The Billionaire Matchmaker Test (Billionaire Online Dating Service #5) - Elle James Page 0,65
change?"
"Yeah," Calliope sighed again. "Why do people have to get married and move away?"
"Although, Lucie seems very happy." She could still picture Lucie's glowing face at the wedding. How had she lucked into finding the love of her life here in Bayou Miste?
Calliope’s eyes got all dreamy. "Do you think we'll ever find someone to love as much as Lucie loves Ben?"
"Not me. I only date the guys from hell."
"Like Theo?"
Alex rolled her eyes. "Why can't that bonehead take the hint?"
"Still botherin' you?"
As if to prove her point, her phone sang the theme for Jaws, the da dum, da dum sound grating on every last one of her nerves. She launched herself across the coffee table, snatched the phone, and cocked her arm to throw.
Calliope grabbed the device from her hand before she could let go. "Hey, don't ruin a perfectly good cell phone because of a guy."
She drew in a long breath and let out the tension with her exhale. "You're right. You're right. I'd miss my phone more than Theo."
"Not all guys are like Theo, you know," Calliope pointed out.
She snorted. "You haven't seen the ones my mom keeps throwing at me." She settled back on the couch and hugged a pillow to her chest. "I don't know where she gets them, but they've all had major 'me' hang-ups."
"What do you mean?"
"It's all about the guy." She wandered around her tastefully decorated living room where everything had a place and everything was in it. "Why can't I find a guy who thinks I hung the moon? A partner who will love me even when I'm majorly PMSing. Someone who will love me unconditionally, no matter how bad a day he's had."
As if he sensed how upset she was, Sport, Alex’s golden retriever, trotted across the room and sat at her feet, his tail sweeping the floor in a steady rhythm. He stared up at her, mouth hanging open like he was smiling at her, his eyes pleading, “pet me”.
She reached down and scratched behind his ears. "I don't think I'll ever find someone to love me like that."
"Sport loves you like that." Calliope giggled.
She laughed. "You know, Calliope, you're right. I need a guy like Sport. One who will greet me at the door, always happy to see me. Someone who can forgive me for forgetting his birthday. Someone who's happy no matter what I feed him or how fat I get." She squatted next to Sport and hugged him around his neck.
"Wouldn't it be neat if Sport were a man?"
"Yeah." She loved the silky feel of Sport's coat against her cheek. He loved her no matter what. "I wish he were a man. Then maybe my mother would quit trying to set me up."
"Hey, Sport." Calliope snapped her fingers. "Come here."
The dog laid a long wet tongue across Alex's cheek and wiggled loose to go to Calliope.
"How would you like to be a man?" The redhead rubbed her hand in his thick fur. "I bet you'd be really sexy, huh, boy?"
Alex stood and brushed the dog hair off her workout pants. "I have to get ready for work. Would you mind taking Sport out for a walk?"
"I'd love to." Calliope leaped from her chair. "Wanna go outside, boy?" She reached for the leash hanging on a hook inside the coat closet.
"Just don't let him whiz on Miz Mozelle's rose bushes. She never says anything, but I'm sure she doesn't appreciate it. I don't know what it is about her rose bushes that inspires him to grace them."
"We'll steer clear." Calliope snapped the lead on Sport’s collar.
"And watch out for Granny Saulnier's poodle."
"FeFe?"
"Yeah. Sport has a thing for her. If you’re not careful, he’ll yank your arm out of its socket going after her."
"I’ll be careful." Calliope paused with her hand on the front doorknob and looked back with her eyebrows raised. “Anything else before we go for a nice walk?”
“Get out of here.” Alex lobbed a pillow at Calliope as she and Sport exited.
Later that night, Alex lay in her bed, Lucie’s Voodoo pouch lying on the pillow beside her. She'd had a particularly tough aerobics session at the gym and her muscles ached.
She lifted her cell phone and dialed.
"Hello?" Lucie’s sleepy voice answered.
"Did I catch you doing something I only dream about?" she asked.
"Sleeping?"
"Never mind.” She stroked the red velvet bag. “Is Ben home?"
"No, he's putting in a late day with the prosecuting attorney. You know, his criminal investigation stuff."