Finding Mr. Wrong Read online

  A sigh met Matthew's ear, and he blinked. He'd forgotten where he was, lost in the fond memories of his childhood sweetheart. He'd been so foolish, putting everything he had, everything he was, into Jax, thinking they would always be together.

  "That is the sweetest, most romantic thing I have ever heard." Adam sighed again, a dreamy look on his heart-shaped face.

  "Yeah, well, that was until Jax broke my little heart into a billion tiny pieces. Scratch that. It was less broken and more annihilated with a bazooka."

  "What happened?" Adam leaned forward, eyes huge.

  "After our first kiss, we kissed a whole lot more. We'd hide in our secret spot and cuddle. I remember wishing we could stay like that forever. When I told him so, he promised me we'd be together forever, which of course, you know, being a child, I took to heart. Everything Jax told me, I believed wholeheartedly. He was the center of my world, and at the time, I believed I was the center of his. So when Jax disappeared, I was devastated."

  "What do you mean he disappeared?"

  "He stopped coming to school. My parents were scared because I wouldn't eat, sleep, talk unless it was to ask about Jax. My father looked everywhere. The trailer where Jax and his dad had been living was empty. They were gone. My father hired people to find them, but...." Matthew swallowed hard and shook his head. "He was gone. Vanished. Like he never existed."

  How was it possible that all these years later, his heart still hurt? What the hell had they known about love? Nothing. They'd been a couple of kids, mismatched at that. Matthew came from old money, but his family had always worked hard for the fortune they'd acquired. A solid work ethic had been instilled into Matthew's father and passed down to Matthew. He'd been sheltered from the world, coddled by his mother, yet his father made certain Matthew had at his disposal the resources necessary to help him become a healthy, stable adult, or at least as close to one as was possible.

  Meanwhile Jax had been more world-weary than any kid had the right to be. He kept Matthew a secret from his father, afraid his father might try to work an angle and get something out of Matthew's father, especially after his dad lost his job at the school. Jax never talked much about the man who'd been raising him since his mother died, and when he did talk about his father, it was to reassure Matthew that his father wasn't a bad guy, just got mixed up with the wrong people.

  "You never got over him," Adam said quietly, his expression sympathetic.

  Matthew frowned. "Don't be ridiculous. It's been twenty years. Of course I got over him."

  "No, not really." Adam's huge grin worried Matthew. "Don't you see? It makes so much sense now."

  "What?"

  "Why you're so scared of relationships."

  Matthew scoffed. "I'm not scared of relationships." He'd been in plenty of relationships. Granted, they didn't last very long, but that wasn't his fault.

  "Really? What happened to Mr. Wall Street?"

  "You mean besides the fact that he was a jackass? He was clingy."

  "Clingy? He texted you to say he had a great time and wanted to see you again."

  "I know, but I could tell it wasn't going to work."

  "You went on one date!"

  "It was a long date. I got to know him well enough."

  "Oh, Matthew. Jax was the first boy you fell for. He abandoned you, shattered your sweet little heart, and now you're afraid of it happening again, so you won't let anyone get close to you. The second you find yourself facing more than a casual hookup, you're out of there. I've read about this."

  Matthew rolled his eyes. "Here we go. How many times do I have to tell you? Romance novels don't count as reliable reference material."

  "Hey, a lot of research goes into those books."

  "Yes, I'm sure scouring the internet for the right six-pack is arduous work."

  Adam looked unimpressed. "Maybe if you actually read one of the many books I've recommended, you'd see how there's more to them than six-packs. Might even teach you a thing or two about romance."

  "For crying out loud. Fine. I'll read one of your damn books. Can we please get back to what we were discussing?"

  "Right. Jax breaking your heart. That would explain the countless men."

  "Countless? Really?"

  "Okay, maybe not countless. We are talking about you."

  "Thanks."

  "What happened to Jax?"

  Matthew sighed. "I tried looking for him once, but when I couldn't find him, I gave up. It wasn't like he'd bothered looking for me, so I clearly hadn't meant that much to him. He probably forgot all about me."

