“Therein lies the problem,” Lauren said. “A few things my father said make me think Adam is giving him the impression he and I are involved.”
“You’re not involved.” Seth cleared his throat. “Right?”
Lauren jerked her hands from where they’d been sitting very nicely in his. “You know he’s not my type.”
Her gaze met his. Though they came from different worlds, she understood him. And he understood her. He was her type, not Adam Nordstrom.
No man would ever love her as much as he did. There was a certainty to the knowledge that was absolute. Even though he didn’t plan to act on his feelings for Lauren, he’d go with her to the dinner, help smooth things over with her father. He’d make nice with Adam, too, even if it killed him. “What if I went with you? Would that make it easier for you?”
“You’d do that? Why?”
“Anything for a trip to Bozeman.” Anything for you.
Lauren laughed, but quickly sobered. “What about Ivy?”
“Anna and Mitch wanted to have her over sometime this week,” he said. “I’ll call in the morning and set it up for Monday.”
“Why are you doing this?” Lauren tilted her head, her expression clearly puzzled.
“Because.” He tucked a wayward curl behind her ear. “I want you to be happy.”
Chapter Sixteen
Lauren’s father was not at all what Seth had pictured. He’d envisioned a small man in his fifties with a mop of wiry gray hair. Instead Edmund Van Meveren was just over six feet with dark hair that was cut short. He looked to be in his late sixties, which, now that Seth thought about it, would be about right if Lauren had been a late-in-life baby.
The lecture had been boring and attended by mostly graduate students. The restaurant Edmund had chosen was one of Bozeman’s finest, aptly named the Steak House. Instead of peanut shells on the floor and plank tables, there were linen tablecloths and an extensive wine list.
For Seth, seeing the shock on Adam’s face when he’d walked in at Lauren’s side had made the entire trip worthwhile. Lauren’s father had been polite but cool. But then he’d been distant with Lauren, too. Instead of hugging her, as Seth had expected, he’d simply shaken her hand.
Seth took a sip of iced tea and listened with one ear to the conversation. The way he saw it, he was here to lend Lauren moral support, not hijack the meeting between her and her father. That appeared to be Adam’s role.
For the past twenty minutes Adam and Lauren’s father had been talking mathematics while Seth and Lauren ate.
“I don’t know if I mentioned it,” Adam said, “but I had a chance to read over the compatibility survey Lauren devised for her research project. Very well done.”
Edmund looked at his daughter for the first time in almost half an hour.
Though Lauren just smiled, the flare of hope in her eyes told Seth how much her father’s approval meant to her.
“In fact,” Adam continued, “I was so impressed I decided to fill out one of them myself.”
Edmund raised a brow. “Why in the world would you do that?”
“Curiosity,” Adam admitted. “After all, this is a dissertation project.”
For a second Seth thought Edmund snorted, but then he coughed, so he wasn’t sure if he’d imagined the response. Until he glanced at Lauren and saw the flash of anger in her eyes.
“Actually, sir—” Seth forced a conciliatory tone “—Lauren has had some marriages result from the survey candidates she sent on dates.”
Edmund didn’t acknowledge that Seth had spoken. Instead his gaze shifted to his daughter and he shook his head. “You wonder why I don’t take this discipline seriously. Your research sounds like nothing more than a matchmaking service.”
Seth had been taught from an early age to respect his elders, but the patronizing tone in the older man’s voice roused his protective instinct. “It’s not—”
“You’ve missed the point.” Lauren’s voice was as strong and firm as the look she gave Edmund. “The weddings illustrate that the survey was a good tool for assessing compatibility. Not only were these couples compatible on paper, they fell in love.”
Her father appeared to weigh her words and Seth felt a surge of hope. All the man needed to do was give Lauren a little recognition for a job well done. Surely that wasn’t too much to ask.
Edmund took a sip of wine. “Who did you match with Adam? I can’t believe there are many women around here who’d be his equal.”
Seth tightened his fingers around his iced-tea glass. Apparently, a little recognition was too much to ask.
“You forget, Professor. Your daughter lives here,” Adam said, smiling at Lauren. “Surely you would find me an acceptable match for her.”
Edmund placed his glass of wine on the table. His piercing gaze narrowed on Lauren. “You completed a survey? Surely you’re aware this will compromise your results.”
Lauren lifted her chin. “I did it after I’d compiled and analyzed all my data.”
The fact that Lauren didn’t mention Adam’s encouragement to complete the survey didn’t surprise Seth. He’d come to realize that Lauren was a woman who took responsibility for her actions.
“So did I match with someone?” Adam asked, his tone a shade too eager.
“You mean, did you match with Lauren?" Seth tried to keep the irritation from his voice, but failed. Regardless of what her father might think, this guy was not anywhere near good enough for Lauren.
Adam ignored Seth’s comment.
“You did get a hit.” Lauren smiled. “Kim Sizemore.”
“Kim?’
Seth swore Adam’s voice jumped two octaves. He took another sip of tea, the tightness gripping his chest suddenly gone.
“Why are you so surprised?” Lauren asked him. “Word around town is you’ve been sleeping with her. Maybe you should try taking her out on a date, even talk to her
