Chloe reached for her wine and drained the glass. "We need more alcohol," she declared. "Immediately."
Jessica laughed as Kieran signaled to the waiter. "Am I embarrassing you, darling? That's what best friends are for. Besides, after months together I'm sure Kieran knows you through and through." She turned to Kieran and said, "Chloe is terrible at keeping secrets."
She rolled her eyes behind her friend's back. If only she knew.
"Do you enjoy working at Fated Match?" Kieran asked, taking pity on her and steering the conversation in a new direction.
"It's a great gig," Jessica replied as the waiter refilled their wineglasses. "I love having a job that makes a difference. It's not like a human dating agency. When we make matches, they last centuries. That's a pretty awesome feeling."
"I can imagine."
"Chloe has a wall of matches in her office. Every couple she's helped bring together earns a place of honor on the wall. She and Vivian vie to see who can make more matches since they've been at this the longest. Though just between us, I think Chloe is the clear winner. Her matches adore her. You should see how many weddings she goes to in a year."
"A wall of matches, hmm?" Kieran asked her.
"I like to remember them," Chloe said defensively.
"Plus she's an utter romantic." Jessica took a sip of wine and murmured appreciatively at the flavor.
"Yes, that I picked up on my own."
Her gaze flicked to his. He had?
"You can see why we at the office are protective of her," Jessica said. "She's part of our family."
Chloe blinked. She'd worked at the office for several decades, but in that time, staff and clients had come and gone. She hadn't really thought of it as being part of anything other than a team.
Though Jessica was oblivious to the effect of her words, the intensity of Kieran's gaze proved that he wasn't. To cover her moment of shock, she reached again for her wineglass.
By the time the food arrived, Chloe was embracing her decision to use alcohol to cover her embarrassment. Jessica was regaling Kieran with yet another story that prominently featured Chloe. He was getting a crash course on her past, which wouldn't be a problem if they'd actually been going out for a year and he had some frame of reference for these stories. As it was, he was either getting the inside scoop on her most embarrassing moments or having to sidestep questions that had the potential to reveal how little he really knew about her.
"Jessie, you should tell him more about your succubus gifts. I'm sure that's a topic everyone is interested in."
Jessica sliced a bite of steak and popped it into her mouth. "Trust me, Kieran is far more interested in the stories I can tell him about you," she said when she finished chewing.
"Just you wait until I'm isolated in the woods with your family," Chloe hissed in warning to her date.
He tossed her an unrepentant grin. "Jessica, why don't you tell me what Chloe was like when you first met her."
Jessica took another bite as she thought about her answer.
Chloe sighed and spun some pasta onto her fork. Her friend would no doubt launch into yet another tale about her chipper personality.
"Sad," Jessica said at last.
They both turned to stare at the succubus, who shrugged. "Fated Match didn't have many staff members that stuck around long in those days. All Chloe had was Vivian, and she's about as cuddly as a sea witch."
"I'm never sad," Chloe scoffed.
This time she was the recipient of two stares.
"But," Jessica said, ignoring Chloe's protest. "In the time since you've officially come into her life I've noticed her being far more content than she has been in years."
"That's ridiculous," Chloe said.
"Is it?" Jessica shrugged. "You always wanted stability. A real home. What else do you call finding your mate?"
She looked at her plate. Jessica wasn't saying anything wrong-not if her audience really were a couple in love, planning on forever. But Kieran wasn't that. Instead he was a man paying for her time, and humiliation scalded her. She knew good and well she wasn't the kind of girl he normally wanted, and Jessica's talk of her need for commitment was just underscoring that fact. As if she needed a reminder Kieran would never be hers.
"Excuse me," she said, pushing back her chair. "Too much wine. I'll be right back."
Not meeting either of their gazes, she pushed to her feet and quickly navigated the path to the ladies' room.
She breathed a sigh of relief when she stepped out of the main dining area and into the long washroom, with its dark wood doors on one side, and glass trough sink and massive mirror on the other.
Walking to the sink, she leaned on the glass and looked into the mirror. Pink colored her cheeks, thanks to the wine she'd consumed. But her eyes looked different. Less sparkle. Less hope.
Jessica had said she was sad when they first met and maybe she was right. So much of the time she focused on being cheerful, being happy, and maybe the reason was that if she didn't look for the positives, the negatives would drown her.
"Chloe?"
Her breath caught when Jessica stepped into the bathroom with her.
"Hey," she greeted, straightening from the mirror.
"I'm sorry," her best friend said without any further urging.
"For what?" As far as she could tell, Jessica had been a delight tonight. She was the one dragging the mood down.
"You obviously don't want me sharing so much with him. I'm sorry. I just thought these were things a mate should know."
"You're right," Chloe agreed. "A mate should hear all these stories."
"Then what's the problem?" Jessica walked closer. "Are things not working out between you two?"
Chloe hesitated, wanting so much to confide in the one person who had never betrayed her. Never lied to her. Never treated her the way she was treating Jessica right now.
"It's just the mating moon," she said instead. "I'm nervous about meeting the family."
"Honey, you don't need to be. They'll love you. Just like he does. I know I wasn't the biggest fan of this match when I first heard it, but I think I was just upset you hadn't trusted me." The succubus frowned, looking down. "And truth be told, maybe a little jealous. I'm far older than you, and I've never gotten so close to finding my mate."
"But you don't want to be tied down," Chloe said, surprise coloring her words.
"I don't," Jessica agreed. "I love my life, my independence. But you've seen the same stats at work I have. Our kind usually either find mates early or late in life. I missed my chance at early, and lately I've been wondering if I'm one of the unlucky ones who has to wait centuries to find their matches."
"Of course you're not," Chloe said. "Matches just show up when you're ready. You know that."
Jessica sighed. "I do. But being wanted for just my body is starting to grate, for all that I need the energy to survive."
"If you want to seriously start looking for your mate I can help you," Chloe offered. "We'll revamp your account tomorrow if you want."
Jessica smiled. "I'll think about it. But for now we need to get through tonight. What can I do?"
"So you approve of him now?"
A small embarrassed smile curved her lips. "I changed a dozen times before meeting you tonight trying to decide if I wanted to come as the friend ready to support you no matter what you were walking into, or as-"
"A sex goddess ready to do battle on my behalf and reveal my date to be a player with no morals?"
"Yes. But he didn't want me, Chloe. Sex is my arena. I can sense lust a mile away, and what my magic inspired in him can't hold a candle to what he naturally feels for you."
Chloe drew a shaky breath. That was good for their cover, bad for her willpower.
"I like him. He's not who I would have picked for you, but maybe that's for the best. You need a little shaking up."
"He's definitely doing that," she murmured.
"Just tell me my boundaries, and let's go back to our meal."
"No more revealing stories," she said. "You can talk about work, what's in the news or yourself. No more spotlight on me."
"Scout's honor," she promised. "And if I say anything untoward just kick me under the table."
Jessica looked so serious Chloe had to smile. Reaching out she dragged her friend into a tight hug.
"Thank you for looking out for me," she said.
"Come on," Jessica said, stepping back. "We're not exactly being subtle. Let's go back to your man."