  "You're adorable."

  "Shut it." If Matthew had really meant something to Jax, Jax would have gotten in touch. It wasn't like Matthew was hard to find. Hart & Home's website had his bio and credentials, as well as contact information. All Jax had to do was google Matthew, and done, but Jax hadn't bothered once in the twenty years that had gone by. That was all Matthew needed to know about Jax's feelings on the matter. For all Matthew knew, the guy could be married, have a bunch of kids, be happily in love and enjoying his life.

  "Okay, so let's get back to finding you a husband. Let's make a list." Adam took the pad and pen from Matthew's desk. "Tell me about your Mr. Right."

  Were they really doing this? Whatever. If it meant Matthew finding a husband, he'd go along with it. "Well, someone who's kind."

  "Hot," Adam added.

  Matthew rolled his eyes. "Compassionate."

  "Great in bed."

  "Has a sense of humor."

  "Big and strong."

  Matthew narrowed his gaze at Adam. "Are we looking for my Mr. Right or yours?"

  Adam's bright green eyes filled with mischief. "Seeing as how I'm already searching...."

  "You're terrible. Okay, someone who likes animals, especially dogs."

  "Basically you're looking for a nice guy who's hot, compassionate, great in bed, is big and strong, has a good education, a good job, a sense of humor, and likes dogs." Adam smiled at him. "Piece of cake." He continued to jot things down.

  "What are you writing?"

  "Just adding a few bonus traits."

  Matthew released another groan.

  "Don't you worry about a thing. I've got this."

  "I'm a little scared right now."

  Adam waggled his eyebrows.

  "That doesn't reassure me. If anything, I'm even more scared."

  "You know, you could just ask your mom. She'd have them lined up out the door."

  The thought terrified Matthew, and Adam laughed--no doubt at his horrified expression.

  Chapter Three

  MAYBE enlisting Adam to help find Mr. Right hadn't been such a good idea. In fact, now that Matthew sat across from a battle-ready Adam, he was certain it was a ludicrous idea. He stared down at the portfolio on his desk.

  "When did you have time to do all this?" Matthew was a little bit frightened.

  Adam waved a hand in dismissal. "On my lunch break."

  "Lunch break," Matthew parroted, overwhelmed by the presentation Adam had put together. On his desk, in a black portfolio, were complete profiles of over a dozen eligible bachelors. Each profile was several pages long and included everything from family background and education to their current net worth, pets, dating history, social media history, quotes, and images. Nothing was missed. Matthew raised his eyes to Adam. "You don't secretly work for the CIA, do you?"

  Adam smiled sweetly. "If I did, do you think I would tell you?"

  Matthew arched an eyebrow at him, and Adam laughed.

  "Just being thorough."

  "No kidding," Matthew muttered. "You even included their star signs."

  Adam shrugged. "You can tell a lot about a person from their star sign."

  "Right." Matthew closed the portfolio. "So how am I supposed to meet these guys? I can't just walk up to them and say 'Hey, I'm looking for a husband. You interested?' Besides, just because they look good on paper doesn't mean we'll hit it off."

  "Listen
, don't worry about that. I'll take care of everything. Read through it, let me know who you're interested in meeting, and I'll take care of the rest." Adam's tablet pinged, and he tapped away at it. He scrolled through something, then jerked his hand away from the screen as if burned.

  "Everything okay?" Matthew asked, concerned at Adam's startled expression.

  Adam's head shot up, his mouth hanging open.

  "What?"

  "Uh, nothing." Adam shook himself out of it, then smiled. "Just got some surprising news, that's all. Nothing to worry about." Adam's phone went off, and he jumped from his seat so quick it startled Matthew. What the hell was going on?

  "Hi, Martin. Yep. Not a problem. Great! I'll be waiting."

  Matthew frowned. "Was that my dad?"

  As if realizing Matthew was still in the room, Adam spun toward him, eyes wide. "Um, yeah. He's on his way up."

