauseous. He moved to the black chair that was still in place and sat down hard on it, dropping his head between his knees. He took several deep breaths, trying to think what to do. He had no idea where he was. And he had no memory of how he'd gotten here.

He searched through the fog of his mind, trying to recall any details from the night before. Suddenly, a memory popped into his head, making him sit bolt upright, then he winced as the room spun. He remembered now. He'd been on his first date with Valentina last night. They'd met at Lakeside Latté for coffee. But he couldn't recall anything after that. Was this her home? And if so, why did he have no recollection of coming here? And even more concerning, where was she?

He glanced again at the dining room table, the two wine glasses, and the open bottle of wine. He frowned. There was no way that he drank anything last night. Was there?

He stood again and walked through the entire place, calling Valentina's name as he entered each room. In one bedroom, he spied a photograph by the bed. He walked over and picked it up. The picture confirmed that this must be Valentina's home. The girl in the photo was clearly a young Valentina, maybe around the age of ten, and she was smiling up at a woman who looked similar to her. Her mother? He set the photograph back down and moved on, searching every room in the place. But it was soon clear that he was alone.

He felt in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. His first instinct was to call his brother Wade, a member of the Whispering Pines police force. Then he remembered Wade was out of town. He hesitated for a moment longer, debating. Then he checked his cell phone contacts, selected a name, and dialed a different number instead.

***

Maggie Milena sat inLakeside Latté across the table from her potential client, Sandra, her expression sympathetic. Maggie had heard similar versions of Sandra's story many times, and she knew from experience that step one was simply letting the person feel heard.

Sandra had been divorced for over three years and she was in her early forties. She'd tried three different online dating services, but the matches were always horrendous. She hated the whole process of "virtual dating" before the real dating even began. It just wasn't working out well for her. And the last man she'd been paired with had been the final straw.

"He was not interested in learning about me at all," Sandra said, setting down her oversized mug with a clatter. "In fact, I have no idea how those algorithms put us together in the first place because we shared zero interests in common. He talked the entire night about himself and his impressive," here she rolled her eyes, "portfolio of investments. And then, can you even believe it? He had the gall to ask me to pay for both our dinners, claiming he was just respecting me as an independent woman!"

Maggie shook her head. "Well, that's something that would never happen when you're on a Matches by Maggie date."

Sandra lifted her mug again and took a sip of her coffee, then broke off a piece of the lemon and blueberry scone on the plate in front of her. "Can you explain to me a bit more about your program and how it works?"

"Certainly," Maggie said. "As a certified matchmaker, I create a dating experience that's personalized just for you. It will be completely private, with no online dating profile for the world to see."

Sandra nodded approvingly and popped the bite of scone into her mouth.

"In addition, nobody will ghost you or present a false image that's a far cry from reality," Maggie said, warming to her subject. "The Matches by Maggie process starts with you and I having a confidential, in-depth conversation where I get to know you. I learn all about your life experiences, personal interests, hobbies, dating history, and relationship goals. I find out what you're looking for in a potential partner, what's worked for you in past relationships, and just as importantly, what hasn't worked.

"Then you sit back and relax while I combine my matchmaker skills with the information I've gathered from you during our conversation. I personally handle everything from match selection to booking reservations and arranging everything necessary for your first date. I become your dating concierge. That way you spend your time dating instead of searching for hours through online profiles and swiping screens."

Sandra smiled at this as Maggie continued.

"We don't do anything virtual. You'll go on real face-to-face dates because that's the only way to tell if there's chemistry. It's personal, it's private, it's effective, and it's off-line. After I select your match, I call you and share with you details about who I've chosen. I always respect your confidentiality and only share your name, never your address, phone number, email address, or where you work.

"As for the date itself, I do all in my power to create an environment that makes getting to know your match as easy and fun as possible. I can even provide some effective conversation starter prompts to help your conversation flow smoothly."

Maggie leaned forward, her gaze intent as she concluded her sales pitch. "Selecting your match isn't just my job, Sandra, it's my passion. I'm here to help you find that special someone. To help you achieve your very own happily ever after."

Sandra sat back in her chair and looked pleased. "All of that sounds wonderful. And I must say, with only a few exceptions, your reviews speak for themselves!"

Maggie kept the easy smile on her face but inwardly seethed at the reminder of the mysterious negative reviews that had recently popped up online.

"What happens after that first date?" Sandra asked.

"Well, I chat with you both to get feedback. If things went well, and you've already made plans to get together again, great! If not, it's important that I get good feedback on your impressions, likes and dislikes, so that I can fine-tune future matches."

Their conversation continued a bit longer as Maggie answered a few more questions. But in less than half an hour, she had another signed contract in her hand. She stood to bid Sandra farewell and then sat back down in the booth, ready to relax and enjoy her own coffee and the rest of her cinnamon roll. But just as she lifted the delicious confection to her lips, her phone buzzed with a call.

She grinned, answering it with a tap. "It's great to hear from you, Noah! Are you calling to tell me how great it went with Valentina last night? I had such a good feeling about you two."