Free Rock Me All Night by Katherine Garbera

might work out. One is a middle manager of a chain restaurant, another is a construction worker and the third is a pastry chef.”
    â€œPastry chef?” Lauren asked.
    â€œYeah, what do you think?”
    â€œWomen love a man who can cook,” she said,thinking of Jack and his homemade soup. She was missing something important about him and hoped she figured it out before they both got hurt.
    â€œThat’s what I was hoping. This is harder than I thought it would be.”
    â€œYeah, who thought being matchmaker could be so hard.”
    â€œYou have no idea how tough it can be,” Ray said.
    The music stopped and they went back on live. They talked to the three men on-air and got two more volunteers.
    Lauren enjoyed the morning but was glad when it was time to leave the booth. She’d had enough of discussing relationships and talking to men and women who’d been single too long and couldn’t find a mate. The comments she and Ray heard rang a little too true for Lauren’s peace of mind and reminded her that Jack was still an unknown quantity.
    Â 
    Jack was waiting when she exited the building at the end of the day. Leaning against the hood of a sleek black Porsche, he watched. She hesitated when she saw him, and he knew he’d have to make up for not calling. He smiled and pushed away from the car.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?”
    â€œApologizing in person. And taking you to lunch.”
    â€œHow did you know I hadn’t eaten?”
    â€œI called Ty.”
    â€œWhy?”
    He shrugged. “So I can buy you lunch.”
    â€œNot today. I—”
    â€œLauren.”
    She glanced over her shoulder. Ray King ambled over to them. He wore a topcoat and glanced around the parking lot before stopping.
    â€œSorry to interrupt,” Ray said, but Jack suspected the older man wasn’t really sorry.
    â€œNo problem. Ray, do you know Jack Montrose?”
    â€œYes, we met in Ty’s office the day I started. Nice to see you again.”
    â€œSame here. We were on our way to lunch. How can we help you?” Jack asked. He took a step closer to Lauren and put his arm around her waist.
    â€œWe have a remote broadcast this afternoon at the Fox Theatre with some new entries in the Mile of Men. Lauren has to be there.”
    Jack snorted.
    â€œWill you stop that?” Lauren said.
    â€œWhat’s the problem?” Ray asked.
    Jack realized he’d put her in a bad position. “Nothing. I just think it’s a tad bit sexist to have a Mile of Men.”
    â€œYou still thinking about a Mile of Women?” Lauren asked in a silky tone that warned him he better beware.
    â€œOf course not. I just…”
    â€œ Compare, you’re digging yourself deeper,” Ray said, but there was laughter in his voice. “Whydon’t you come along? We could use a differing viewpoint.”
    â€œUh, Ray, Jack has his own business to run. He can’t just drop everything to come to a remote broadcast.”
    He knew she wanted space from him. And Jack also had dated enough women to know that if he let Lauren go now, he wasn’t going to get her back.
    â€œI’ll do it. What time should we be there?”
    â€œFour. Ciao.”
    â€œCiao,” Jack said, putting his hand under Lauren’s elbow and leading her to the car.
    â€œWhen did I agree to lunch?”
    He dropped her arm. “I’m not forcing you, sweetheart. If you want to go eat alone, then be my guest.”
    He was tired of being the bad guy. Sure he’d acted like an ass, but he’d apologized.
    â€œSorry, Jack. I’m…I’d be happy to have lunch with you.”
    â€œWhere are we going?”
    â€œA little place just out of town—Molly’s.”
    Lauren said little as he drove through the crowded streets. Soon they were out of the downtown traffic and Jack let the Porsche roar with her innate power. He loved a fast car. If he were a