Pushing Her Buttons

By Marie Ahls

When the boss offers a bonus in exchange for testing the company's newest dating app, you jump at the chance, right? At least that's what Danielle Mueller decided to do. What's the harm in going on a few dates and having a little fun all for some extra cash? Things get complicated when Danielle is matched with her strait-laced coworker, Tyson Palms. | Wanting the app to get the best possible rating and to ensure new users of its success rate, Danielle and Tyson pretend to hit it off and start dating becoming the center of the company's advertising campaign. Danielle and Tyson soon realize they have more in common than they first thought and that first impression can be misleading. Now they must decide if they'll give the relationship a chance or go looking for a new match.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fiery Vision Publishing
• Release date: May 17, 2020
• ISBN: 9798201706845

Book preview

Chapter One

Danielle

Staff meeting in five, Tyson shouted as he hustled by. The boss has a big announcement to share and called an impromptu staff meeting. 

No one meandered into the conference room; they dropped what they were doing and hastily made their way there. When the boss called, everyone somersaulted into action. 

When he walked into the room with his personal assistant half walking, half running after him, a hush fell over the room. Everyone sat up straighter, and the energy changed. Good afternoon. He paused to make sure he had the attention of each person in the room. As you know, our newest creation, Mingling Singles, will be going live shortly. He paused again as his eyes swept around the room to eager nods. Mingling Singles was the company’s baby. The biggest and grandest thing they had released in a while. Rumor was that if it didn’t do well, there would be a round of cuts. 

He forged ahead. Usually we go with an outside company to test our products, but with this one, we’ve decided to change things up and allow some internal testing. This means that you are all eligible to give Mingling Singles a try. A murmur rose within the room and was silenced when the boss cleared his throat. See Samantha if you’re interested. She has all the details. 

Samantha, or Sam as she was known outside the office, was his personal assistant and my best friend. She’d worked diligently alongside the company’s head for a few years now, which always gave us stories to laugh at when she shared the miserable things, he had her do. A flurry of movement drew me from my thought, and the boss promptly left the room and the curious babble began among my co-workers. 

One of the office managers nudged me with her elbow and whispered, I heard they’re offering a bonus to anyone who tries it and follows through with the dates. 

Really? I asked, and she nodded eagerly in response. The idea of a bonus infiltrated my mind. Some extra money in exchange for a few dates wouldn’t be the worst, so I made a mental note to ask Sam about it when we met up for drinks after work. She would have the inside scoop. 

You going to do it? she inquired while we gathered our things and wandered back to our individual cubicles. I shrugged nonchalantly, but the wheels in my head were spinning with thoughts of what I could do with the extra money. 

***

The atmosphere was festive, and the room buzzed with chatter inside the downtown pub, The Sidebar, where the professionals congregated after work for drinks and to rehash the day. It was a brisk walk from the office, nestled in between the high rises and companies that lined the downtown streets of the city. 

I scanned the room, which was already filling up, looking for Sam. We met here once a week to gossip about all the office shenanigans and our non-existent love lives.  

She waved from a table where several of our co-workers had already gathered, and they were well under way for a carefree evening when I pulled up a stool. 

As expected, the conversation was abuzz about the announcement made today.

There will be a bonus for volunteering, Sam explained for the hundredth time. She added, No, I don’t know how much it will be, and, I think it will depend on how many dates you go on. 

My curiosity peaked. I shot a quick text to Sam, letting her know I was in, and then I headed to the restroom.

The door to the women's restroom swung open while I was standing in front of the mirror, running my fingers through my hair and reapplying my pink lip gloss. My eyes connected with Sam’s in the mirror. Leaning against the sink, she asked, So, you’re really going to do this? 

Yeah. Why not? What’s the harm in going on a few dates and having a little fun for some extra cash? I smiled as I finished up in front of the mirror and turned toward her. 

I figured this was going to be your thing, Sam said, and we made our way to the door. What’s the worst thing that could happen? I asked when we were weaving our way 

through the crowd towards our table. 

Sam paused. You could fall in love. 

Chapter Two

Danielle

Mingling Singles will be tested using a plethora of candidates, so you’ll have plenty of possible matches, Sam pointed out as I sat at the conference room table among the six other employees who had signed up, downloading and setting up accounts. By signing this contract, you are agreeing to use the app and go on at least three dates and one second date. Of course, you’re welcome to go on more if you want. She winked with the last part. 

The program was made to match you based upon specific indicators that paired with another user. Once the algorithm ran through your responses, it would give a percentage on how well your responses matched with another user. It would then send you a list of people with the highest matching indicators. If you like what you see, you can message them.  

Hitting submit after completing the identifying information and a questionnaire made my profile live. I was officially mingling. 

It didn’t take long for the first beep announcing that I had my first possible match, and while it was frowned upon to be on your phone at the office, I was too curious to see who it was. 

I swiveled my chair around so that my back was towards the walkway outside my cubicle and swiped right to bring my phone to life. The notifications sprung up, and there it was. The app signal staring me straight in the face. A butterfly or two bubbled in my stomach as I readied myself to see who my first date would be. 

SeriouslyMingling. 

That’s who was on my screen. The username left a little to be desired, but I had told myself I would go on every date throughout this process and that I might even stay a user after the launch. Wasting no time, I sent SeriouslyMingling