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  “Who talked me into this?”

  “No one. You did that to yourself.”

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know. You’re lonely?”

  “Oh. I am, aren’t I? Shit.”

  “Yup, so may the force be with you, my friend.”

  “But I don’t want to do this.”

  “Then leave?”

  “Can’t you come with me? There’s still time. It doesn’t start for another fifteen.”

  “I’m just sure my fiancé would love that.”

  Brie Soledad rolled her eyes as she leaned on the pillar of the ballroom, her eyes burning a hole in the sign that read: Speed Dating for Nashville Locals. It was embarrassing that this was what her life had resulted in, but as her best friend had said, she was lonely. Mekena Preston, though, was not lonely. Nope, she was all happy and in love with her fiancé, while having a great job and a wonderful life, blah, blah, blah. And if Brie was honest, she was jealous as hell and so desperately wanted to get laid, maybe even fall in love. Get the blah, blah, blah.

  God, she wanted the blah, blah, blah. So damn bad.

  Being a hockey reporter for one of the hottest teams in the NHL, the Nashville Assassins, one would think she would be rolling in the men, but she wasn’t. Everyone treated her like a little sister or they ignored her or they treated her like shit. Well, only one did that, but that was beside the point. The point was, Brie needed more. She was happy in her career. It was awesome, she was amazing, and people loved her. She had even won an Emmy the year before; she was kicking ass. The only problem was she didn’t have anyone to share her success with.

  Yeah, she had her little brother, Rodney, but he really didn’t understand. Also, he needed to focus on his health and not on her. She was supposed to worry for him, not the other way around. Or at least, that was what she had promised her mom before she’d passed away from cancer a few years back. Sometimes, it was hard to remember, but Brie blamed that on the fact that she had no one to lean on. It was just her, with the weight of her job and her brother’s issues on her shoulders.

  And plus, she really wanted to get laid.

  It didn’t make sense. She wasn’t an ugly girl. She was short, and maybe she could have skipped a few desserts, but then, what was life without ice cream and donuts? She had a pretty face, big blue eyes, and lips that screamed to be kissed, yet no one was kissing them. It was annoying, and pray God, this damn speed dating worked.

  “I’m gonna stay,” she said, coming off the pillar and fixing the skirt of her little blue dress that stopped right at the middle of her thighs. “I need to get laid.”

  Mekena stuttered. “Not tonight, though, right?”

  “Jesus, Mekena, I’m not a whore.”

  “Oh, you’re not?”

  And this was the problem with being best friends with a girl she met only a month ago. “I’m not. Asshole.”

  She giggled. “Fine, but please text me and let me know you weren’t killed.”

  “I’ve got my pepper spray.”

  “And your Taser?”

  “And my Taser,” she said, rolling her eyes. She wasn’t sure why Mekena was even asking; she was the one who had stuffed it into her purse the day before. If nothing else, Mekena Preston was practical and smart, very smart.

  “Good, text me when you leave.”

  “Will do.”

  “Have fun. Find your forever!”

  Brie’s face scrunched up. “That is dumb, don’t ever say that again.”

  “Hey, everyone says that when they fall in love.”

  “God, I hope I don’t.”

  “You will.”

  “I won’t.”

  “Stop stalling. Go find your forever.”

  “That’s disgusting. Bye,” Brie complained before hanging up and then tucking her phone into her pocket and taking in a deep breath. Looking around the room, she noticed there was a decent men-to-women ratio, which was good. She didn’t want to be the only chick in the middle of a sausage fest. While she wanted some sausage, she only needed one. A large one, thick, some girth, mmm… Great, now she was hungry. Pressing her hand to her belly, she rolled her eyes. She needed help.

  Or, again, to get laid.

  Maybe she should just go home with the first able-bodied man.

  When a large, round man stopped in front of her, her eyes widened. He was easily twenty years older than her thirty-one years and he was losing his hair, but he was trying to cover it with a toupee. People still wore those? Pointing at her, he smiled with bright yellow teeth. “Hey, sugar, make sure to stop at my table.”

  “Ugh, sure,” she blurted out before hightailing it to the left.

  She would not be going home with that guy. No matter how desperate she was.

  Standing in the back, she looked over the sea of people as the announcer explained what they were to do. The sad thing was, this wasn’t her first time, so she knew what to do. Last time, she hated it and met no one, but maybe this time would be different. Letting out a long groan, she shook her head. If she could be normal and meet someone in a coffee shop or at her job, that would be awesome. But she hadn’t had luck with guys her whole life.

  She wasn’t one of those serial daters or even a casual one. She dated for a reason, and because of that, she had only been in two serious relationships. Both were ended by the guy, which did nothing for her confidence. Both times she didn’t see it coming, and that alone was depressing as hell. Especially Martin. She’d loved Martin—a lot. But when her mom died, he said it was too much and left her high and dry. Not only did she have to pick up the pieces of her heart and Rod’s from her mother’s death, but then she had to pick up the extra pieces of her heart from Martin’s departure. It was horrible, and because of that experience, she was a little scarred by relationships.

  Okay, a whole lot scarred. But she was coming up on a new year, and it was time to turn over a new leaf. She wanted the romantic happiness that being with a guy could provide. It had taken her a long time to love herself again. After the grief was no longer overwhelming, after the pain of Martin was gone, she was ready to love once more. It was time, time for her to venture out and find that guy. The… There was no way she was saying the forever guy, but something along those lines.

  “So let’s get started!” the announcer said, and then she rang a really annoying cowbell. Taking the cue, Brie went to the first table and sat down as a guy with hair longer than hers did. He was decent-looking, but no spark whatsoever. Maybe it would come?

  “Hey, I’m Brian.”

  Brie smiled. “Hi, I’m Brie.”

  “Ha, like the cheese.”

  She blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “The cheese. I love Brie, it’s my favorite. I wonder if you taste like Brie? Wanna get out of here?”

  She blinked once more and then let out a hard laugh. “So let me get this straight,” she said, leaning on the table. “First, you compare me to cheese, and not even the most exclusive cheese, kind of midrange. And then you want me to go home with you?”

  He shrugged like that was a normal exchange. “Yeah.”

  “Yeah, no. And fuck-you-very-much,” she said, standing up just as the bell rang. Thankfully. Moving down the chair, she skipped the guy from earlier, the balding dude, and sat down as a very attractive, clean-cut guy sat down. And wowza, was he gorgeous. Big blue eyes, wonderful angles to his face, and thick, yummy shoulders. He reminded her of someone…but… Whoa, not now, Soledad.

  With a bright smile, she said, “Hey, I’m Brie.”

  “Tim, nice to meet you,” he said, matching her grin as he looked her up and down. “Let me guess, a doctor?”

  She laughed. “Reporter for the Nashville Assassins.”

  His eyes lit up. “Go Assassins!”

  She smiled as she nodded. “Greatest team in the league.”

  “Agreed, but I’m sad. I could have sworn you were a doctor. That would have worked for me since I’m a lawyer, and I need someone to deal with my c