Kennedy tilted her head and studied her. "When are you going to let us hook you up, babe? Don't you think it's time?"
Izzy wondered if she'd ever again feel ready to have a relationship. Then again, that had been the reason she avoided entanglements in the first place. Much easier to make drugs her one and only lover. They were a possessive, jealous, and demanding partner. She'd passed her two-year anniversary drug-free and built a solid, comforting life for herself. Even her mentor agreed she could begin to test the dating waters, but for the first time ever, Izzy enjoyed the boredom. She'd become everything she once detested, trapped in a regular routine with no additional color.
She was finally at a certain level of peace.
Izzy waved a hand in the air and laughed. "Thanks for the thought, but I'm good. I am thinking of getting a dog, though."
Arilyn clapped her hands together. "I'm so excited! Just tell me when and I'll take you to Animals Alive. They have so many sweet dogs there needing a home."
Kennedy rolled her eyes. "Was thinking more of a six-foot-five hunk of a blond keeping her warm at night. Hey, what about Stone's partner, Devine? He's single. And H-O-T."
Izzy spoke up. "Umm, guys--"
"I never thought of Devine!" Kate jumped in. "I can't believe they still haven't met. He may be perfect to test the waters, Izzy. He's good-looking and really nice. Not too nice."
"The perfect mix of nice," Kennedy said.
Izzy tried again. "I'm not--"
"I cannot believe I'm saying this, but Devine may be a great match for her," Arilyn said slowly. "Stone said he's not seeing anyone right now but has been looking to settle in with someone."
Izzy gulped. "What?"
"Oh, not marriage or jumping into anything," Arilyn corrected. "But I think he's getting tired of endlessly dating and not making a connection. It may be worth a try. I can have Stone bring him by after his shift. Test the chemistry between you."
"Definitely," Kennedy said.
"Agreed," Kate said.
"No."
They looked at her in sheer surprise. Izzy shook her head. "I'm sorry, and I'm truly grateful for the love doctors trying to hook me up, but I'm still not ready. I don't want the pressure."
Uh-oh. Three women's gazes echoed a determination she wasn't used to dealing with. They shared a glance, then nodded in unison.
"We understand," Arilyn said.
Kennedy held her hands up in surrender. "No problem. We just figured we'd try."
Kate didn't say anything.
Suspicion formed, but it wasn't the time to push. "Kate, I think you forgot that Shelby's waiting for you."
Kate clapped her hand over her mouth. "Oh my goodness! Thanks, Izzy--check in with you later."
She raced away, shutting the door behind her, and Izzy faced the two remaining partners. Originally Genevieve's close friends, Izzy now felt as if a bond had formed and she was finally able to consider them as more than just her employers. They'd accepted her fully without hesitation and let her prove herself with her work.
Kennedy sighed. "I'm telling you, babe. Devine is divine. You'll thank me."
"No, thank you."
Arilyn laughed at Ken's disappointment. "Give her time. I believe in fate and the power of energy guiding us in the right direction. Maybe there's another way for her to meet someone other than Kinnections, or setting her up with Devine."
"What's better than Kinnections?"
"What about Earth Mother?"
Arilyn's odd response made Kennedy stiffen. Shock gleamed in her whiskey eyes, and suddenly a giant, smug grin curved her lips. "Gotcha. You're so smart, A."
Arilyn sighed. "I know. But right now I have to prep for my next session, then get back home to feed Pinky. See you guys later."
Izzy said good-bye, turning toward Kennedy for answers. "Okay, what's going on? Who's Earth Mother?"
Kennedy practically oozed fake innocence. "Oh, never mind. It's nothing. I have to go, too. See ya."
She shot out of Kinnections, leaving Izzy more confused and a tad bit curious. She should've known these three would be obsessed with hooking her up. Not only did they run a matchmaking agency, but they were all happily involved with gorgeous men who were also kind. Did they even make such combinations in the male species anymore?
The phone rang, the doorbell chirped, and Izzy pushed the thought out of her mind, focusing on work.
chapter two
"YOU'VE BEEN AWAY on vacation and you still haven't gotten laid?"
