The Random Acts of Cupid (Christian Romance) Read online

  Elise waited while Ryan tried to locate their target. She had chosen their seats well. They would have a great view of the stage and the matchmaking scene Elise had planned It was a beautiful, massive theater with gorgeous architecture that had a way of making one feel wealthy and elegant simply by being there. The soft glow of the lights made everything look golden, and Elise could easily develop a crick in her neck from studying the beautiful artistic detailing on the ceiling. Everything considered, it was a very romantic setting—perfect for what Elise had planned.

  “Is that . . . the youth minister from church?”

  “Yes, Clint Evers is our youth minister,” Elise admitted as she lifted up her own pair of binoculars. “Oh, good. Here she comes up the aisle on the right.”

  “Who?”

  “Janice Pasco. She also goes to church. I’m sure you’ve at least seen her in passing at some of the singles functions.”

  Ryan was silent as they both watched with rapt attention as Janice found her seat beside Clint. Clint immediately stood up, his body language showing his surprise and his smile showing his pleasure. After speaking for a few moments, both Clint and Janice sat in their seats, but their faces remained turned toward each other in a conversation that painted both of their expressions with what could only be described as a glow.

  “So they obviously didn’t come together,” Ryan surmised, lowering the glasses. “I take it you arranged a ‘chance’ meeting.’”

  Elise nodded. “Clint has liked Janice for a while now, but she had a boyfriend. The boyfriend was a jerk and didn’t treat Janice well at all. They finally broke up a few months back, but it left Janice very hurt and fearful of relationships. Clint has wanted to ask her out for a long time, but now he’s afraid it’s too soon. He doesn’t want to be the rebound guy, but he isn’t sure how long Janice will need to heal. Janice likes Clint, but she’s so nervous after her last relationship that she’s not sure she can handle another one. She’s already come a long way since her breakup, but now both she and Clint seem at a stalemate. Both are waiting for some kind of sign from the other, and both are terrified of giving that sign.”

  “So how did you get them both here?”

  Elise took a deep breath. Ryan wasn’t acting offended, at least so far. He just seemed interested. But she knew that if he was going to object, it would be over her methods.

  “They both love theater, and they really wanted to see ‘Warhorse,’ which of course, has been sold out for a while. I sent each of them a ticket, saying in a note that it was a gift given by someone who wished to remain anonymous. Neither one of them knew the other one was coming. It’s my hope that, after having the opportunity to ‘accidentally’ spend the evening together and enjoy the show, they’ll be able to continue the relationship on their own.”

  “How do you know all this stuff, Elise? I mean this is personal. Their likes, their histories. Not to mention their attraction to one another. Do you have some kind of magic power over people that they will automatically open up to you, or are you actually a mind reader?”

  Elise shrugged. “I’m not a mind reader, but I guess I’m pretty good at both watching and listening.”

  “But how do you even know they like each other?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? Even now, you can look at their body language like their goofy smiles and the way they are using exaggerated hand gestures. If you’re close to them, you can also see the attraction in their eyes. I read once that if someone feels attraction, the pupils of their eyes dilate. I guess I’m good at picking up that kind of thing.”

  “But what about the details? How do you set something like this up? How did you know they both wanted to come to this show? How do you even know Janice is ready?”

  “I talk to them some, and I observe a lot. Janice is ready, but just scared.”

  The lights dimmed, and the show began. Elise had always liked theatre, and although she’d come to see the fruits of her matchmaking efforts, she’d also wanted to see ‘Warhorse’ for herself. The artistry and choreography were amazing, and the use of puppets was spell-binding. She was soon so enthralled with the performance that it was almost as if she was in the world portrayed on the stage, forgetting about the reality of Ryan beside her and Clint and Janice below.