  "He called you to tell you he's on his way up? Why?" Since when did his dad call to say he was in the building? Depending on what his father needed, he usually just texted or called Matthew to check he or Adam were in so he could stop by, but he never called to say he was in the building. That was just weird. Something was going on. Matthew peered at Adam, who motioned behind him.

  "I should wait outside for your dad."

  "Why?" Matthew studied him. "Is he going to get lost on his way over? Wait, does your surprising news have something to do with my dad?"

  Adam waved a hand dismissively. "Your dad just wanted to run something by me, see if I think it'll be worth your time. It's no big deal." Usually it wasn't. Adam had meetings and lunches with Martin all the time. Adam wasn't only an employee and an integral part of the company; he was family. It had puzzled Matthew at first. Adam was smart, sharp, and loyal to a fault. He'd been the youngest assistant on staff at eighteen years old, working at Hart & Home while he went to college. Martin Hart loved Adam like a son, had taken him under his wing from the beginning, introducing him to Matthew. Adam was the only employee at Hart & Home who could never be replaced. Unless his own actions brought him disciplinary actions--which would never happen--Adam couldn't be fired. It was in his contract. A contract Martin had drafted himself.

  Martin may have retired and passed the reins on to Matthew, but he was still an integral part of Hart & Home, with years of experience and wisdom. He loved the company, and Matthew enjoyed working with his father on projects, whether it was brainstorming ideas or getting his opinion. His father had jumped at the chance to research local artists who would be a good fit for Hart & Home.

  Adam stepped outside, and Matthew smiled when he spotted his father approaching. Martin Hart was a handsome man. He had the classic looks of an actor from Hollywood's golden age. Broad shoulders and chest, chiseled jaw, and salt-and-pepper hair trimmed, parted, and combed neatly to one side. He drew looks from people wherever he went. It was his stride, the way he moved, and the confident set of his shoulders. Matthew could only hope to one day command the awe and admiration his father did by simply entering a room.

  Martin hugged Adam, and Adam returned his embrace. The hero worship on Adam's face was there for everyone to see. Matthew couldn't blame him. His dad was an inspiration to a lot of people, Matthew especially. Matthew walked out of his office, and Martin didn't hesitate. He held out his arms. Matthew walked straight into his embrace. He always did.

  "Hi, Dad." Matthew hugged his father tight.

  "Hey, kiddo." Martin kissed the top of Matthew's head, giving him one final squeeze before releasing him. He smiled down at Matthew, the laugh lines deep at the corners of his silver eyes. The same eyes Matthew had inherited from him. "Mind if I borrow Adam for a few minutes? I want him to look over something for me."

  "Sure. Conference room is free."

  Martin patted Matthew's shoulder before motioning Adam to follow him. Matthew watched them go, curious about the conspiratorial whispering between them. Adam was so excited he was practically bouncing on his toes. Matthew had never seen Adam like this. Well, he'd find out what mischief the two were up to eventually.

  TWO hours later, Adam and Martin sat in front of Matthew's desk. Adam's smile couldn't get any wider, and Matthew's father was looking at him with such innocence that Matthew couldn't take it anymore.

  "All right. What are you two up to?"

  Adam tapped a button on his tablet, and Matthew's phone pinged. "First, we went through the list of artists Martin brought us, had the usual background checks done. Several appear to be a good fit for Hart & Home. The address I just sent you is for an artist Martin has commissioned to create a piece."

  Matthew moved his gaze to his father. "Okay. What does that have to do with me?"

  "Well," Martin began before clearing his throat. "A very dear friend of mine owns a beautiful bistro over in the Hamptons, and he's been looking for a very specific, eye-catching piece for its entrance. I went through the list of artists and found one who creates just the kind of thing he's looking for. Exquisite work. Anyway, I spoke with my friend about this artist, showed him some of the man's work, and my friend was thrilled. I've commissioned the piece, and as my dear friend is out of town, I thought you might work with the artist and oversee the project. It would also be a perfect opportunity to determine if he'd be a good fit for Hart & Home."

