Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love by Ariana Hawkes

cabin, Caitlyn received a call from the organic supermarket saying that they had some casual shifts for her. The world was beginning to look like a benevolent place.

Chapter Eight
     
    The following Wednesday, Lauren was standing at the kitchen sink washing some glassware when she heard a very familiar creaking sound, followed by a muted crunch. Her heart leapt. After three years of being with Connor, she was no less excited to see him than when they’d first met. She yanked the front door open and tore across the driveway.
    “Hey, babe!” her handsome mate said in his deep growly voice. As she ran up to him, he lifted her right off the ground and spun her around, before lifting her into his arms for a long, tender kiss. Connor was the only man who’d ever made her feel small before. “I think you might’ve missed me,” he said as he carried her back to the cabin.
    “Nah. Willow did, but me, not at all!” He grinned and planted kisses all over her face. “Where is my little bear cub?” he said, putting Lauren down gently.
    “Daddy!” Willow yelled, running toward him, metal firetruck in hand.
    “Hi, sweetheart!” he said, picking her up and holding her over his head at arms length until she shrieked and giggled, before cradling her against his body and smelling her sweet toddler smell. “I’ve got all my girls back!”
    The three of them snuggled on the sofa for a while, before Willow started to wriggle, desperate to go and play with her toys again.
    “How was the last night of the show?” Lauren said, sliding her hand up his shirt and stroking his rock-hard abs.
    “It went really well. There was a huge audience – almost too many to fit into the hall – and I think we made a lot of money.”
    “That’s great, honey. And, now you’re finished getting naked for a lot of screaming strangers, do you think it’ll be my turn soon?” she whispered in his ear.
    “You bet,” he replied with a grin. “As soon as we’ve got this one off to bed this evening. And don’t count on getting any sleep tonight!”
    “That’s what I like to hear,” Lauren said, kissing him.
    “Actually, before I forget, the management company has decided that we should do one last show in Hope Valley. Is that ok with you?”
    “Sure. Anything to keep those nasty corporations away. When’s it going to be?”
    “In the next week or so. We need to wait for Timo though. He didn’t come back with us today.”
    “Why?” Connor puffed his cheeks out.
    “He’s gone off on a wild goose chase looking for a girl that he thinks is his mate.”
    “From the Shiftr app?”
    “Nope. They hooked up on the first night of our show in Hope Valley, but she ran off straight after.” Lauren pulled herself up into a sitting position, an alarm going off in her brain.
    “What? This happened after the show?”
    “Yup. He took her up on stage, and actually kissed her – you know the bit where the guys are supposed to pretend to kiss the audience member?”
    “Uh huh.”
    “Yeah, so he did it for real. And when the show was finished, she came looking for him when we were all having beers outside. They got hot and heavy pretty fast, so we soon left them to it. He says they had this incredible mating session, and he knew that she was the one. But Timo, being the guy he is, didn’t manage to get her phone number. He remembers that the girl said she was on a three-state bachelorette party, but he can’t remember which town she said she lives in, so, he’s been scrutinizing the map of all the surrounding states, trying to remember, bless him.” Lauren’s intelligent eyes were sparkling with unspoken thoughts. 
    “So, you saw this girl, you said?” He nodded.
    “What did she look like?”
    “Uh, long dark hair, almost black. Wearing a pink bachelorette outfit. You know, silly pantyhose and a short skirt.”
    “Anything else? Like what were her eyes like?”
    “I don’t know, baby. I’m not good with these things. And I didn’t