Page 102 of The Matchmaker
“We all did,” I say. “And that’s okay. But this sounds like something else, and it feels like it’s from out of nowhere.”
“It’s not from out of nowhere, it’s from experience. From a lot of experience.” She sighs, rubbing her forehead for precisely one second before seeming to remember she has a faceful of makeup on. “I went on lots of dates after Darren left,” she says. “And I didn’t lie about Noah. I was upfront that I was a single parent and that’s what they were getting. And for the most part, no one had a problem with it. No one but me. Because it was always in the back of my mind. What if I let myself fall for someone and he and Noah didn’t get along? Or what if they did get along, and it didn’t work out between us? I don’t want to put him through something like that again. I don’t want him to get attached to someone who’s just going to disappoint him. Noah has to come first, Katie. He will always come first.”
“I get that,” I say. “You know I do. But that doesn’t mean you have to put yourself last. Not every time. And definitely not tonight.”
But she’s not listening to me. “Darren called,” she says, and I tense, getting that instant reaction I always get when I hear his name. “The day after Noah’s birthday. He rang up with some half-ass excuse and Noah refused to talk to him. It’s the first time he’s ever said no to his dad. Darren was furious. You should have heard him, Katie. He said I’ve been poisoning his own son against him.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I know.”
“You lie for that man every single day.”
“I know! I know I do. But the whole thing threw me. Maybe I’ve been slipping lately. Or maybe Noah’s getting to the age when he’s picking up on that stuff.”
“So what if he is? He’s not an idiot, Gemma.”
“I know he’s not, but I never wanted him to think he couldn’t have a relationship with him. He deserves to have a dad.”
“Agreed, but just not that one.”
“Then who? Who’s to say if I’ll ever find someone for both of us?”
“You can’t keep thinking like that,” I groan. “If you do, you’re going to shut down every opportunity before you even recognize it. And it’s not like you’re marrying the guy tonight. If you don’t like the guy, you can always swap. That’s what Nush is doing.”
She snorts, staring down at her lap. “I don’t even know his name.”
“Well, I can call Bridget and see,” I say. “But he’s only a five-minute walk away.”
“Ten in these heels,” she mutters.
“Beauty is pain. And you look beautiful tonight, Gem.”
“My highlighter cost thirty quid, I better look beautiful.” She swallows, indecision playing over her features.
“One drink,” I say. “One drink. One dance. See what happens. That’s all you’ve got to do tonight.”
She sighs, fiddling with her bracelet. “Okay.”
“Okay?” I repeat to make sure there is no confusion here. “You sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Fanfreakingtastic.” I pull her to her feet, trying not to show how relieved I am. “Now put your damn shoes on.”
Despite my subtle rushing, it’s another fifteen minutes before we’re out the door. She insists on fixing her makeup and her hair even though there is nothing to fix because my friend is a flawless annoying angel, and I’m at a loss as to how anyone could think differently. By the time we’re walking down to Kelly’s, we are past fashionably late. We are dramatically late. Horribly late. And I admit to hurrying her up a little bit, ignoring her grumbles about her toes pinching when I see everyone else has gone inside.
Everyone that is but Bridget who’s still manning the reception desk and is obviously waiting for us. She visibly exhales when we round the bend and points to the one other person left waiting by the doors.
Over there, she mouths, as if it isn’t obvious, and though she tenses beside me, I pull Gemma along before she can run away again.
“Just be your usual charming self,” I say. “Remember, there’s no pressure here. Have a drink, get to know the guy and then maybe you can— oh, for feck’s sake. Adam!”
I huff in annoyance as Adam steps out of the doorway. He’s changed his clothes, swapping his usual uniform for a handsome black suit that I know for a fact the man must have rented because the man only has, like, three outfits. He scrubs up well, though. I’ll give him that.
“I hope you’re happy,” I say, dropping Gemma’s hand as I go to the desk. Bridget shuffles beside me as I flip through the clipboard, looking for the name of Gemma’s match. If he’s pulled a runner after my great,you can do thisspeech, I’m going to be furious. “I had to leave Granny on bar duty, so God knows what’s going on in there. Everyone will get a triple measure of gin and it will be all your fault.”
Adam doesn’t answer, too busy staring at Gemma, who hasn’t moved from where I left her. She seems frozen to the spot, staring at the man like she’s never seen him before.
