Ava wrapped her arms around Leslie. “Oh, sweetie. You need to think long and hard about this. It’s not so easy going into a relationship when you’re a package deal. I know. It’s not every day you find a man who’s willing to accept another man’s child as his own.”
A single tear slipped down Leslie’s cheek. “But that’s just it. I don’t have to find another man. I’ll have a child to love. That’s all I need.”
Ava shook her head. “You’re wrong. Remember how wonderful it was to share your life, your adventures and your love with Randy?”
Leslie nodded. “I do. And I’ll have another human to share with in our child.”
Again, Ava shook her head. “You’ll have a child to love, true. Eventually, that child will move out, and you’ll be alone again. And while the child is little, you won’t have an adult to share your life with. No one to confide in when you’re having a bad day. No one to lift your spirits. You have to keep the game face on all the time when you’re a single parent.”
“For my baby, I could do that. And I’ll have eighteen years to get used to the idea of being alone again,” Leslie argued.
Ava sighed. “Okay, so it’ll all be good for you. But what about your child? What if you have a boy? Who’s going to teach him how to play ball? Who’s going to take him fishing and wrestle with him on the floor.”
Leslie frowned. “I can do all that.”
Ava’s eyebrows shot up. “You can’t throw a baseball to save your life. I saw you try at the fair. You couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.”
Leslie’s frown deepened. “I’ll practice.”
“What about football? What if your son wants to play football? If you think throwing a baseball is hard, have you ever thrown a football?”
“No,” Leslie admitted. “Again…I’ll learn. Or better yet, maybe I can get Tag to stand in on those occasions.”
Ava threw her hands in the air. “Tag has a life of his own. One day, he’ll find a woman to love, and he won’t have time to drop everything to come bail you out on your computer or your child.” Ava took her hands. “You need to think about this long and hard.”
Leslie’s jaw hardened. “I have. I set up an appointment with a fertility specialist. I’m going for my consultation in three weeks.”
Ava’s brow dipped. “Leslie, sweetie, I think you’re selling yourself short. Look at you. You have a successful matchmaking business. You preach the value of BODS to your clients. You made me give it a try to be able to sell it to others. Why don’t you give your own system a shot? See if you can go about this having a baby in the usual way…with a man you love and who can help you raise that child. Parenting is hard. Even on the good days. It helps to have someone to share the burden as well as the happiness.”
The ding of a bell sounded, indicating someone had entered the BODS office.
“Hello!” A deep, familiar voice called out.
“In Leslie’s office,” Ava called out.
Leslie’s face heated, and she squeezed Ava’s hands. “You’re not going to say anything to Tag about my appointment, are you?” she whispered.
Ava stared at her friend. “Are you going to give your system a try?”
Leslie bit her lip.
“Oh, my God,” Ava whispered harshly. “You built it, you sell it, but you don’t believe in it.”
Leslie shook her head, her gaze darting to the door. “Of course, I do.”
Ava dropped Leslie’s hands and crossed her arms over her chest. “Then put your money where your mouth is.”
Tag walked into Leslie’s office at that exact moment. His brow furrowed. “Who’s putting her money where her mouth is?”
“Leslie is,” Ava said. She narrowed her eyes at Leslie. “Isn’t that right?”
Leslie’s cheeks burned. “I didn’t say that.”
“To what are you referring to when you say she’s putting her money where her mouth is?” He gave Leslie a crooked smile.
“This whole BODS thing.” Ava flung out her arms. “She sells it to her clients, but she doesn’t really believe in it.”
Tag frowned. “Why are you saying she doesn’t believe in it?”
Ava answered for her. “She won’t try it for herself. If she really believed it works, she’d trust it to find her a mate.”
Tag’s frown eased into a grin. “I got the same lecture from my friends tonight. Can you believe it?”
Leslie let out a shaky laugh. “You did?”
He nodded. “Coop, Gage, Moose and Sean all ganged up on me and gave me an ultimatum.”
Leslie’s brow wrinkled. “An ultimatum?”
“They gave me a week to get on it, or they’d enter all my data for me.” He shook his head. “Can you imagine what they’d enter on my behalf?”
Leslie laughed. “I cringe just thinking about it. So, what are you going to do?”
He shrugged. “I guess I’m going to give it a go.”
Leslie’s chest tightened. She’d always known Tag would someday find someone to love. He was a great guy. Why he hadn’t married already was beyond her. But the thought of him dating someone else… Well, it didn’t sit right in her belly.
Ava clapped her hands. “I think that’s a great idea.”
“What’s a great idea?” Leslie asked.
Ava looked from Tag to Leslie and back to Tag. “You and Leslie can enter your data at the same time and compare notes as you review your potential dates.”
No. That was a terrible idea. Leslie started to shake her head.
“You know,” Tag said, “I think that’s a great idea. I’ve been hesitant to do this on my own. Having someone to help me evaluate and choose would be better than doing it alone. Two heads are better than one.” He grinned at Leslie. “Come on, Les. What do you say?”
“Don’t call me Les.” She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to think of a way out of this horrible idea. “I don’t know. None of my clients have had help in the vetting process, and they’ve all found someone perfect for them by letting the system choose for them.”
“Yeah, but you and I are closer to the algorithms than most. It wouldn’t hurt to have a second set of eyes on the candidates BODS chooses.” Tag turned to Ava. “Am I right?”
Ava shrugged. “Sure. Anything to get my girl out on a date.”
“I’m game.” Tag cocked an eyebrow in Leslie’s direction.
“I don’t know if I’m ready,” Leslie said, shaking inwardly.
Tag took her hands in his. “It’s been four years since Randy passed. He died. You didn’t. I heard him when he told you to move on and find someone to share your life with.”
“He said that?” Ava asked.
Leslie stared up into Tag’s eyes. “He did.”
Ava flung her hands in the air. “Then what are you waiting for?”
Leslie sighed. “BODS is down. It’s not like we can jump in there and do it now.”
Tag squeezed her fingers gently. “Don’t worry. I’ll have it up and running in no time.”