Lunar Love (49)

Bennett lets out a short laugh and smiles. He caught me staring.

“In fact, they even requested more information about the Chinese zodiac,” he says.

“Well, that’s good,” I say, biting my lip. I mean it, even though I don’t want to in this moment. Anything that gets people excited about the zodiac is a positive in my eyes.

“Anyway, I’m glad I ran this by you before launching. I have a lot to think about and discuss with the team.”

“Anytime,” I say as a comfortable silence falls between us. “Well, I should get going. Some of us have real work to do.”

We stand to head our separate ways. “I’ll be in touch with your date details,” Bennett says, pushing his chair into its original spot.

“Can’t wait,” I mumble. If Bennett asked me when the last time I went on a date was, I wouldn’t be able to tell him because I can’t even remember when that was. I coach people all the time about how to date and remain calm about it, yet my own advice doesn’t bring me solace.

“Hey, I went into your date with an open mind and a good attitude,” Bennett says, snapping me free from my negative thought spiral. “You owe me that.”

“I owe you nothing,” I say, “but I’ll be on my best behavior.”

Bennett looms over me, studying my unamused expression. “I think watching you fall in love is going to be the highlight of my career.”





Chapter 13





His name is Owen Rossi, and he’s Year of the Tiger,” Bennett explains, listing off the key points from my date’s profile. I try on a blue hat in the souvenir shop at Dodger Stadium, where I’ll apparently be meeting my perfect match named Owen. The store is filled with zealous fans eager to spend hard-earned money on overpriced tees and hats to prove their loyalty to their favorite team and players.

I give Bennett an impressed look. “A compatible sign,” I say. “Interesting. Worried that your incompatible theory wasn’t going to pan out?”

Bennett lifts the hat off my head and drops a pink one in its place. He looks at my reflection in the mirror and shakes his head, pulling the pink cap off.

“We do both,” he says.

“Did you really need to buy a ticket to be here? I can handle this on my own.”

“Mine’s a nosebleed seat. I need to make sure you do this the honest way. At least I’m candid about being here,” Bennett says. “You’re meeting Owen at the seats. You’ll be behind home plate.”

I whistle in a low tune. “These tickets must have cost a fortune. I thought you haven’t raised money yet?”

Bennett flips through the replica player jerseys on hangers looking for a specific size and turns his head toward me. “Normally, users pay for dates, but because of our arrangement, ZodiaCupid treated you two to this. Our hope is that users aren’t going on a lot of dates, and that the ones they do go on are enjoyable.”

I rummage through key chains in a basket. “I’m not complaining. I haven’t been to a game in years. I used to come here with my dad all the time. He loves baseball.”

Bennett holds a jersey out in front of him and then drapes it against himself, looking down at it and then back up at me. “How does this look?”

It’s a simple, casual question that forces me to look at him. No. Not look. Observe. To evaluate how the width of the shirt aligns with his shoulders. Perfectly. To follow the buttons down his torso to ensure the length works for him. It does. The polyester top falls against his chest flatteringly, the shallow V-neck drawing my attention to places that are wildly inappropriate given the circumstances.

Suddenly my neck is warm, and my entire body tightens in response. I grip one of the key chains tighter between my fists. It feels too intimate viewing Bennett in this way and helping him decide what to wear.

I tilt my head, not committing to a decision either way. “It’s sporty,” I say vaguely. Now, if Owen wants an opinion on how to clothe himself, I might be willing to give it. Because Owen is my date. Bennett is not.

“So your dad loves baseball?” Bennett asks, following up from before.

I avert my eyes from the top that’s still pressed against his body. “What? Oh. Yeah. He writes low-budget horror flicks. Some of his past films are The Green Monster and Field of Nightmares. Have you heard of those? He’s still trying to write a movie that will earn a cult following.”

Bennett looks amused. “I sadly haven’t, but they’re now on my list.”

One of the sleeves has fallen across his chest, and in this brief moment of not being put together, he looks so boyishly handsome that I almost can’t handle how adorable it is. “You going to buy that or something?” I ask, probably coming off more flustered than I intend to.

Bennett slings the jersey over his arm. “I think so. I don’t know who this player is, but it feels right to blend in.”

I feel the corners of my mouth turn upward. “That’s the team spirit,” I say playfully.

“You want one, too? We can match.”

I hold up a hand. “I’m good. Baseball was an astute choice,” I say, considering its environment for first dates. “It’s a fairly quiet game that allows for small talk, it has the best stadium food, and there’s a good view from most seats. I’ll admit I’m impressed.” I look up at Bennett with an approving smile.