Free Silver Master by Jayne Castle

a very real possibility that there might never be another. No need to put a damper on things by dredging up her sordid past. She gave him a high-rez smile.
    â€œYou’d understand if you saw the dress,” she said.
    â€œWhat dress?”
    â€œThe one I have to wear.”
    He flashed her a quick, curious glance. “What’s wrong with it?”
    â€œIt’s pink. The whole wedding is going to be pink. It’s my sister’s favorite color.”
    â€œGot it. Other than the fact that there’s a major pink theme going, you’re okay with the wedding? This isn’t one of those nightmare scenarios where your sister is marrying your ex-boyfriend or anything, is it?”
    â€œAbsolutely not. My sister is marrying a wonderful man. I matched them, myself. It’s just that it’s going to be a little awkward going back to Frequency.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œThe usual story,” she said, trying to sound at ease. “I don’t have a date for the wedding. You know how it will be. Everyone will start trying to play matchmaker. It’s particularly awkward when you’re the expert.”
    It was true as far as it went, but it was a long way from the full story. With luck maybe he wouldn’t notice.
    â€œTrust me, you have my full and complete sympathy,” he said, sounding grim. “I’ve got a few weddings to attend myself this summer.”
    â€œAlone?” she hazarded.
    â€œLooks that way.”
    â€œWell, it’s the season. Not like you have a lot of options. There aren’t many excuses for ducking a Covenant Marriage if the people getting married are friends or family.”
    Max and Araminta were sitting very close together on the back of the seat, chattering enthusiastically.
    â€œWhat do you think they’re talking about?” Davis said, turning a corner.
    â€œWho knows?” Celinda turned her head to look at the pair. “I’ve never watched dust bunnies interact with each other. In fact, until Araminta adopted me, I’d never seen one in person, just in pictures.”
    â€œSame here. After Max moved in, I talked to a biologist friend of mine at the university. He told me that very little is known about dust bunnies. They’ve never been considered destructive pests, so there’s never been any funding to study them.”
    â€œThank heavens.” Celinda shuddered. “I don’t even want to think about what could happen if some scientists decided that dust bunnies should be studied in a laboratory.”
    â€œSomething tells me that bunnies are smart enough to avoid that fate.”
    â€œThey do seem to be able to disappear whenever they wish. Sometimes Araminta slips out at night and doesn’t come home until dawn. I have no idea where she goes or how she even gets out of the apartment.”
    â€œMax does the same thing occasionally.” Davis slowed for a streetlight. “Just another dust bunny mystery.”
    Conversation stopped. Celinda tried to think of a safe way to restart it.
    â€œWhat’s it like being a security consultant?” she asked.
    He shrugged, watching the light. “It suits me. Can’t think of anything else I’d be good at. What’s it like being a matchmaker?”
    Her profession was something else she did not want to talk about tonight. When you were a matchmaker who specialized in Covenant Marriages, you were always focused on the long-term. This was her break-the-rules date with the most interesting man she had ever met, and she was pretty sure the relationship was doomed. On the other hand, she had already shut down one conversational topic tonight, and she had asked him about his job.
    â€œIt’s very satisfying when things go well,” she said. “Depressing and frustrating when they don’t.”
    â€œYou mean when you can’t find a match for someone?”
    â€œFinding a match usually isn’t the