My office was cleaner than it had ever been since the years I’d started working there. No papers, no ink, I only had to scroll around on my computer and tap a few buttons.It was too relaxing. Not something I was used to.I’d gone through the profiles of the matchmakers that Lyra had prepared for me, trying to memorize their names and faces. I had some weeks before the welcoming party took place, and I wondered if it would be appropriate to meet them in person before it took place to at least be better acquainted with them to avoid awkwardness.Planning ahead again as always, I reprimanded myself and shook my head. But it couldn’t hurt. There was barely anything to do.The glass table buzzed under my elbows and I patted around for my phone, answering it promptly. I should’ve checked who it was, though. The voice took me by surprise.“Is this Lilith Mendez?”“Yes?” I answered uncertainly.There was a short huff of breath before the man on the other end responded shakily, “I’m John Caro

Estelle’s place was a quaint little villa in a picturesque little town just outside of the urban landscape. Set on a hill, she was surrounded by a river, fields of crops and flowers, and little cottages and houses at the foot.“It’s a nice place for spring break for the college kids,” Estelle explained excitedly with a flick of her brown hair as I stepped into her abode. A homey place with tones of green, mustard, and brown. Stone and wood accents, very personalized furniture, and wacky pieces of art that fit right into the atmosphere. “It gets so pleasant here, and I get a good view on the people to observe their chemistry with each other.”“Wait, isn’t that stalking?” I asked, a little shocked.“Something their parents pay me for,” she shrugged, large blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “I don’t report back to them on anything, I only observe who works well with who and see if it’s sustainable long term.”“Ever been a situation where the person’s brought in an outsider?”“French peop

I woke up enveloped in warmth. There were spaces between our limbs where the cool air slid in between, but nothing too bothersome. My body insitinctively closed in against Cristo’s, his large frame blocking out the sunlight behind him. It was very convenient, and I was glad the sun wasn’t glaring into my face for once.His chest rose and fell against mine slowly, lulling me back into oblivion. A strong arm lay under my head that he wrapped around to my shoulder, hand resting lightly on my arm. He sleepily stroked my skin, indicating he was stirring into wakefulness.I lifted my head slightly, pushing myself onto the pillow to let his poor arm breathe a little. He hadn’t moved all night to keep me from waking, and I was a ridiculously light sleeper. Rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I squinted at him and the way the soft light wrapped around him like a halo. I couldn’t believe he’d stayed, and that last night had really happened. He would usually try to disappear before I woke up.Key

Cristo and I were now a few hours away from New York on the road. The car was parked beside a familiar house in the early morning. The frost from the night drive turned into dew against the warmth of the slowly rising sun that was just peeking from behind the clouds.I didn’t want to leave the warmth of Cristo’s hand in mine. My mother’s house would always tug at a cold spot in my heart, and even the summers couldn’t soothe it. There was no comfort there. NOo love, no joy, and certainly no redemption.Second thoughts. Why was I taking on the burden of making things right? Why did she never try?Of course, she would never acknowledge her own wrong-doings. What parent ever did? I wasn’t sure if it would matter, me going in there and trying to fix things to be amicable. I knew my mother would manipulate her way into my life one way or another.She was the kind of person I wouldn’t want around my own child. Certainly not the kid I would’ve had if Mark and his mother hadn’t killed them.“L