The Right Swipe (Modern Love, #1)(48)

“I was telling my therapist . . . if I can frequent at least ten places, maybe then I’ll try dating again.”

Rhiannon’s first instinct was to tackle Katrina right then, wrap her up in cotton, and keep her safe. “Um.”

Her best friend’s smile was rueful. “I know. I’m a romantic and you’re a cynic, and you’re scared for me to even try.” Her smile faded. “I’m lonely.”

“I’ll come up more,” Rhiannon said immediately. “Or I’ll live here full-time and commute every day. Or—”

“No.” Katrina held up her hand. “I love you, but it’s not that kind of loneliness. I miss being held. I miss sleeping with someone at night. God, I miss spooning.”

Rhiannon rolled off the deck chair and nudged Katrina over. Her friend laughed as she complied and Rhiannon squeezed next to her. “I’m too big for us both to fit on here,” she protested.

“You’re not big. We fit fine.” Rhiannon pulled her closer. Zeus clambered over them to rest over their chests.

“As much as I appreciate and value all cuddling, this isn’t exactly what I miss either,” Katrina said with a chuckle. But she hugged Rhiannon back, and they sat together for a few minutes in silence.

Rhiannon closed her eyes, enjoying this. Nobody spoke enough about how much bodies could be starved for platonic affection. She knew she gave off strong Do Not Touch vibes, but she needed occasional hugs too.

Rhiannon’s nose wrinkled as Zeus dug her tiny claws into her skin. “If you want to start dating again, that’s fine. However, you’re rich and you’ve been out of the game for a while, so please understand I’m going to vet any dude you happen to meet.” She shuddered. “And we’re only handing out benefits like doubt for rare special cases, like you said. Not everyone gets that.”

Katrina lifted a shoulder. “It’ll be a while. I still have to be able to regularly go to three more places without drugging myself.”

Ten was an arbitrary number, but Rhiannon knew from experience that Katrina didn’t like anyone questioning her goals. “Whenever.”

The ringing coming from the small black cylinder on the table beside them startled Rhiannon. “Sienna, patch the call through,” she said out loud.

There was a brief pause, and then Lakshmi’s voice filled the air. “Hey, boss.”

“Hey. Katrina’s here.”

“Hi, Lakshmi.”

Lakshmi’s voice warmed. “Katrina. Okay, first of all, Rhiannon, I got your travel for your brother’s engagement party booked.”

Sonya would be delighted that this chore was done. “Can you—”

“Already emailed your mom.”

“Thank God.”

“Second, I have some great news. Helena’s people called, they want you and Samson to do a little segment on her new show. They said, and I quote, ‘Helena is charmed by your little videos.’”

A little stab of irritation hit her that she’d have to share screen time with someone else. Cooperating with a competitor was all well and good, but she didn’t want her’s and Samson’s names linked forever.

Unless you buy Matchmaker.

She liked the idea of working indefinitely with Samson a little too much. “Any way for it to be just me?” Rhiannon absentmindedly stroked Zeus’s fur and rested her head on Katrina’s shoulder.

“They want both of you.”

Fine. “Book it.”

“I’ll try to do it around the time of the engagement party so you won’t have to go to the East Coast twice.”

“Perfect.” She hated jet lag and lost time.

Lakshmi blew out a breath. “Now, to the bad news.”

She sat up at those dire words, and so did Katrina. The kitten bounced into Katrina’s lap. “What’s the bad news?”

“Swype’s Chief Executive Asshole has reportedly been cozying up to William Daniels.”

Her heart jumped and she tried to wrestle it back down. “Cozying up how?”

“They were seen playing golf. Having dinner together.”

Rhiannon didn’t doubt Lakshmi’s sources, they’d never been wrong before. There were a million perfectly good reasons why Swype’s CEO and Matchmaker’s CEO might be buddying it up together.

And one scary reason why they might, as well.

When Rhiannon didn’t speak, Katrina jumped in. “Thanks for the information, Lakshmi.” She made their goodbyes, which Rhiannon barely heard. Her mind was going a mile a minute, thinking of everything she needed to do to circumvent this possible sabotage.

She jumped when Katrina placed her hand on her shoulder. “Rhiannon, they could be having dinner, no ulterior motive. They’re in the same social circle.”

She and William were in the same circle, but he’d never play golf with her. Or take her out to dinner.

Because of Peter, probably. She clenched her fists tight. “That fucker.”

“Hard agree, he is a fucker. But you need to take a deep breath.”

Instead, Rhiannon launched off the chair to pace. “He’s trying to buy Matchmaker from under me.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. He saw the videos. He’s annoyed about how fucking wholesome and cute it is and he’s pissed he’s not a part of it.” She got to the end of the patio and whirled around. “Do you know what he’s like when he feels left out of something? Did I tell you about the time I went to a friend’s birthday party and didn’t think to invite him? He didn’t talk to me for a week. He broke the vase my brother made for me, the one I kept in my office.” Peter had said it was an accident, and at the time, she’d believed him. She gripped her elbows. “He knows I want Matchmaker. He’s gonna try to get it.”