The Billionaire's Mistaken Match ( A BWWM Romance) (3 page)

Paloma finally succumbed to her exhaustion, but only after writing down a few key points she wanted to hit in the profile. She left the notepad next to her computer and retreated to her own room. She hadn’t seen Kit since this morning and was certain, despite Kit’s outburst at the idea of a nap, that her friend had gone back to sleep as well. Paloma glanced at the bathroom, contemplating a shower, but decided against it. Bed was just too enticing.

A couple hours later, Kit made her way back into the living room. Paloma was gone but the computer was still open and she seated herself in front of it, clicking curiously through the profiles. She still didn’t like the idea, but getting Paloma out of her funk would go a long way to help build her self-esteem back up and get her back into the game.

Kit had been asking around for anyone hiring, but it seemed like the city had just closed up. She couldn’t even find anyone hiring night maids or housecleaners, and those jobs were usually always booming. She clicked through a few more profiles, admiring the look of the men. It didn’t hurt to admire, right? There were a few that caught even her eye. She sighed and closed the laptop. When she did, she spotted the notebook sitting behind it. Paloma’s neat handwriting covered the page. There was an entire plan there, with a profile outline, ideas for photos, and a few questionable statements about work and income. Kit couldn’t help but smile. Here friend was the polar opposite of her. Where Kit was pizza and beer, Paloma was homemade pasta and wine. Paloma was the calm, neat, precise kind. Kit was like a hurricane in heels. It made for an interesting friendship. The men on this site were definitely more Paloma’s type than Kit’s.

The plan she had lined out was actually pretty impressive. Kit added some notes of her own chicken scratch and opened the computer back up. She opened a new tab and began doing a bit of research. When Paloma joined her an hour later, Kit was so involved with her work that she didn’t even hear Paloma come up behind her.

“What are you reading?”

Kit nearly jumped right out of the chair. “Jesus Christ on crutches, Paloma!”

“Sorry. I didn’t know you were so deep into whatever it is you are doing. Is that a dating site?”

“It’s for research,” Kit said quickly. “I figured we should look at a few other sites and profiles and see what others put. I mean, we need to know our target audience, right? I just started digging and checking out these other sites to see what people are touting as their strengths I guess.”

“You are really going to help me with this?”

“If this is something you want to try, I’m willing to go in with you. I honestly don’t have much faith in it, but you never know if you don’t try.”

Paloma’s smile brightened her face and made her dark eyes dance. “You are the best friend ever,” she said, leaning down and wrapping her arms around Kit.

“Yeah, yeah. Get offa me. We have work to do.” Paloma pulled a chair up next to Kit and sat down. She looked at her notes, as well as those added by Kit. “I’m thinking we should get a really nice headshot, like a professional type thing. Ronnie’s wife is a professional photographer.  I think I can trade favors and get her to take a couple.”

“I don’t know if I want to bring too many more people into it. However, I do need a good photo and I don’t think my phone will be up to par.”

Kit nodded and grabbed her phone. She sent off a quick text to Ronnie and set the device back down. “Now to find something to wear for the photo. Your clothes and makeup have to be spot on. Nothing whorish, but, you know, classy.” Paloma laughed. If there was one thing Kit was crazy about, it was fashion and makeup. She knew her friend lived for the chance to take over someone else’s closet and face.

“Slow down, sweetie. We have a long way to go.”

“No time to wait, Paloma. If we are going to do this, let’s get on the bus. It’s time to get you out there.” Paloma couldn’t help but join her friend’s enthusiasm. Something about Kit and her firecracker personality really did make Paloma feel better about most things. She took the notepad from her friend and flipped to a new page.

“Alright. Let’s do this thing, then.” The two of them put their heads together and spent the rest of the evening coming up with a profile that didn’t give too much information away, didn’t lie, but still made Paloma come off as intriguing and not a homeless leech. Kit argued the leech comment of course, but Paloma still felt that way.

Ronnie’s wife agreed to do the photo shoot, so Monday evening the girls found themselves in his apartment with his beautiful wife, Tandy. They had brought along a number of outfits and the three women went through each piece looking for the right outfit for the picture.

Paloma really hit it off with Tandy and the two women sat and talked and laughed for much of the shoot. They ended the night with glasses of wine, flipping through the photos on Tandy’s computer and editing the three they had chosen to keep.

