Chapter 2

TWO

O live sprawled across her plush white couch, absently flipping through a romance novel. The late afternoon sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of her Manhattan penthouse, casting a warm glow over the stylish space. She sighed, tossing the book aside. Even the most swoon-worthy fictional heroes seemed to fall flat lately.

Her phone buzzed on the glass coffee table. Olive glanced at the screen, frowning at the unknown number. After a moment's hesitation, she swiped to answer.

"Hello?"

"Is this Olive Russo?" A warm, slightly husky female voice came through the line.

"Yes, this is she."

"Wonderful! This is Gerri Wilder from the Paranormal Dating Agency. I understand you're interested in our matchmaking services."

Olive sat up straighter, her heart skipping a beat. "Oh! Yes, I am. I've heard great things about your agency."

Gerri chuckled. "Well, I'd love to chat with you about how we can help. Are you free for lunch tomorrow? Say, one in the afternoon at Bella Vista downtown."

"Tomorrow? Yes, I can do that," Olive replied, her mind already racing ahead to what she'd wear.

"Perfect. I look forward to meeting you, Olive. We'll get you matched up with Mr. Right in no time."

As soon as the call ended, Olive leaped off the couch and paced the living room, nervous energy thrumming through her veins. She needed to talk this through with someone. Without hesitation, she dialed her cousin and best friend.

"Athena! You'll never guess who just called me," Olive blurted as soon as her cousin picked up.

"Ooh, was it that hot barista from Brew & Bean? I told you he was into you."

Olive rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but smile. "No, not him. It was Gerri Wilder."

"From the Paranormal Dating Agency? No way! What did she say?"

"She invited me to lunch tomorrow to discuss matchmaking. I'm meeting her at Bella Vista."

"That's amazing, Olive. I told you reaching out to her was a good idea." Athena's excitement was palpable even through the phone. "Okay, you need my advice. First, keep an open mind. Gerri's methods might seem a little... unconventional."

Olive's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by unconventional?"

"Let's just say she has a unique approach. But trust me, it works. She's blunt and speaks her mind, so be prepared for that. But she's also incredibly nice and genuinely wants to help people find love."

"Got it. Open mind, expect bluntness. Anything else?"

"Be honest with her, Olive. Completely honest. Gerri has this uncanny ability to see right through people, so there's no point in trying to hide anything. Tell her exactly what you're looking for, even if it seems silly or impossible."

Olive nodded, then remembered Athena couldn't see her. "Okay, I will. Thanks, Athena. I'm nervous, but excited too."

"You've got this, cuz. Call me right after and tell me everything."

After hanging up, Olive headed to her walk-in closet, determined to find the perfect outfit for tomorrow's lunch. She rifled through designer dresses and tailored suits, rejecting option after option. Too formal. Too casual. Too bright. Too dull.

Finally, she settled on a deep blue wrap dress that hugged her curves without being overly sexy, paired with classic nude pumps. Professional, but with a hint of flirtiness. Perfect for a matchmaking consultation.

Olive barely slept that night, her mind buzzing with possibilities. What if Gerri really could find her perfect match? Someone who would love her for who she was, not for her family's money or her social status. Someone who wouldn't betray her trust like her father had betrayed her mother.

The next morning dawned bright and clear. Olive took extra care with her appearance, applying her makeup with a steady hand and styling her honey-blonde hair into soft waves. As she slipped on her dress and shoes, she gave herself a critical once-over in the full-length mirror.

"You can do this," she told her reflection firmly. "Just be yourself."

The drive to Bella Vista seemed to take forever, even though traffic was relatively light for midday in Manhattan. Olive's stomach fluttered with nerves as she handed her keys to the valet and stepped into the restaurant.

Bella Vista lived up to its name, offering stunning views of the city skyline through its wall of windows. The decor was chic and modern, all clean lines and muted colors with pops of vibrant art on the walls. Olive scanned the dining room, searching for Gerri.