Officer William Devine regarded his partner with annoyance. "Why are you stuck on my love life all of a sudden? It was a family vacation. My brother was getting married."
Officer Stone Petty snorted. He sat in the passenger seat of the squad car, his gaze assessing their surroundings, looking for any type of action that would perk up their day in Verily. His head almost hit the ceiling of the car. With his staggering height, coal-black hair, craggy features, and goatee, Stone easily intimidated perps. They made the perfect team of bad cop/good cop and it had been working for a few years now. Besides being a great cop, Stone was an actual friend he trusted with his life. "There must've been a pretty bridesmaid or flower girl or someone."
"Flower girls are usually young girls."
"Maid of honor, then. Or matron--whatever. Chicks love to get laid at weddings."
Amusement made his lips twitch. Even after years of being partners, Stone still was able to make him laugh. "When was the last time you got laid at a wedding?"
His friend puffed up like a proud cock. "Recently. At Kate's wedding. That's when Arilyn and I really hooked up."
"Doesn't count. You were already in a relationship with her."
"Semantics. And I'm not stuck on your love life. I've just noticed you've been a bit bitchy lately, and with men, that channels itself into one direction. The almighty dick."
Devine shook his head. "Not bitchy. Just restless. I don't know; it's stupid."
"Try me. Looks like everyone's obeying the law, so we have time to kill."
True. Verily was a small upstate town located on the Hudson River in New York. It held a quaint main street complete with cafes, wine bars, bakeries, a dog park, and a bunch of artist shops. On a warm September evening, as dusk fell over the valley, touched by a blend of color from the leaves just beginning to turn, the view of the majestic mountains was breathtaking. Jagged, shadowed cliffs rose up from the river, with Verily squeezed right in the middle, like a jewel encased in gold.
Unfortunately, there wasn't much crime in the town. A drunken brawl, speeding ticket, or weed bust kept them occupied, but they were never going to see the hard-core action one of the city boroughs would. Stone had come from the Bronx originally before transferring to Verily, and had some tough issues to deal with.
Devine used to love the fact he could do his part without burning out or losing his faith in humanity. Too many of his fellow officers did, especially after 9/11. But lately an itch crawled under his skin, urging him to break out of his usual routine and do something different.
Something crazy.
But he didn't do crazy. Never had, never will.
He tried to explain in words that didn't even make sense to him. "Maybe I'm going through some weird midlife crisis. I watched my brother get married and he's so damn happy. Hell, even you're happy, and I never would've bet the ranch on Arilyn loving your sorry ass."
Stone grunted. "So, you want to find your love match or something? Why don't you let Arilyn hook you up with Kinnections?"
"Hell, no. That's humiliating. I don't need an agency to find a date."
"Not talking about a date--you've found plenty of those. Talking about a real match with a woman you can connect with. Maybe that's why you're restless."
Devine stared at his partner in shock. Damned if his once surly, sarcastic, sometimes mean-tempered friend had gotten bit by the love bug. Now he was shitting sunshine. "You're scaring me."
Stone shrugged. "I'm happy. Sue me for wanting yo
u to be happy, too."
Devine couldn't argue with that statement. His friend deserved everything he had finally found with Arilyn--and their rescue Chihuahua, Pinky. He'd missed both of them during his family trip. He'd missed his job, too, and Ray's Billiards where he hung out, and the life he had built here.
Then why did he feel so lost?
He rubbed his temple and forced the thought aside. Maybe Stone was right. Maybe he needed to connect with a woman on a deeper level and not just scratch a physical itch. He'd dated plenty of nice women and usually had his pick. Quantity wasn't the problem and never had been.
It was quality. Especially with the type he kept searching for but couldn't seem to find.
The shimmer of memory caught him like a sucker punch. Not her again. It was ridiculous how a silly one-night stand still affected him years later. Probably the lure of the unknown. It was easy to spin tales of what could have been and not deal with the reality. They'd barely known each other, and after a week together they would have probably broken up.
Yet her scent and face still haunted him. He'd just learned to live with it.
"Just think about joining Kinnections. You may find what you've been looking for. Sometimes you gotta do something different. Mix things up."