  At numerous points, tears streamed down her face. She was aware that Ryan kept glancing at her. Feeling embarrassed, she tried to unobtrusively wipe the moisture away and stop their flow, but it was no use. Finally, Ryan reached over and captured her hand in his. Though she knew it was just a comforting gesture, Elise still lost track of the action on stage for several minutes while she tried to adjust to the warm pressure of her hand in his and the tingling sensations it was sending up her arm.

  By intermission, she already felt emotionally drained on every level.

  “I didn’t know this show was this sad!” Elise said, taking a deep cleansing breath as the lights came up. “I never saw the movie or read the book. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea for Clint and Janice’s first date.”

  Ryan gently released her hand. “Don’t worry. It ends well. I’ve both read the book and seen the movie. Besides, it looks like it was the perfect choice for Clint and Janice.”

  Elise looked down in the direction of Ryan’s nod. Pulling up her binoculars, she took a closer look, not sure if she should believe her eyes. Clint had his arm around Janice in comfort as their heads were tilted close together in conversation. Elise felt a surge of satisfaction. It looked as if Clint and Janice were going to be just fine.

  Ryan stood and stretched. “Thank you for bringing me, by the way. Besides the matchmaking entertainment, it’s a good show. I’ve wanted to see if for a while now. How did you happen to have an extra ticket for me anyway? Did you have to cancel plans with some hot date and give the ticket to me instead?”

  Elise stood as well and began stretching her muscles to work out the kinks from sitting so long. Many of the other people around them had already moved toward the lobby and the restrooms, but Ryan made no move to follow.

  Elise explained, “I bought four tickets initially—two for Janice and Clint, one each for me and my friend, Chandra. I like to see how my matchmaking scenarios turn out. I always figure if things go badly, I may need to be there to explain and smooth things out. Thankfully, I’ve never had to step in, but I do like to have that insurance. Mostly I like to know if the match is successful. I never orchestrate more than one Cupid scenario for a couple, and it’s fun to—”

  “Spy,” Ryan filled in.

  Elise shrugged. Why did he always have to make her actions sound so evil? “I guess if you want to call it that. I just enjoy seeing if all my work has paid off and witnessing that big moment in the lives of two people.”

  “So your friend Chandra obviously knows what you do. Did you have to cancel on her so I could have the ticket?”

  “No, Chandra couldn’t come because her little boy is sick. She called earlier today to cancel. Yes, Chandra knows. She’s gone with me a few times on Cupid errands.”

  “I still appreciate the ticket. You probably could have gotten a date to go with you if you hadn’t felt the need to bring me along.”

  Elise didn’t know what to make of this man. One minute he seemed to be criticizing her for ‘spying,’ and the next, he was sounding grateful and almost apologetic. “I’m glad you’re enjoying it. There’s no reason to thank me. The ticket would have just gone to waste if you hadn’t used it. I didn’t have any intention of asking anyone else. I don’t date.”

  “You don’t date?” Ryan repeated, obviously confused.

  “No, not really. Why do you look surprised? Everyone always looks surprised when I say I don’t date. Maybe I would if I ever got asked out, but I don’t.”

  “So you’re a matchmaker, yet you can’t make your own match”

  Elise shrugged. I guess I try to give to others something I figure I’ll never have for myself.”

  “I guess you are a bit unapproachable,” Ryan m
used, studying her thoughtfully. His speculative gaze made Elise more than a little uncomfortable, and she fought the urge to squirm. “You send off first impressions of being very smart. You’re shy, quiet, and not unattractive. Other guys are probably very intimidated.”

  ‘Not unattractive’ might not seem a flattering term, but since Elise was typically a wall flower at social events, she didn’t have much opportunity to receive compliments. Just the thought that Ryan found her ‘not unattractive’ was enough to turn her cheeks a rosy shade of pink.

  Some of the other people had begun filtering back into their seats. Not knowing how to respond, Elise sat back in her chair and picked up her binoculars, feigning a renewed interest in Clint and Janice in an effort to mask the sudden, awkward silence.

