Page 11 of No Match Found
“None,” I replied calmly. My past relationship with Chase wasn’t a scandal, but it also wasn’t information I would ever offer up to Grant Wilder. He’d use it to delegitimize Matchify by overshadowing what we’d achieved. I could foresee the headline:CEO creates app to heal her own heartbreak.
“Everyone has something to hide,” he stated. “You think I’m trying to burn Matchify down?” The man shifted gears so fast, I was getting whiplash.
“Your reputation makes the likelihood one I’d be foolish not to consider.”
His mouth turned down at the corners in thought. “I care about the truth, wherever that leads.”
I laughed and took a final sip of my coffee. “Just like our users always tell the truth.”
His head tilted to the side. “I don’t follow.”
I set down the coffee mug and crossed my arms, facing him directly in my chair. “You said it yourself—our matches are only as good as our data. The same could be said of your reporting. If your story starts from a flawed assumption, how good is the conclusion?”
There was a little twinkle in his eyes as he stared at me in silence.
I wished I could tell whether it meant my point had landed or if he was thinkingYou’re a complete fool, Vivian West.
Either way, criticizing him wasn’t one of the strategies Brooke had coached me on.
“What’s my flawed assumption?” he asked. “That your personal experience affected your company? I think most would call that common sense. I promise to give Matchify a fair shot, but I don’t apologize for being interested in you.”
My stomach somersaulted. He hadn’t meant that type of interested. Working at a dating app had apparently made me prone to interpret benign comments as something more.
I rose. “Thank you for letting me finish my coffee.”
He grabbed his notebook and uncrossed his heel from its place on his opposite knee. “My pleasure.”
“We can get started with the tour now.” I walked around my desk and toward the door, opening it for him.
He passed through. “Did you fire him?”
“Hm?” I replied as I let the door close behind us.
“Cam Carter. He’s not in your office anymore.”
“Oh.” I willed the blush not to return. “He gets passed around alot.”
Grant cocked a brow. “Is that the relationship dynamic Matchify espouses?”
I laughed in spite of myself. “Do you want to do a deep dive into cardboard cutout relationship health indicators, or should we start the office tour?”
“Tough choice. The cardboard cutout issue will keep, though. Let’s do the tour.”
I showed him the Love Pit, ignoring every pair of eyes that lifted to us. Some of them looked a question at me, while others focused for too long on Grant. Maybe our next Matchify employee meeting should address not ogling visitors.
“A bit crowded, isn’t it?” he commented.
“We’re growing big for the space. We’re fortunate to have employees who get along in close quarters. We hope to either add another floor or find a new space soon.”
“With the funding from Vantive?”
This man did not beat around the bush; he took a chainsaw to it.
“That’s the hope,” I replied evenly.
When we got to the meeting rooms, I ignored the signage, but Grant pointed out theRoss & Rachelbanner immediately, then wanted to see the others. I couldn’t tell whether his amusement was genuine or condescending, but he scratched a few notes onto his notepad that I was itching to see.
All of the office quirks I’d approved from Brooke were suddenly feeling more juvenile than wise.
