Fortune's Perfect Valentine. Stella Bagwell
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first came on the market, my daughter was jumping up and down for it. And by the way, she loves it. Do you believe this new app will be as successful as some of the more popular items your company has produced in the past?”
Vivian looked over at Wes and wondered just how much acting this was going to require from her boss. Successful? She clamped her lips shut to prevent a nervous laugh from bursting out of her. Why didn’t he be honest and tell Ted he thought it was a crock of crap? Just as he’d told her less than twenty-four hours ago?
An engaging grin brought the hint of a dimple in his left cheek, and Vivian had to stifle a groan. He’d certainly never shown this charming side of himself when she was around. In fact, she’d never dreamed he possessed an ounce of playfulness. Moment by moment, she was learning there were many facets of Wes that she’d never seen before. Or was this just all a part of his act? she wondered.
“I have a great amount of confidence in our new app. On the surface it might appear that My Perfect Match is designed for young people, but actually it’s geared for all ages. After all, love has no age limit. Don’t you agree?”
The host chuckled slyly. “I’d better agree, Wes. Otherwise, my wife will have me sleeping in the doghouse tonight.”
Oh, please, Vivian wanted to shout. My Perfect Match was nothing to jest about.
She noticed Wes was chuckling along with Ted as though the two of them were sharing a private joke about the opposite sex. The idea stirred her temper as much as Wes’s nearness was disturbing her senses.
Ted went on, “So you’re telling me that all people interested in finding a mate, no matter their age, can get results using My Perfect Match?”
“I’m absolutely certain of it,” Wes answered without hesitation.
The anchor appeared surprised at Wes’s unwavering response, while Vivian was downright stunned. She’d expected him to give himself a little wiggle room, just in case the app did fail. Was this more of his pretense? If it was, then what else did he go around pretending?
“Wow, that’s quite a statement,” Ted responded. “Especially coming from the vice president of the company.”
“Vice President of Research and Development,” Wes corrected him.
“Uh, okay. Well, can you tell me how this is supposed to work?” A leering grin came over the man’s face. “Say I’m a lonely guy looking for a woman to settle down with. How will the app help me?”
“It’ll save you a big bar tab,” Wes quipped, then softened his response with another charming grin. “Seriously, I think Vivian can better answer that question.”
Vivian felt like a million eyes were suddenly focusing on her face. Her heart kicked into an even faster pace, sending a loud whooshing noise to her ears. She darted a glance at Wes, then froze a wide-eyed gaze on the monitor and Ted’s smirking face.
“Good morning again, Vivian.”
She desperately needed to clear the ball of nerves in her throat, but it was too late, so instead she swallowed. The effort practically strangled her, making her voice sound more like a squeak. “Good morning.”
The show host gave her a wide, plastic smile and Vivian promised herself she’d never again tune in to Hey, USA.
“I hear you are the brains behind this new technical device to find love,” he said. “Would you care to explain to our viewing audience exactly how the app works?”
Shifting slighting on the seat, she resisted the urge to swallow a second time. “Uh—yes, it matches you with the right people. I mean—right person.”
“Could you elaborate a little?” Ted urged.
“Oh, well—it’s the questions. And how you answer and—that sort of thing.”
Oh, Lord, I’m making a mess of this, she thought frantically. She had to pull herself together before she made a complete idiot of herself!
“Okay, say I answer all the questions listed on the program,” the interviewer went on. “Then what? A woman out there looking for her perfect man decides if she likes my answers? Isn’t that the same premise of all the dating sites being advertised nowadays?”
“No—My Perfect Match is different. A woman won’t decide if she likes you—the computer will do the deciding,” Vivian attempted to correct him.
The popular television personality chuckled, and Vivian couldn’t decide whether she wanted to crawl under her chair or throw her shoe straight through the monitor.
“I’m not sure I follow,” he said. “A computer is going to tell me who my perfect mate is? Look, I’m all for new technology, but when it comes to a person’s love life, that all sounds pretty cold to me.”
She said, “Cold—hot—temperature doesn’t come up on the app’s questions.”
“Then what does come up, Vivian? A criminal background check?” he asked, then burst out laughing at his own crude joke.
How to avoid jerks like you, Vivian wanted to say. Instead, she said through tight lips, “Those types of candidates will automatically be ejected from the system.”
“That’s good to know,” Ted replied. “But I’m still looking for the flawless woman. Tell me exactly how My Perfect Match will find her?”
“I—think—” Her words trailed away in confusion and she darted a helpless glance at Wes.
Thankfully he picked up the rest of her sentence as though they’d planned it that way.
“I think what Vivian is trying to say is that My Perfect Match takes the doubt out of dating. It’s all about being compatible, rather than a person’s appearance or the chemistry between two people. Isn’t that right, Viv?”
Smiling, he looked at her, and for a moment all Vivian could do was gaze into his eyes. She’d never noticed them being so blue before or so full of warmth.
“Oh—yes,” she gushed. “Absolutely.”
“Well, I must admit this is a new concept. And you definitely sound confident about its abilities,” Ted said to Wes. “Would you be willing to trust your love life with My Perfect Match?”
“I certainly would,” Wes said without a pause. “I’m more than happy to let the app tell me who I need to be dating.”
The morning show host appeared completely amazed by Wes’s announcement. “You mean you’re telling me that you plan to use My Perfect Match?”
“I plan to start tomorrow.”
Vivian’s head jerked in Wes’s direction. Had he lost his mind? To hear him tell it, everything he’d been spouting about the app was pure hogwash. Ted Reynolds and the viewing audience might not know it, but she certainly did. Why had Wes suddenly made such a wild promise? And on national TV!
“Did you hear that, folks? Wes Robinson isn’t afraid to put himself on the dating market! He’s just vowed to use My Perfect Match to find his perfect lady. I can promise you that Hey, USA will certainly be following the outcome of this romantic venture!”
While Vivian was trying to make sense of what had just happened, the interview wrapped up. And even after a crew member removed her earpiece, she continued to sit watching dazedly as the broadcast crew carried its equipment out of Wes’s office.
Once the room was finally quiet again, Wes walked over to the wall of plate glass and let out a hefty sigh.
As Vivian watched him stare moodily out at the city, she forced herself to her feet. The past few minutes had twisted her nerves so tight she felt utterly drained, and for a moment she wondered if her legs would hold her upright.
“Well, that turned out to be a hell of a mess,” he said.
Vivian winced with regret. Of