Devine agreed. He was stuck in a cycle that was pleasant and comfortable but lacking. "Do I have to go through counseling?"
Stone groaned. "That would suck. Arilyn probably wouldn't do it, because she knows you too well. Maybe I can get her to sneak you a free pass and you can just start hooking up right away."
"Yeah. Okay, why don't you talk to her for me and see first?"
"No problem. I'll use my charm and sex appeal and you'll slide right through the door with none of that bullshit they put the other guys through. Hey, look at the white Ford Taurus. Taillights out!"
Devine hit the lights and sped up. "Think maybe there's a body in the trunk? Or drugs in the glove compartment?"
"Let's find out."
As Devine chased the Taurus, he wondered if Kinnections could help him finally get out of his rut.
IZZY CURLED UP on the worn ice-blue sofa, cradling a mug of green tea in her hands. The television hummed low in the background, but the cottage held a quiet hush filled with peace and comfort.
She'd been lucky. Arilyn had gotten engaged and moved in with Stone, which left her twin's bungalow in Verily open. Izzy had moved in and for the first time in years felt like she'd found home.
Everything in the cottage held an old-fashioned flare, from the white shutters, crooked porch, and cheery furniture in canary yellow and ice blue. The kitchen nook held a counter and stools, and a square table for bigger meals. The plank wood floors held colorful braided throw rugs. She'd fallen in love with Verily and its artistic patrons, slowly building relationships with the local bakers and shop owners.
When had she ever been happy to stay home in the evening? When had the haunting voices finally stopped pushing her toward the next unknown road in a quest for an adventure, good or bad? Izzy tried not to question herself too much. She liked the person she was still becoming, finally clean and sober for two years now. It had taken her a long time to rebuild her family's and friends' trust, but with time, amends, and a willingness to face her demons, she was in a good place. Now, with her job at Kinnections challenging her mind, the final piece had slid into place. She'd spent so many years doing dead-end jobs with no thought of the future. Maybe if she proved herself with her computer skills, she'd be able to really hone her talent and help her friends.
She sipped at her tea and decided to watch Star Wars: A New Hope again. Her obsession with the Star Wars franchise bordered a tiny bit on the obsessive, but who cared? Her sister Alexa was crazed over the New York Mets. There was something so beautiful and almost poetic about the battle between good and evil, and she refused to apologize to anyone.
She slipped in the DVD, settled back, and relaxed.
Until the knock came from the door.
Frowning, she put down her mug and peeked through the windows. A smile curved her lips and she flung the door open. "What are you doing here?"
Her twin sister, Genevieve, walked in holding a paper bag. She was still dressed in her scrubs, and her face reflected a happy weariness from her job as a surgeon. Of course, the thing in life that really made her smile was Wolfe. Her best friend turned lover held the key to both her heart and soul. Izzy had never seen a couple so perfectly matched, as if two halves had actually formed a whole.
"I got out of the hospital early and wanted to stop in to see you. And I brought biscotti!"
"Oh God, the caramel pecan?"
"Yes. And the chocolate."
"Want some tea?"
Gen wrinkled her nose. She was a hard-core coffee drinker. "No thanks. Just the sugar, please."
Izzy grabbed two plates and her sister laid the pastries out. They both sighed and stared at them for a while. Even when they were young, they loved sugar and dessert and got into fights with their mother regarding second and third helpings. Then again, it was mostly Izzy who got in trouble. Gen always backed down, not wanting to get their mom mad, but Izzy didn't care and always forged ahead with no caution.
"Are you seriously watching that movie again? You've memorized every line!"
Izzy stuck out her tongue at her sister. "It has hot men and cool women with lightsabers. How can you not love it?"
Gen laughed. "Fine, I give up. I can see you naming your kids Luke and Leia when you have them."
"I actually love that idea."
Gen groaned. "Forget I mentioned it. How've you been doing?" Her sister took a bite of her biscotti and closed her eyes in pleasure. "Kate said you're killing it at work. Everyone's impressed at your learning curve. Did you ever work at a matchmaking agency before?"
