Carla blushed. “We’ve been working on a first draft of a new business ethos.” She took a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to him.
No one’s perfect and neither are we. We’re the sister agency to Logical Love, helping you to find your partner in a way that suits you best. Whether you’re a pragmatist, a realist, a romantic or a dreamer, we’ll help you to find your match. There’s no absolute guarantee you’ll find your soulmate, but you’ll have fun, meet interesting people and broaden your horizons along the way. And if you do feel ready to take a leap of faith, to follow your head or your heart, you’re in safe hands.
“I love it,” Tom said. “It’s more realistic, more human.”
“Jess has also got a part-time Sunday job, in Silverpool. Myrtle wants to pay for renovations to her hut and she needed some extra help.” If she was being cynical, Carla might say the fortune teller’s prediction that her sister would be working near water soon was more like a strategy. “She’s also talking about traveling, to see if she can trace her father.”
“I’m glad she’s pursuing things that she loves,” Tom said.
Carla decided against giving Tom an update about Aaron, wanting this date to be just for them, and not about any of her exes. Her former husband had recently joined Logical Love and had already found an eighty-five percent match with someone, the highest score ever for the agency and one they’d never have achieved together.
Tom leaned down and picked up a gift bag she hadn’t noticed him carrying alongside the bouquet. “I got you something,” he said, passing it to her.
“Thanks.” Carla dipped her head to open it. She peeled off the tissue paper and cradled the box on her lap. The board game was called New Beginnings and she eased off the lid.
“It’s a prototype,” Tom quickly added. “It needs a lot of work, but the basics are all there.”
Carla opened the board and watched in wonderment as paper figures and objects sprung to life—a stroller, tree, house, family and even a dog. The more she looked, the more she saw finer details, such as a journal open on a kitchen table and even a tiny pack of tarot cards. There was a Magic 8 Ball sitting on the bed.
“Each player has to travel around the board, discovering family stories along the way and undertaking tasks to win the game.”
“And what’s the prize at the end?” She raised her eyes to his.
“I’ve not decided that yet. What do you think it should be? What should the person be looking for?”
Carla stared at the board, deep in thought. “Perhaps family is enough.”
Tom sat back in his chair, a smile spreading across his face. “I think so, too,” he said.
And in that one moment, if Carla had still harbored any doubts that she’d chosen the right person to be with, they flew away. She didn’t need any statistics and percentages to confirm that Tom was the one. Her own gut instinct was more than enough.
Her family curse was gone, replaced by hope. And it might take time to extinguish all the worries, expectations and superstitions completely, but a drink together in a bar with the man she loved was a good place to start. Carla still thought that you could actually choose your family, and she’d chosen Tom.
She placed her hand on her stomach, feeling another kick from the little boy growing inside her, as if he was agreeing with all their sentiments. She reached out for Tom’s hand and held it against her belly, so he could feel the movement, too.
“It looks like he can’t wait to play New Beginnings with us, too.” Carla smiled.
Acknowledgments
A great deal of time and effort goes into publishing a book, and writing is only part of the process. I’d like to give a big thank-you to my brilliant agent, Clare Wallace, for her advice, hard work, perceptiveness and encouragement. Also, the wonderful support of the entire team at my literary agency, including Darley Anderson himself, Mary Darby, Tanera Simons, Georgia Fuller, Salma Zarugh, Francesca Edwards, Chloe Davis, Rosanna Bellingham and Sheila David.
Thanks to my fantastic editors, Erika Imranyi and Nicole Luongo, at Park Row Books/HarperCollins in the USA, who make writing my books such a positive and collaborative experience. I appreciate the work and dedication of the entire Park Row team, including Leah Morse and Emer Flounders in PR and publicity, and the editing, design, marketing, sales and distribution teams.
A special mention and thanks go to my friend Janine McKown for her medical advice relating to the book, and also to my college friend Philip Spencer Absalom-Gough and his wife, Tess Absalom-Gough, for their diving expertise. Any mistakes I’ve made in the telling of this story are entirely my own.
Writing a book can be a solitary process, so I’m grateful to my wider support group of other writers. It’s great to know so many kind and talented people are just the click of a button, or a coffee, away. Thank you especially to B.A. Paris, Roz Watkins and Jacqueline Ward.
I’d like to thank booksellers, librarians, bloggers, reviewers and readers everywhere for their amazing support and for helping to spread the word about my writing. My books couldn’t happen without you.
Finally, a huge shout-out to all my family and friends. Writing for a living is a dream come true but can also be a very strange, emotional and sometimes stressful career, and I appreciate all your love and support.
Questions for Discussion
Women in Carla’s family are very superstitions. Are there any particular superstitions you believe in or always
carry out?
Who was your favorite character in the book and why?
Do you ever look back at your past jobs, relationships or decisions and wonder what might have been? Or do you put the past to rest?
Do you believe in mediums and fortune-telling? Why or why not? Have you ever had your tarot cards read? Did any predictions come true? Did meeting Anastacia and Myrtle in the book change any of your perceptions?
Which scene in the book resonated with you the most? Did any of them surprise you?
Carla lost her mother when she was ten years old. How might this have affected her decisions and behavior in life? Did Suzette’s passing affect Jess any differently?
Dating agencies can be a useful way to meet potential romantic partners. Do you think romance should be
left to chance, or does love sometimes benefit from a helping hand?
How would you describe the book to someone else? Is it a romance? Uplifting fiction? A coming-of-age story? Or something else?
Carla has many female relations who support each other in times of need. How do you and your family (or friends) help each other?
What was your favorite location that Carla visited in the book and why?
Do you think Babs and Diego will ever get married? What might their wedding day look like?