Each woman had a favorite. Kit’s had Paloma in a lounging position, looking very sultry in a 1920s type way. Tandy liked the one where Paloma was seated at the table, looking at a flower, her face directed away from the camera, a look of deep contemplation on it. It made her look stoic and thoughtful Tandy said. Paloma liked the standard fresh face, look at the camera and smile photo. It was the one she felt best suited her character. Tandy edited and emailed the three photos to Paloma.

With the photos in hand, so to speak, it was time to build the profile. Here it was, the moment of truth. Paloma took a deep breath and pushed the
join now
button. Kit looked at her friend. She could see the apprehension in Paloma’s eyes, but they also held a determination that couldn’t be shaken. It took very little time to type in the profile information they had come up with. Picking the main photo took a bit more time, but in the end they ended up using the one Paloma liked best and putting the others in the gallery. Paloma looked at Kit. “Here goes nothing,” she said, hitting the submit button. “That’s it. I’m on the online dating circuit. Now what?”

“Now I think we just wait. Or you could troll for a man. I see you can ‘favorite’ the ones you like to talk to later.”

“I’m going to need a beer and some queso before I start that whole thing.”

“Coming right up.” Kit practically jumped out of the chair. She heated up a jar of queso and grabbed a bag of chips and some beer before heading back to the table. “Okay, let’s find you a man.” They spent the rest of the evening going through profiles and chattering about the pros and cons of each person.

Reid Winslow sat across from Vivi in the main office of Lovers.com. “Vivi, they are all the same!” he said, frustrated by the memory of the date he had last night. “I got another one just like the last. Why are all the women here so shallow and vain? They all want the rich man to take care of them. I’m so tired of it!”

“I know, Mr. Winslow, I know. I’m sorry. I’ve tried again and again, as you know. They can’t all possibly be the exact same.”

“Once they realize who I am and just how much money I have, they all turn into these vapid money bunny gold diggers, Vivi. I just want an honest, real, determined woman. One who can see past the money in my pocket and really like me for me.”

“You know, maybe it’s not the girls. Maybe you just aren’t as open to love as you think you are. You can’t be sensitive to the idea of using your money on other people, you know. You do have to treat a woman, it’s to be expected.” Reid sighed. They’d had this conversation before. “I tell you what. Let’s just look through who we have and see if we can find a good one. Give me one last chance to set you up with someone. I’ll find you one who doesn’t want you for your money.”

Reid threw up his hands and staood from the chair. “I feel like I’ve seen them all, Vivi. They are all very lovely women, but really, I just don’t know how you can tell they are honest and not just in if for my money. How can you be certain?” He paced the room. He motioned to the small bar in the corner and Vivi nodded an okay for him to mix a drink.

She declined one for herself. When he returned with a glass two fingers full of scotch, he seated himself, a bit calmer now. “Look. One more time, okay? After this I’m done. I’ll just stay home and wallow in my riches.” Reid cracked a smile at this, causing his green eyes to twinkle. He ran his fingers through his salt and pepper hair and cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. That really isn’t funny.” Reid sat down his glass and straightened his tie.

He was the kind of guy any girl would want, even without his riches. He was tall and muscular in an offhanded way—like he got his muscles by doing activities instead of spending hours in the gym. His hair had started to go gray a couple years ago, despite his being relatively young. He had decided against combatting it and just let it do its thing. The results were wonderful; he had graying at his temples and an almost white streak in the front. Paired with his perfectly tailored suit and three hundred dollar shoes, he cut quite the picture. Vivi couldn’t understand how he was having so much trouble finding the right woman.

Reid almost wished he wasn’t so successful and good-looking. He was fully aware that he was both of these things and they made him a little gun shy of most women. It was hard to tell if they were talking to him because of who he was inside, or the person he portrayed on the outside. Maybe Vivi was right. Maybe he was a part of the problem. He raised his head and looked right into her watery blue eyes. “Okay. I think I’m ready. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

Vivi smiled and turned to her computer. She began naming women and reading profiles, but Reid dismissed them one by one. Some he had dated and some just didn’t appeal to him. A small icon appeared on Vivi’s screen. There was a new applicant to the site. She clicked on it and opened it up. The woman pictured looked wholesome and fun. Better yet, she looked down to earth and not the kind of snobbish woman usually portrayed. This one actually smiled in her photo instead of striking a seductive pose like a piece of bait. Vivi quickly read the profile to herself before looking at Reid. She had paired him with nearly every girl she had. Maybe it was time to stir things up.