Izzy bit into the cookie and moaned. Perfect firm texture. A touch of sweetness. The crunch of pecan. Best thing ever. "No, but I have people skills. Well, I found I had better people skills when I wasn't high, but I think all the traveling helped me deal with a wide variety of people."
"Yeah, I can see that. You always were the one who could convince people to do stuff. And you have a worldly flair about you that's new."
Izzy raised her brow. "Worldly flair? Oh boy, what do you want, Gen?"
Her sister burst into laughter. "Well, now that you mention it . . ."
"You're not going to jump on the Devine bandwagon, too, are you?"
Gen frowned. "What do you mean? What does Stone's partner have to do with anything?"
Izzy waved a hand in the air. Then took another bite. "Nothing. Kennedy was trying to set me up with Devine, saying I need to begin dating. I told her no, but I thought maybe you were here to convince me."
"Hmm, I never really thought about Devine. He's hot, but I was always too fascinated with Stone and Arilyn's fireworks to really concentrate on him. Maybe he's worth a look?"
"No."
"Fine. I want you to do something else for me anyway. But you need to have an open mind."
Suspicion reared up. "You must want this very bad to bring me biscotti."
"Stop--I brought the biscotti because I love you. But I want you to do this thing for me because I'm asking."
"Low blow. Tell me what it is first."
Gen pulled out a slim purple book from the paper bag. The cover was a thick, rich velvet, and the pages seemed worn. The scent of musty paper rose in the air. Izzy reached out and took it, stroking the beautiful cover.
The Book of Spells.
WTH?
Gen began talking fast, as if afraid if she got interrupted her sales pitch would fail. "I know you're going to think I'm crazy but I don't care. It's a book to create a love spell. For a man. Well, not just any man, but the man who is truly meant for you--your actual soul mate--and you need to follow the steps exactly as they're outlined, and then Earth Mother will send him to you. But you have to be extremely careful about the list. The list needs to contain qualities you need in
a man, and you should be as specific as possible. Don't just write down anything. You need to take it seriously, because it's very powerful."
Izzy stared at the book, then back at her sister. A hum of energy seemed to rise in the room, settling in a thick haze around them. "Umm, Gen, I think you're working too hard."
Her sister's usual sense of humor didn't rise up to meet her teasing comment. "I'm serious, Izzy. I need you to do this. I know you don't believe me, but just humor me. The spell holds great power. I did it and now I'm with Wolfe. Arilyn and Kennedy and Kate also did the spell, and look at them. They're happy and in love with the men who are meant for them."
Izzy's mouth fell open. "You believe a love spell was the reason you hooked up with Wolfe? Babe, I hate to tell you this, but you two were circling each other for years. Even I knew you belonged together."
"It worked for all of us. I think the spell harnesses Earth Mother's energy and allows us to finally accept the love that is right for us."
"If Mom heard you talking like this, she'd kill you. She always says you can't do voodoo and stuff and still be a Catholic."
"I'm still Catholic! But I believe in this. And you better not tell her."
Izzy shook her head in confusion, flipping through the pages. "Wait a minute. Arilyn mentioned Earth Mother in a conversation we had. Is this what she was talking about?"
"Yes. I told you, we all did the spell together. She mentioned to me I might want to pass the book on to you."
Damn, she had no idea everyone would go to such extremes just to get her a date.
She sighed. "This is weird, Gen. Why do you want to hook me up so bad with a guy? I'm finally happy and at peace. I'm not causing trouble, I'm off the drugs, and I'm happy. Why mess things up now?"
Gen reached across the counter and snagged Izzy's hand, squeezing. "Because I'm so proud of you and happy I have my sister back. Because you've done so much work, and grown, and changed, and I think you deserve a man who will treasure you in this life. Because I think you're worth a great love."
Emotion stung her eyes. Her twin's generous heart always amazed her. Years ago, her words would have made Izzy feel selfish and ashamed. As if Izzy were less because she didn't experience the same kindness as her twin. Those emotions would eventually turn to anger and then destruction. Because the truth was Izzy had never felt like a good person. She never felt like she was good enough to be Gen's twin.