She spotted an older woman sitting alone at a corner table, dressed in a brilliantly patterned silk blouse and tailored white pants. Her silver-white hair was cut in a stylish bob, and her bright blue eyes twinkled as she caught Olive's gaze. She waved, and Olive made her way over.

"You must be Olive," the woman said warmly, standing to greet her. "I'm Gerri Wilder. It's lovely to meet you in person."

"It's great to meet you too," Olive replied, shaking Gerri's offered hand. The older woman's grip was firm and confident.

"Please, sit down," Gerri said, gesturing to the chair across from her. "I hope you don't mind, I took the liberty of ordering us some wine. A nice pinot grigio to start things off."

Olive settled into her seat, grateful for the chance to calm her nerves. "That sounds perfect, thank you."

A waiter appeared moments later with two glasses of crisp white wine. Gerri raised hers in a toast. "To new beginnings and unexpected adventures."

Olive clinked her glass against Gerri's. "I'll drink to that."

They placed their lunch orders - a Cobb salad for Olive, grilled salmon for Gerri - and made small talk about the restaurant and the beautiful weather. As soon as the waiter walked away, Gerri leaned forward, her blue eyes twinkling.

"Now then, let's get down to business, shall we? I like to start with a little game of rapid-fire questions. Just say the first thing that pops into your head. Ready?"

Olive blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift. "Uh, sure. I guess so."

"Excellent. Here we go. Boxers or briefs?"

"What?" Olive sputtered, nearly choking on her wine.

Gerri grinned. "On a man, dear. What's your preference?"

"Oh! Um, boxers, I suppose."

"Good to know. Facial hair - yay or nay?"

"Yay, if it's well-groomed."

"Interesting. Tall, dark, and handsome or blonde surfer type?"

Olive found herself relaxing into the rhythm of the questions. "Tall, dark, and handsome, definitely."

"Cats or dogs?"

"Dogs, but I like cats too."

"Missionary or doggy style?"

This time Olive did choke on her wine, her face flushing bright red. "I... what? That's a bit personal, don't you think?"

Gerri waved a hand dismissively. "Honey, I'm about to set you up with the love of your life. There's no such thing as too personal. But we can come back to that one. Let's see... early bird or night owl?"

"Night owl," Olive answered, still a bit flustered.

"City or country?"

"City, for sure."

"Favorite book genre?"

A smile spread across Olive's face. "Romance, of course. But I enjoy a good thriller now and then too."

"Ah yes, I forgot you're quite the romance connoisseur with that vlog of yours. Speaking of which, most embarrassing moment caught on camera?"

Olive groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Oh god, probably the time I was doing a live stream and didn't realize I had spinach stuck in my teeth for like twenty minutes."

Gerri cackled with delight. "Oh, that's a good one. Okay, last question for now. What's your biggest deal-breaker in a relationship?"

The lighthearted mood evaporated as Olive's smile faded. She took a sip of wine, buying herself a moment to gather her thoughts.

"Infidelity," she said finally. "I can't be with someone I can't trust completely."

Gerri's expression softened. "I see. And I'm guessing there's a story behind that?"

Olive nodded, tracing patterns in the condensation on her water glass. "My father... he cheated on my mother when I was sixteen. It tore our family apart."

"I'm so sorry, dear. That must have been terribly difficult for you."

"It was. I mean, I've had boyfriends since then, but I've never really been able to fully trust any of them. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, you know?"

Gerri reached across the table to pat Olive's hand. "That's perfectly understandable. But you can't let one man's mistakes poison your view of all relationships. There are good men out there, Olive. Loyal men who would never dream of betraying their partner's trust."

"I know that, logically," Olive sighed. "It's just hard to believe it sometimes."

"Well, that's where I come in," Gerri said with a wink. "My job is to find you a man who will restore your faith in love. Someone who will cherish you and earn your trust. But you have to be willing to give him a chance."

