The Wedding Bet by Cupideros Read Free Book Online Page A

noticed the careful decor. Who designed this for you?”
    “I have to get back to you on that one,” said the young man who seemed unable to grow a beard. He looked someone you meet in a youth hostel overseas in Europe.
    The small kitchen table held ample room for two people to talk or have a cup of tea.
    “Excuse me,” I told the men. “I have to answer this. Yes. Olivia, how are you? You what? Have another date for me. No, not a date,” I said walking away out into the hallway so the men couldn’t here. “You want me to go to a Lover’s Dance tomorrow night. It’s Tuesday. Who goes to a dance on Tuesday evening?” I held the phone away from my ear.
    “Lots of eligible men go to this Lover’s Dance. They have over thirteen hundred members. Some from the wealthiest income brackets.”
    “Be honest, Olivia; is this your plan or Cynthia’s? Because whatever Cynthia did worked. And I don’t intend to do whatever Cynthia did.”
    “You’re quitting the bet?”
    “No. I always see my word through to the end.” I argued.
    “Why not just come and have a good time with me then? You don’t have to dance with anyone. Just sit and drink a virgin pina colada.”
    “You’re on.” I hung up the phone. I checked several other messages in my list. Half were from Cynthia and two unknowns. Two from previous customers. How can I run as successful catering business trying to find a man? . On the other hand, each new man I meet wasn’t hatched from an egg. They have a mom, daughter (ugh) or niece or aunt of marriage age. I need to take an extra supply of business cards.
    I walked with a spring in my step back inside the small studio apartment.
    Shawn showed me where the camera would be located.
    PR Man walked me around and lifted the curtains. “The stuffed potted violet flower vase; the television set has a camera facing the entire room. Everything is monitored. So you’ll be safe. There is an alarm and besides I’m going stay with you for the first few times, Megan.”
    “At least if I’m going to play a hooker, I’ll be a safe one.”
    Both men laughed.
    “You are hardly a hooker; although there is an element of sleaze in going out to trying and find a man it seems.”
    “I noticed,” I sat my purse down on the table. I dared not sit down. I didn’t want the two men to get the wrong idea. If I had a huge wedding cake on the table, that’d be different. “Olivia Swanson, the woman who dragged me into this insane bet, lined up a Tuesday night Lover’s Dance for me. I cringe thinking of the slobs and desperado men I’ll meet there.”
    “I attend those occasionally,” PR Man said.
    “You do?”
    “They’re fun. Long as you don’t get your hopes up too high. I mean some of the women are past their prime and other women are too young to marry—”
    “I object. You are leading on the female attendees of the Lover’s Dance.” I shook my head and pulled out my cell phone again. It was Cynthia. “Speak of the porn ring leader.” I started to answer and stopped. “I better take her calls in private; just because a woman seeks love doesn’t make her out for sex.”
    PR Man and Shawn just looked at each other.
    “We never said—”
    “You insinuated the old woman was past her prime for marriage; the other women too young to want to marry. That leaves only?” I waited for their response.
    “They want to break up a boring night?”
    Both men spoke together.
    “You know what you meant.”
    Shawn gave in. “I find women interesting things, even if I don’t want to marry them.”
    PR Man said, “Stop it, Shawn. She knows a canned speech when she hears it. We forgot about the perceptions still held to on women and girls. Occasionally, we break free of our male conditioning to play the field, Megan. That’s why I’m committed to this campaign. I know how to turn them off to even wanting to get in your pants.”
    Shawn laughed.
    “What if I bet you?” I said, “Shawn you have to consider getting