“You’re the one from class who was eyeing me.” He leaned against the bar and motioned to the bartender with his chin, and I had to wonder if it was a secret language I didn’t know.
“You must have me mistaken with someone else,” I said, annoyed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you,” I lied to him, and he just laughed.
“Finance class.” He refreshed my memory, but truth be told, obviously I remembered it. “You turned around and we shared a moment.”
“We shared a moment?” I repeated after him to see if I actually heard him right. He just nodded his head while the bartender came over and handed him a bottle of water. “It was a five-second look.”
“A lot was said in that five-second look,” he stated, and I grabbed my phone off the bar and opened the text app. “What are you doing?”
“Messaging my mailman,” I told him, trying to hide the smile on my face. “I looked at him for seven seconds today, and I’m just wondering if that means marriage.”
“You’re funny,” he pointed out, smiling and his eyes lit up.
“You’re not,” I retorted, and he just threw his head back and laughed even louder. Even though the bar was overwhelmed with noise, all I heard was his laugh.
“I’m Matthew.” He extended his hand to me. “People call me Matty.”
I thought about not answering him and ignoring him, but my hand moved before my head told it no. “I’m Sofia.” I smiled. “People call me Princess Sofia.” His hand enveloped mine and I felt the tingle go from the tips of my fingers toward the tip of my toes. That was the night I had my first ever kiss. It was also the same night I fell under the spell that was Matthew Petrov.
“Sofia.” I hear Shelby calling my name and I blink twice. I turn back to look at the table instead of looking out the window at the vast countryside. “Are you okay?”
I tap my finger on the desk. “I think I should start dating again,” I say to the three of them, and they all look at me with their eyes shining up.
“Um, yes, please,” Clarabella agrees.
“I think that is a fantastic idea,” Shelby says, clapping her hands in front of her.
Presley stands and reaches out, grabbing my phone. “No time like the present,” she declares with a huge smile on her face. “Let’s create a profile now.”
“This is the best meeting I’ve been to in a while,” Clarabella grabs the phone, making Shelby look over at her and glare. “Oh, please, Presley said it also.”
“No, I didn’t,” Presley denies.
“I have it on text,” Clarabella retorts, lifting her phone.
“Can we focus on Sofia?” Presley says. “What are you doing?”
“I’m filling out her name and stuff,” Clarabella explains.
“Don’t put her real name!” Shelby shouts.
“They only share her account name which is Sunshine45,” Clarabella says. “Okay, what do you do at the end of the day?”
“Watch reality television,” I answer and the three of them look at me.
“Curl up with a good book or watch an action movie,” Clarabella redirects and I gasp.
“Why?”
“Well, a good book, you are going to get the studious guy, and an action movie, you get an adventurous guy.” Clarabella looks at me.
“Oh, good idea,” Presley concurs. “You should put hiking in there so you get the ones who like to do all that outdoorsy stuff.”
“Yes.” Shelby snaps her fingers. “Also loves going out.” We all look over at her. “We don’t want him to think that she stays inside with her eight cats.”
“Oh, yes,” Clarabella says and starts typing things. “Cat person or dog person?”
“I’m a horse girl,” I state, and they all shake their heads. “What? I love my horse.” I point at Clarabella. “Put that I prefer horses.”
“Can you put save a horse, ride a cowboy?” Presley asks Clarabella, who just smirks.
“Do not put that,” I grumble between clenched teeth.
The phone in her hand starts ringing and she hands it to me. I see that it’s a number not stored in my phone, so I put it on speaker and answer, “Sofia Barnes.”
“Sofia.” I close my eyes when I hear the female voice. “It’s Helena.” I open my eyes and look over toward the girls, whose eyes go big. “We met last week, my fiancé is Matthew Petrov.”