Olive nodded slowly. "I want to. That's why I reached out to you. I'm tired of being cynical and guarded all the time."

"Good girl. Now, let me give you a piece of advice." Gerri leaned in conspiratorially. "When you meet the man I set you up with - and trust me, you will meet him - I want you to forget everything you think you know about your ‘type.' Forget your checklist of must-haves and deal-breakers."

"But you just asked me all those questions about what I like," Olive protested.

Gerri's eyes twinkled. "I know. But here's the thing, dear. Sometimes what we think we want isn't actually what's best for us. I promise you, the man I choose for you will be perfect for you in ways you can't even imagine right now. But you have to keep an open mind and give him a real chance. Can you do that for me?"

Olive hesitated, then nodded. "I'll try. I promise."

"That's all I ask. Now, there's just one more thing we need to discuss before we make this official."

"What's that?"

Gerri's expression turned serious. "I understand you're in a bit of a tricky situation with your family. They're pressuring you to go through with an arranged marriage, is that right?"

Olive's stomach clenched. "Yes, that's right."

"Don't worry about it. The important thing is this - I need you to promise me that no matter what happens, you won't make any rash decisions about ending your engagement until you've met your intended fiancé in person. So I am going to set you up with your perfect match, but if you decide you're going to end your arranged marriage, you will meet with your arranged fiancé in person. Can you agree to that?"

"I... I guess so," Olive said slowly. "But why is that so important?"

Gerri smiled enigmatically. "I just think it's more respectable to end something that's been in the works in person. Do we have a deal?"

Olive considered for a moment, then nodded. "All right, deal. I promise I won't try to break off the engagement without meeting him first."

"Excellent!" Gerri clapped her hands together. "Then we're all set. I'll be in touch soon with the next steps. In the meantime, try to relax and stay positive. Your perfect match is closer than you think."

As they finished their meals and prepared to leave, Olive felt a mix of excitement and trepidation swirling in her chest. She'd taken the first step toward finding true love, but the journey ahead was still shrouded in uncertainty.

"Thank you for lunch, Gerri," she said as they stood to leave. "And for everything else. I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with."

Gerri pulled her into a warm hug. "Oh, honey, I promise, it's going to be one hell of an adventure."

Back in her penthouse that evening, Olive poured herself a glass of wine and settled onto the couch with her laptop. She opened up her vlogging software and hit record.

"Hey, romance lovers! It's Olive, and do I have a story for you today. Remember how I've been talking about maybe trying out a matchmaking service? Well, guess who I had lunch with this afternoon?"

She paused dramatically, taking a sip of wine.

"That's right - the one and only Gerri Wilder from the Paranormal Dating Agency. Now, I know what you're thinking. Paranormal? What's that about? Trust me, I was skeptical too. But after meeting Gerri, I have to say... I'm intrigued."

Olive launched into a recap of her lunch with Gerri, carefully editing out the more personal details. She described Gerri's unique questioning style and her insistence on keeping an open mind.

"So here's the deal, guys. I'm going to go through with this. I'm going to let Gerri set me up with whoever she thinks is my perfect match. And I'm going to document the whole process right here on this vlog."

She leaned in closer to the camera, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"Between you and me? I'm equal parts terrified and excited. But, hey, that's what love is all about, right? Taking risks and putting yourself out there."

Olive sat back, raising her wine glass in a toast to the camera.

"So here's to new adventures in love. Wish me luck, romance lovers. I have a feeling I'm going to need it."

She ended the recording and quickly edited the video before uploading it to her channel. Within minutes, comments started pouring in.

"OMG Olive! I can't wait to see who Gerri sets you up with!"

"You go, girl! True love is out there waiting for you!"

"Gerri Wilder is a miracle worker. My cousin used her agency and now she's married to the most amazing guy."

Olive smiled as she scrolled through the supportive messages. For the first time in years, she felt a flicker of genuine hope about her romantic future.