THE DATING ITINERARY
by Brooke Williams Publication Date: September 7, 2020 Genres: Adult, Entangled: Lovestruck, Contemporary, Romance, Romantic Comedy
Penny almost giggled over the matchmaker’s name. Ivana Date. Then, the idea crossed her mind that the matchmaker could potentially put the two of them together. They’d both be in her dating bank, after all. If he happened to match enough of her answers or if they had enough in common, according to the matchmaker, they could end up on a blind date together, couldn’t they?
And what had Geo said about that? If she showed up as his blind date, “We’d know we were a match.” Penny shuddered. Was he just being flirtatious Geo, or did he wish for her to actually show up as his date?
“Penny Coyne?” The receptionist called her name and Penny stood, leaving thoughts of Geo and his fingers laced between her own on the squeaky chair behind her.
When she entered the office, the large desk took over the room and she almost thought the space was empty of anyone else until a voice called to her from the other side of the desk.
“Miss Coyne. That’s quite a name. Nice to meet you. Have a seat. I’m Ivana Date.”
Penny peered over the desk as a business card flew across it in her direction. Was a woman named Ivana Date making fun of her name? She picked up the business card and finally noticed an older woman who was smaller than anyone Penny had observed behind a desk that large sat in a chair on the other side.
Penny seated herself across from the desk, as instructed, and waited for Ivana to proceed.
“My receptionist gave me your file to look over. I see you like cats?”
Penny nodded. “I don’t have one myself, but I do love animals. I feel like a cat would be the best fit for me as a pet since I’m rather busy and don’t have time to be home to take a dog on walks regularly.”
“I see. And you’d definitely go to the beach over the mountains?”
Penny smiled. “Well, actually, I like both. But since I had to pick one, I guess I was in a beach sort of mood today.”
The woman chewed on the end of a pencil as she examined Penny’s questionnaire. She set the pages down and stuck the pencil in the bun on the back of her head.
“Well, dear, tell me about your ideal man.”
She doesn’t waste any time, does she? Penny took a deep breath and tried to picture the man of her dreams. “Are we talking physically or…”
“We’re talking whatever you want to talk.” Ivana’s sassy tone made Penny sit up straighter in her chair. She liked that Ivana was allowing her to go whatever direction she wanted with the description, unlike on the limiting questionnaire.
“Okay, well, physically, I like a tall man. I’m partial to broad shoulders and a tapered waist so you can tell he takes care of himself, but not overly muscled like he spends all day in the gym.” Penny took a deep breath. “I like hair that’s slightly too long, you know? Not quite business-like, but not over the top man-bun or anything, either. I’m usually drawn to brown eyes, but blue is nice as well.” Penny was certain she could go on, but her discomfort was rising as the woman took her glasses off and inspected Penny as she spoke. She could see why Geo seemed tired when he left Ivana’s office.
“You know, Miss Coyne, I had just that man in here earlier. You’ve described him to a T. He might be just the one for you.” The matchmaker shuffled some papers on her desk, looking for something in particular.
Penny could feel the blood draining from her face, positive she was as pale as a sheet. She had just described Geo Monais, albeit in vague terms. She definitely had. Was it because she had crossed paths with him in the waiting room?
SYNOPSIS
As if it wasn’t bad enough to be deemed the “most single person” at her magazine’s office, budding reporter Penny has now been tapped to write a series of features called “The Dating Game.” From speed dating to Tinder, old-fashioned matchmakers to up-and-coming “dark dating,” Penny now has to go on a lot of dates. Silver lining: meeting new people should be fun, right? But running into her old rival, George, at her first dating event is decidedly not. Not only does the arrogant know-it-all have zero trouble attracting women, wherever Penny goes, somehow he just. Keeps. Showing. Up.
Geo knows he’s right on the cusp of writing success with the chance to have his own syndicated column. All he has to do is follow his agent’s ideas for showcasing different dating avenues, and he’ll pull in enough to help his sister’s non-profit women’s shelter get off the ground. Sure, his itinerary is starting to look strangely similar to his old rival Penny’s, but all’s fair in love and syndication, right?
The more they look for love in all the wrong places, though, the more they start to wonder if it was right in front of their noses all along. Still, the brutal dating scene just might end them, if these two don’t kill each other first.
ABOUT BROOKE WILLIAMS
Brooke Williams is a former radio announcer turned stay-at-home mom/freelance writer/author. Brooke finds that creating fictional characters and placing them in odd situations is a bright spot in any day and so she continues to do so with fervor. She has been married to her husband, Sean, since 2002 and they have two beautiful daughters, Kaelyn and Sadie. Brooke’s books include: Someone Always Loved You, Wrong Place Right Time, Accept this Dandelion, Dandelions on the Road, Mamarazzi, and Shower in the Rain, among others.
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