  Matthew frowned down at the address of the studio in Brooklyn, belonging to a J. Dustin. There was no profile picture. "You want me to personally oversee your friend's commission?" Hart & Home had a trusted team in place for that. They oversaw each piece, checked the quality control throughout the various stages of creation all the way to completion. Matthew peered at his father. "Who's your friend?"

  "He's a very important client for Hart & Home," Martin stated. "Dario Esperanza."

  Matthew stared at his father. Important was an understatement. Dario Esperanza was one of their top clients, going back to the man's great-grandfather, an extremely wealthy man with connections to the Spanish aristocracy, whose family only ever bought their furnishings from Hart & Home.

  "Guess I'm overseeing this project," Matthew said, moving his attention to Adam. "Can you forward me all the details on the project?"

  Adam nodded. "Trust me. This guy is amazing. You need to see his stuff."

  "What's he do?"

  Adam blinked at him.

  Well, this was certainly a development. "Do you even know what he does?" Matthew peered at him.

  "Wait a second." Adam seemed to be thinking about it. How was this guy so amazing, yet Adam couldn't tell Matthew what he did? "Glass etching. I'm almost positive." He looked to Martin for confirmation. Martin chuckled.

  "Yes. He'll be working on a set of glass doors for the bistro. An Art Nouveau design with a Parisian setting and gold-leaf accents. Completely unique. Mr. Dustin has already been informed someone will be stopping by to see him."

  Matthew nodded. "Okay." He'd worked with artists before. "No problem."

  Martin gave him a pointed look. "Matthew, I don't think I need to stress how important this is."

  Why was his father telling him this? "Of course not. I've always taken exceptional care of Mr. Esperanza. We take care of all our clients." Matthew cocked his head. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

  Martin stood and smiled brightly at Matthew. "Call me if you need anything, and if you wouldn't mind keeping me updated on how the project is going, I would appreciate it. Dario likes to know how things are progressing."

  "Sure." Matthew nodded, getting up to hug his father as they said their goodbyes. Martin asked Adam to walk him out. What a strange day this was. Pushing aside thoughts of the weirdness going on, he went back to his desk. If Mr. Dustin had already been commissioned, then he'd likely started on the piece. Matthew should get over there as soon as possible and introduce himself and make sure Mr. Dustin had what he needed to complete the project. He hoped Mr. Dustin wouldn't be too annoyed by his presence. Matthew had no intention of intruding on the man's workspace. He knew from experience most artists
did not enjoy having their clients hovering over them while they worked. Matthew simply wanted to make sure Mr. Dustin knew he had support should he need it.

  LESS than two hours later, Matthew stood outside the small studio. Mr. Dustin had to be exceptionally good for his father to have picked such a tiny business. From what he'd learned, there was only the one artist and no other employees. The sign on the door was very promising. It was a little worn and faded, but it was beautiful. The old Victorian-style lettering coupled with the gold leaf and the swirls etched into the glass was simply stunning. Matthew stepped into the small office and stilled.

  "Wow."

  One ornate mirrored plaque stated Mr. Dustin was a sign writer who specialized in gold leaf and gilding. He was also an expert at the silvering process--mirror making--and acid etching. The pieces on display around the tiny office were exquisite. Matthew had never seen anything like it. No, that was a lie. He had. In England he'd come across an incredibly talented sign writer who created elaborate and detailed pieces for several pubs, ale houses, and restaurants. Matthew had been fascinated by the Victorian-style pieces. Each design had been sketched out by hand and shaded with a pencil before the glasswork would even begin.

  Inspecting one piece, the mirrored surface was perfection, as was the lettering and the applied gold leaf. Matthew had never seen anything so beautiful. The craftsmanship was extraordinary.

  "Hello?" Matthew turned to the tiny counter and peered into the studio behind it. The studio had a glass partition so customers could see inside. It was filled with equipment, from a large kiln to sandblasters, a shelf filled with paint pots, boxes, books, rolled-up sheets of something. Several more pieces of gilded glass art hung on the walls, and Matthew couldn't keep his curiosity at bay. Very rarely did Hart & Home deal with this form of art.