  Elise spent the next several minutes watching the happy couple as they continued talking. It didn’t look as if they had broken eye contact the entire intermission. Ryan didn’t attempt to start a new conversation, though Elise could feel a strange tension building up in him. Did it bother him that she was ‘spying’ on Clint and Janice?

  The lights flickered, signaling that the show would soon resume.

  Elise suddenly felt the startling sensation of Ryan’s arm sliding across the back of her shoulders. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as a shiver raced through her from head to toe. What was he doing?

  As she turned to try to read his face, the lights in the theater dimmed, blinding her until her eyes adjusted.

  The play resumed, and though she tried to focus on the action, she couldn’t ignore that arm that remained around her shoulders. It wasn’t as if he was stretching; it was almost a gesture of possessiveness, as if she really was his date. Tension still emanated from Ryan, and when he readjusted his arm so that his hand could drape across and gently rub her opposite shoulder, Elise couldn’t take it anymore.

  Chapter 7

  “What are you doing?” Elise hissed, trying to be subtle for the sake of those around them. She was not one for confrontation, but she wasn’t going to be able to pay attention the rest of the show at all if that arm continued in its unexplained mission.

  Ryan bent his head close, his warm breath tickling her ear as he replied. “You see that guy across the aisle? He hasn’t stopped ogling you since he returned to his seat at intermission. I didn’t think he was the kind of guy you’d want paying attention to you, so I thought to make it clear to him that you were with me.”

  A flat denial was the first thing that jumped to Elise’s lips. “Ogling me? No he isn’t!”

  But then she looked across the aisle. The man had to be at least in his forties with only a fringe of hair encircling his bald head. As she watched, he shifted slightly and glanced back at her. He had a beard and glasses. As their eyes met briefly, Elise felt a chill race through her. He didn’t smile or even blink; he just looked at her. Maybe it was just because Elise wasn’t accustomed to receiving male attention, but something about it made her nervous in a way she couldn’t quite explain.

  So Elise snuggled closer to Ryan and grabbed his free hand. She thought she heard a quiet chuckle as he willingly pulled her close. Before too long, Elise had forgotten about the unwanted attention and was once again engrossed in the show, though she could never fully tune out the awareness of Ryan’s close proximity or the delightful sensations created by his warm touch.

  Ryan was right; the show had a good ending that once again left Elise in tears. Afraid that Ryan would think her to be an overly-emotional female, she frantically wiped at her tears while Ryan flashed his dancing hazel eyes and the occasional grin. Much to Elise’s frustration, he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her reaction.

  Curtain call and standing ovation over, Ryan once again captured Elise’s hand to lead the way through the crowd. Elise cast one more glance down to see Clint helping Janice with her coat. Though they didn’t see Elise’s would-be admirer again, Ryan kept a tight hold of her hand as they threaded their way down stairs, through the people, and out the front door.

  “I’d like to walk you to your car, if that’s okay,” Ryan said once they were outside in the cool night air.

  “Thank you,” Elise responded. “I’d appreciate that.” She was parked in a lot only a few blocks away, but she’d never liked walking alone at night, especially downtown. She very much appreciated Ryan’s offer. As soon as they’d exited the building, Ryan had released her hand. Now, as they began walking down the sidewalk, she tried to shake off the lonely feeling by stuffing her suddenly cold fingers into her pockets.

  “I think the bearded bald guy got the message,” Ryan assured, “but I still don’t like the idea of you walking alone.”

  “He definitely creeped me out,” Elise admitted. “I don’t know why he was staring at me.”

  “I think he was pretty harmless. He probably just thought you were pretty and lacked the social graces to realize he was being rude. I just can’t believe you didn’t notice him before I mentioned it. I thought you were supposed to be extremely observant.”

  “I am!” Elise defended.

  “Maybe you’re just good at observing others, but you’re blind when it comes to yourself. You said you never get asked out on dates, but do you even notice all the men who check you out? You’re not as inconspicuous as you may think.”

  “What do you mean? Guys don’t look at me like that.”

