Chapter 2

I stoodin front of the full-length mirror, admiring myself. I had to admit, I looked damn good in my wedding dress. It was a strapless, nude, lace-covered, mermaid-style gown that hugged my every curve. The sweetheart neckline accentuated my breasts and shoulders. Elegant white gold pieces adorned my neck, ears, and wrists. My makeup was light and natural, and my hair hung in long, soft curls framing my face.

I looked beautiful.

Even as beautiful as I felt, a hint of sadness dwelled in my eyes. I was here alone. I arrived alone. I'd gotten ready with assistance from my makeup artist, who was provided by Arranged Hearts. They were a blessing throughout this whole process. Not only did they match me, but the wedding was held in a venue owned by the company.

They took care of the food, decorations, flowers, and the minister. The planning process was quite different. There was a series of questions both myself and my match had to answer to gauge our styles. I was very anxious to see what they came up with.

The only thing I had to buy was my wedding dress and my future husband's wedding band. I thought back to the day I got the call. I was at Sunday dinner at my parent's house. My phone vibrated against the table. When I saw that it was Kelcy, I quietly excused myself.

"Hello?"

"Ms. Lewis? It's Kelcy from Arranged Hearts. I hope I'm not catching you at a bad time."

"No, no. Now's as good a time as any."

"Great. I usually don't call on the weekends, but I wanted to let you know that I finally matched you with someone."

I froze. For a moment, I think my heart stopped, and I couldn't breathe. She told me this could be a long process. It had been about two months since my initial appointment, a much shorter process than I was expecting. I wasn't sure how to feel.

"Ms. Lewis?" she called, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I shook my head as I tuned back in. "I'm here…" I whispered.

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes. You matched me."

"Yes. I think you'll be very pleased with this gentleman. My partner and I worked very closely on your compatibility. Might I say, he's quite the looker, too."

I giggled. "You aren't just pulling my leg, are you?"

She shared in my laughter. "Not when it comes to matters of the heart. Congratulations. I'll be in touch to let you know the next steps."

"Okay. Thank you, Kelcy."

"You are so welcome."

I hung up the call and clutched the phone to my chest. It was official. I'd been matched, and I was getting married. This was really happening. I slowly walked back into the dining room and reclaimed my seat. I could feel all eyes on me as I picked up my fork.

"Everything okay?" my father asked.

"Yeah… yeah, everything is fine."

"Your face is flushed. Who was on the phone?"

I sighed. "The woman from Arranged Hearts. She matched me."

It seemed like everyone's forks clinked against their plates at the same time. They all stared at me.

"You're really going through with this, Kachelle?" my sister, Ebony, asked.

"Yes."

She shook her head. My mother dropped her head in her hands, before looking up at me.

"I really wish you would reconsider this, Kay," she said. "This isn't normal. It's not the way to find love. This is some reality TV type of shit."

"Mom, they have a ninety-seven percent success rating. That's not just this location. That's across the board. Whatever they are doing is working. Clearly, they know something I don't about dating."

My father shook his head. "You don't find love from the jump, Kachelle. It takes work. Hard work and commitment. You're taking the easy way out?—"

"The easy way out? Daddy, do you really think I think I won't have to work at this marriage? I'll have to work ten times harder because of the way I chose to do it. I have to juggle being married will still getting to know my partner. We have to figure out living situations, learn each other, and so much more. It's work that I'm willing to do."

"You're being a fool. I won't stand for it."

I gave a tight-lipped expression as I dropped my fork and pushed off from the table.

"Then I guess I'm a fool. I appreciate your concern. I understand where you're coming from; believe me, I do. But this is my life and my decision. I've made my choice."

I stood from the table and walked out of the dining room. After grabbing my things, I left the house.

That was three months ago and of course, it wasn't the last discussion we had about my pending nuptials. Every time we talked about it from there on out, it ended the same way, with me storming out. My family had reluctantly agreed to come to the wedding, but nobody wanted to be in the wedding party because they felt I was making a mistake. My father refused to walk me down the aisle because this wasn't how he dreamed of giving me away.

They all told me they would be here, but they couldn't in good conscience support me marrying a complete stranger. I almost wanted to tell them not to come all together, but how pathetic would I look walking down the aisle with no one on my side? I was doing this with or without their support. It didn't matter if they thought I was making a mistake. It didn't matter if they viewed my attempt at finding love as desperate.

I knew my reasons for why I chose this route. My past relationships and entanglements weren't rooted in the right reasons. Before I ever decided I would seek Arranged Hearts, I listened to the testimonials of past clients. I watched every video and read every interview. Even through detailing their highs and lows, I could see the genuine love and care that each couple displayed. They were just like any traditional couple.

Kelcy's words had been on replay in my head since I got the notice stating they found a match for me. "It works if you do the work." I was willing to do the work. I just prayed that my husband-to-be was ready, too.