“Be practical,” Casey said, tilting her head.
“I am,” Gerri replied. “I'm being as practical as I can be, darling. Remember, the greatest pleasure in life is love.”
She could almost snort at that remark. “Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.”
Gerri started to laugh. “As Plato said, the madness of love is the greatest of heaven's blessings.”
She leaned forward. “Albert Einstein said, 'The only source of knowledge is experience.' I've had plenty to tell you that men suck. They suck a lot.”
Gerri put a hand on her hip. “Not all men suck, darling. You just need to be looking in the right spot. You know, 'Live every day as if it's going to be your last for one day, and you're sure to be right.'“
She decided to go in for the kill, refusing for Gerri to win. She couldn't allow love to trump philosophy. “'To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead.'“ She gave her a smile. “Quote by Bertrand Russell.”
Gerri sighed deeply, shaking her head. “Oh, darling. I just don't understand why you can't have both. Why must you think you can only have one? Why do you think philosophy and love can't go together?”
Maybe because she knew she would never have love. No one wanted her for who she truly was. She was too jaded for love to exist. “I just don't think it's practical,” she said with a shrug. “I've dated men, Gerri. It never ends well.”
Gerri tilted her head. “Give me a chance to prove you wrong. Maybe you don't need a man.”
Her eyes widened. “Gerri, I'm not lesbian.”
Gerri waved a hand with a laugh. “No, I mean not just a man. Have you ever considered a shifter? They are so much more than a man and have sharper minds.”
She stayed quiet, knowing she couldn't tell her no. If she did, she would go against what she had just argued. She didn't want to be proven wrong.
“I'm offering a service that I know will change your life, Casey. Take it.”
She looked around the laundromat and finally sighed. “All right, but if it goes badly, you'll be getting an earful.”
Gerri smiled. “I intend to hear nothing.” She gave her a wink before she turned on her heel and headed out, giving her a wave as she went.
Casey stood there surrounded by laundry, questioning what she agreed to. What had she gotten herself into? She didn't need a man. She didn't want a man.
Right?
CHAPTERTHREE
JAKE
Jake stared into the mirror, giving himself a critical evaluation. He wasn’t used to looking himself over with so much scrutiny, but this lunch date was giving him a touch of nerves he just couldn’t ignore.
The lapels of the neatly cut, tailored jacket felt soft under his fingers as he tugged them forward, settling the shoulders more snugly against his body. He’d gone with a matching jacket and pants in charcoal gray that accented his blue eyes. The shirt was slightly off-white, a nice contrast to the suit.
There was a selection of ties on the dresser in front of him, but as he cast his eye over them, Jake decided against putting one on. Instead, he unbuttoned the neck of the shirt and let it fall open a little.
He frowned. The informal look was a little unfamiliar. The new haircut was just a little too neat, as well. With steady hands, he tousled his brown locks a little until they looked more casual.It’s just a lunch date. Get over yourself!
The fact that it was a date was exactly the problem. Jake didn’t think he’d actually been on a proper date before. He was used to seeing a woman at an event or retreat, pursuing her, and then immediately losing interest once he got her into bed.
It always worked for him too. That was the main reason why he felt slightly ridiculous appraising himself this way.
I know I look good. I can have any woman I want in this whole damn city.
Jake frowned at the mirror. This was the other part of his problem. This was not just any woman he was going to meet. It was supposed to be his fated mate…his true match.
At the very idea, his lion growled deep in his chest. The big cat was excited as if tracking her scent already. He knew if sparks didn’t fly, his lion was going to have some rage to work through. Gerri had promised this was going to be special, and now that the moment to meet Casey was fast approaching, Jake didn’t know if he should be expecting excitement … or failure.
Jake had never considered looking for his fated mate … if he even had one. He really didn’t think it was possible to find her. The idea of a perfect match seemed like something that only happened in the movies.