A Hire Love Read Online Free

view a few profiles and we’ll charge you one hundred dollars per date.”
    With both thumbs up, I said, “Okay, let’s do this.”
    “Don’t tell anyone I did this for you.”
    “You’ve got my word.”
    We moved back to the conference room and she selected a few profiles. She said, “You like the bad boy, huh?”
    “No. I like the professional with an edge.”
    She laughed. “Most women these days do.”
    After searching through about eleven profiles, I selected two: One guy was a thirty-year-old business owner; the other was a twenty-nine-year-old banker.
    The next step was to contact them and let them see my profile. If they were interested, she would make the connection.

Scene 2
FATIMA
    I n less than twenty-four hours, Gertrude called to say that one of the guys was interested. When I called Mya to tell her about my probable date, she teased, “Tima’s going to talk to a guy! That’s so funny.”
    I chuckled. “It has been a long time.”
    “It’s been an eternity. Do you even know what to say?”
    “Girl. Hopefully, he can lead the conversation, ’cause I don’t know what to say to a guy.”
    “Tima, that is messed up. Personally, I don’t like to talk a lot before I go out with a guy. If you talk too much and you meet him and don’t like him, you feel obligated to explain. If you just briefly discuss the details of the date, you don’t owe him anything if you don’t like him. Trust me. You remember all the times I had to tell a guy after the first date that me and my old boyfriend got back together.”
    “Why did you lie?”
    “’Cause I had sat up on the phone with the person, telling him that I was ready for a relationship. When I met him and didn’t like him, I had to say something.” She giggled. “For the record, do not tell anyone that you haven’t dated since your husband died. You should always have a recent old boyfriend or have a friend that you see off and on.”
    As I was schooled on the rules of the modern world, I laughed. “That is ridiculous.”
    “Play or be played.”
    “That’s a shame.”
    “Love is a game, baby girl.”
    My cell phone rang as I jotted down mental notes. When I didn’t recognize the number, I said, “Mya, I think that’s him.”
    She shouted, “Don’t answer!”
    “Why?”
    “Because you want to hear his voice first. Then, you call him back. I can tell from a guy’s voice if he’s someone I want to talk to. What if he sounds like Steve Urkel?”
    “Mya, you are making this way too complicated.”
    “Whatever—I’m just looking out for my girl.”
    “So, when do I call him back?”
    “After we listen to the message.”
    “We?”
    “Yeah. We’re in this together. You aren’t skilled enough in the screening process yet.”
    I called my voicemail and linked it with Mya. As I waited for the new message to play, I twiddled with my wedding ring. There was a short pause before he spoke:
    “Hey, Fatima. This is Damien. Looking forward to talking to you. You can hit me back on…”
    Mya said, “Well, at least he sounds sexy.”
    “Yeah, that’s a plus. So, when am I allowed to call him back?”
    “In ten minutes, but remember, get the details of when and where you’ll meet and get the hell off the phone.”
    “This is so silly.”
    “Trust me. You’ll thank me in the end.”
    “One last question.”
    “I’m listening.”
    “Do I really have to take my ring off?”
    “Is Derrick still wearing his?”
    I laughed. “You know what? I need to find better friends.”
    “Sike, I’m just playing, but it’s time to take it off. Your husband is gone. He can live in your heart forever, but no man will ever take you serious with another man’s ring on your finger.”
    “I’ll think about it.”
    “Baby, it’s your world. You can do what you want, but would you want to hang out with a man still wearing his wedding band?”
    “You’re right. Let me get ready to call this guy back.”
    Before I called him back, I went into my