“I’ve got you one. Her name is Paloma June.”

“What kind of name is that?”

“A very unique one.” Reid leaned over, trying to get a good view of the profile. Vivi turned her screen away from his prying eyes. “Not this time, tiger. We are going to do things a bit differently this time. You do not get to know anything about her except that her name is Paloma. I will email her and set up the date. All you have to do is show up. This way there will be no preconceived notions about either of you. I’ll make sure it is someplace you can dress down and be yourself.”

Reid looked skeptical. “Where did this girl come from?”

“Why don’t you let me worry about that? Trust me, this is going to be unlike any of the others. This girl could be the one, Mr. Winslow.”

Reid cocked his eyebrow. “So you want me to go on what is essentially a blind date? You want to pick the venue and you want me to play just the normal guy?”

“Within reason. She may know who you are when she learns your name, but it may not matter. This girl is a hard worker with legitimate dreams. She has her future planned out. It seems the only thing she is lacking is someone to share it with. This is where you come in.

After Paloma, if it doesn’t pan out, you can leave the service. I will gracefully back out.” Vivi crossed her fingers under her desk. She didn’t usually just push a new profile on a customer; if fact, there was usually a pretty in depth background check since she catered to more upscale clients. She was hoping this wasn’t one of those who joined on a whim thinking this was your everyday dating site. Lovers.com was pretty exclusive.

Reid had been quiet throughout her reverie. He rubbed at the slight bit of stubble on his chin before running his hands through his hair. “Okay,” he said quietly. “I don’t particularly care for the blind date idea, but they say doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of crazy. I’m a lot of things, but I do like to think I’m sane enough.”

Vivi smiled at him. “Wonderful! I will send out an email to Miss June right away and see if she is available this weekend. When is a good time for you?”

“Friday evening if possible. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll at least still have my weekend to look forward to. Maybe I’ll take a day trip to Tahiti.”

“You see, these are the kinds of things you can’t say in front of women. I kind of want to date you myself.” Vivi laughed. Reid joined her, knowing she was joking. Vivi was a very happily married lady. A little flirting never hurt anyone though. “Okay, Mr. Winslow,” she said, standing. “I will be in touch with you this week when I find out more from Miss June. I look forward to hearing about a date going well for once.” Reid took her hand and shook it gently.

“It would be quite a change. Here’s hoping,” he said, draining the glass. He grabbed his hat and left the office.

Vivi sat back behind her desk and scrolled through Paloma’s background. Reid was going to be surprised when Paloma walked into the date. She hoped he would see the same potential she did.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the picture and said, “You’re my last hope for him, Paloma June. Please don’t be like all the others.”

Paloma didn’t recognize the number. Excitedly, she grabbed the phone, expecting it to be an offer to interview for a job.

“Miss June,” the voice on the other end said.

“Speaking.”

“Wonderful. My name is Vivi. I am the head and moderator of Lovers dot com. I’d like you to come by the office if you don’t mind. I would like to speak to you.”

Paloma was at a loss for words. What was this all about?

“Will you be able to come today?”

              “Um, yeah. Yes. I can come today. What time?”

“Anytime is fine. I will make time to see you.”

Paloma took down the address and hung up the phone. She took a deep breath and pondered why she was being called to the main office. Looking down at her outfit, she decided she would need to look a lot nicer if she were going downtown. She went to change, all the while her head spinning with possibilities.

Vivi had her assistant bring Paloma into the office. The woman was much taller than she had expected, towering over Vivi, who was not short by any standard. “Hello, Miss June,” she said, extending her hand to shake. “I’m Vivi Scarlett, but please, just call me Vivi. Have a seat, please.”

“Only if you promise to call me Paloma,” she said, taking a seat across the desk from Vivi. “I must admit, I was a little surprised to get a phone call from you. I thought this whole thing would be online.”

“Well, yes, that’s generally how it works. We will often do background checks and dig into the person’s life to see how honest their profiles are. However, I have a special client I wish to take care of and I want to offer you an unprecedented chance to go out with him.”