  “Yes they do. I’ve seen lots of guys looking at you at church like they’d certainly like a chance to audition to be your match.”

  Did this mean that he’d been observing her? Why?

  Ryan continued, “Maybe you should put less effort into the love life of others and more into your own. You might not even need to use deception for that.”

  Elise stopped. She’d had enough of the hot and cold messages she kept getting from Ryan. He’d just been holding her hand; now he was calling her deceptive.

  “So that’s what you still believe? After spending the evening with me, you still think the worst of my character?”

  “I don’t know what to think! You’re nice. You’re beautiful. You care about others and want to help people. You’re obviously very successful at matchmaking. But I still can’t get around the fact that you’re primary tool is deception. You may not come outright and lie to someone’s face, but you still work to create a scenario where two people believe some lie that you’ve created. You manipulate people and mess with their lives without their knowledge or permission. I just can’t see how all of that can be viewed as ethical.”

  Elise’s mind had tripped when he’d first started speaking. Had he really just called her beautiful? She’d frantically tried to keep up with what he was saying, and by the end, the initial compliments had been drowned with negativity.

  “That’s kind of like the pot calling the kettle black,” Elise shot back with a gleam in her eye. “Weren’t you trying to make Mr. Bearded Bald guy believe a lie? You used deception to make him believe that we were a couple. Isn’t that the same thing? By your reasoning, couldn’t it be said that you lied to him?”

  Ryan looked at her, obviously startled by her reasonable argument. “No,” he replied slowly as if trying to think through the dilemma on the spot. “It’s not the same thing. I pretended that we were together in order to protect you. Would you have rather I hadn’t done that?”

  “No, I was glad you were trying to protect me! But that’s the exact same thing I do! I make matches to help others. Do you really think Clint and Janice, or any of the other couples I’ve successfully set up, would rather that I hadn’t done it?”

  They had reached Elise’s car and stopped to face each other.

  “Look, Elise, you know we don’t agree on this. I don’t see protecting someone in the same light as matchmaking! I told you that I would give you twenty-four hours, and I intend to stand by that. You asked me to reserve judgment until then, but now you already act like you’re giving your closing remarks!”

  Elise sighed. “You’re ri
ght. You just so aggravate me!”

  “I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time tomorrow to aggravate you further. How about we meet around 1:00 at Kerry Park? I live right across the street from there, and I should be done with my meeting by then.”

  “That will work. Thanks for the escort tonight.”

  “You’re welcome. Good night, Elise.”

  As Ryan walked away, Elise slid into her car, a soft smile on her lips. She may not have fully convinced Ryan yet, but she had definitely made progress. After all, earlier tonight, she’d been ‘not unattractive.’ But just now, she’d been ‘beautiful.’

  Chapter 8

  Elise watched as Ryan jogged through the rain to her car. Opening the passenger side door of her Honda Civic, he slid into the seat bringing with him the smell of Seattle dampness mixed with his own masculine scent.

  “So what do you have planned for us today, Cupid?” he asked, flashing her a grin as he buckled his seat belt.

  “Lots of big plans,” Elise replied noncommittally. “It’s Valentine’s Day, which is typically one of my busiest days for matchmaking. That’s why I always take it off work.”

  “I guess I never really stopped to think that some days might be better than others where matchmaking is concerned.”

  “People tend to feel their loneliness most around the holidays and Valentine’s Day. I typically try to put in a little extra effort so at least a few people aren’t alone. Besides, the holidays are usually viewed as very romantic, which doesn’t hurt at all.”

  “So who’s your first victim?”

  “Victim? I help people. I don’t victimize them. Why are you so against the idea of matchmaking? Are you generally opposed to people falling in love? Do you hate the Easter Bunny too?” Elise said, deliberately trying to detour the subject. She wasn’t ready for Ryan to know her full plan yet. After all, she knew it sounded really bad, and he would surely object on the basis of the big picture without taking the time to learn the details.