Saturday night, I’m a little weary as I enter a cute bistro uptown for my third blind date set up by Listen to Your Heart. Honestly, I don’t have big expectations. A not-too-weird evening would already be a triumph. At this point, I’m not even sure I should keep going on these dates, but the agency fee was exorbitant, so I’d rather find love or get at least a partial refund. And then there’s the other thing.

The bet with Medusa.

What if she finds her soulmate before I do?

The thought is disturbing.

Yeah, because it’d mean I’d have to pack my newly set up office.

No. Other. Reason.

Yeah, right, a sarcastic little prick scoffs in my head.

The truth is, lately, Vivian has been on my mind too often. The most random things make me think about her. Like the color pink, which apparently my brain will forever associate with lace and lingerie. Or whenever a client says something funny, I immediately wonder what Vivian would have to say about it. And she has ruined donuts for me forever. If I eat one, I can’t help picturing her lips closing with gusto on the glazed sweet the first day I saw her.

And why do I have to think about her every time I go on a date?

Well, last week she was literally sitting at the adjoining table. Okay, but she isn’t here tonight—I hope—so there’s no need for me to be plagued by her.

At the reception booth, I give my fake name to the hostess and follow her to my table.

My date arrives a few minutes later. A tall woman, with dark auburn hair and brown eyes, who’s smiling brightly at me. Carla, she introduces herself. She seems perfectly normal, but I’m not trusting first impressions any longer. I’ll wait until the end of the evening to form an opinion.

We order our food. Steak for me, risotto for her—not a dish I’d associate with any magical practice, which is a relief.

When we discuss colleges, she doesn’t assume I’ve been to prison. Another point in her favor.

And then we share what we do for a living. She’s a logistics manager for a big company in New Jersey.

So far, so good.

“Have you been on many dates with the agency?” I ask.

“This is my first with Listen to Your Heart,” she admits. “I’ve been with another service before, but it wasn’t a good fit.”

“Crappy dates?”

“Sort of… Their database was filled with men so narrow-minded. You wouldn’t believe how obtuse people can be.”

“Yeah, like about what?”