Paloma squirmed a little in her chair. While her profile wasn’t a flat out lie, there were a few little places where they had shifted the truth.

“Why me?” Paloma asked, feeling more uncomfortable by the minute.

Vivi stood and walked around the desk. She leaned back on it, taking on a relaxed pose. “The truth is, he has gone out with nearly every girl on the site and has not found one to his liking. You are unlike every other girl on the site. For one, your look is more exotic, but you are also more down to earth than they are. I’ve read over your profile and it stands out in a way the others don’t because your life goals seem to be much simpler than theirs. He just needs someone who will listen to him and appreciate him for the man he is. I’m not sure why the others can’t handle such an easy task.”

“You mean, you think I will treat the man with respect and like a normal human being?”

“Yes, exactly. If you are up for the task. He would like to meet with you this Friday evening if you are free. Can you do that?”

Paloma grinned, her dark eyes sparkling. “I think I can manage that.”

“Great, let’s find a good place for you to meet.” They spent the next twenty minutes nailing down a time and place for the first date. Vivi informed Paloma that it would be like a blind date, but not to worry, Mr. Winslow was a very nice man. “Here, I will get you a picture of him so you know who to look for. He will always be there early, it’s just his style. If you are an early arriver too, that’s perfect, but try to be on time this once so he can settle into the surroundings and he will be there before you are.” Vivi handed Paloma a photo she had printed from his profile. Paloma was instantly taken with the sad look on Reid’s face.

“He looks so downtrodden,” she observed. “I guess it’s up to me to put a smile on that face, right?”

“That’s what I’m hoping.” Paloma ran her fingers over the photo. Besides the sad green eyes, the man was incredibly good-looking. She was thrilled that he wasn’t some young punk or old grandpa type. He looked to be about her age, which was wonderful.

“Now, you go ahead and take that with you so you will know who you are looking for when you get to the restaurant.” Vivi stood again and extended her hand. “Thank you for being so cooperative. I hope it all works out for the both of you. Mr. Winslow deserves to have a good woman in his life. If my judge of character is worth anything, I would say you are a fine woman indeed.”

Paloma shook Vivi’s hand again, forcing her eyes to stay on the other woman’s. Inside she was feeling like she had betrayed herself and everything she stood for by telling her little half-truths on her profile, but she couldn’t back out now. There was no way.

“Thank you so much,” she told Vivi, then turned to leave the office. As she walked toward the subway station, she glanced back at the picture. “Oh, girl, what have you gotten yourself into?” she asked herself quietly. Tucking the picture into her bag, she walked through the turnstiles and toward her platform. She was both excited and apprehensive about telling Kit. What would her friend think? Did it really matter? She shook it off just as her train arrived.

“You have a date!” Kit exclaimed. “Just like that, you sign up and, boom, you are hooked up with some millionaire?”

“I don’t know if he’s a millionaire. All I know is his name and what he looks like,” she replied, handing the photo to Kit. Her friend scrutinized the photo for a long time without speaking. “Well?”

“Well, he doesn’t look like a serial killer, so I guess there’s that.” Paloma sighed and snatched the photo back from Kit. “Hey!  Okay, look, I’m sorry. How can I help you get ready for your date? When is it? What other girl pal things can I ask you to help you out?”

Paloma gave Kit a sidelong glance. “You are an absolute ass, you know that. I ought to come down there and kick that ass to kingdom come.”

Kit smirked, her signature look. “Sweetie, please, you couldn’t handle this ass. I have a mind to come up there and mess up that pretty face of yours. If I could reach it.” Both women broke into peals of laughter. “Seriously though, I’m sorry. What can I do to help?” Kit and Paloma dug through closets and makeup bags, putting together the perfect outfit. The date wasn’t for two more days, but Paloma wanted to, needed to, be ready. She hadn’t been on a decent date in some time, and never one with a successful man like Reid Winslow, even if she didn’t know exactly what he did.

“I think I’m as prepared as I’m going to get until Friday night.” Paloma told Kit the name of the restaurant they had chosen and shared her doubts about the blind date aspect. It wasn’t really happening how she expected, but that was life. She just had to make it through the next two days looking for jobs, calling about application progress, and so on. Then she could let loose and just have a good night out.