The knots in my stomach ease enough that I’m able to eat the noodles I’ve twirled around my fork.
“You’ve got another date lined up for him, haven’t you?” Sinclair asks.
“I have. She’s really nice. I’ve met her in person before. She didn’t match with a previous client, but she’s keen to meet someone. And she loves animals.” I stroke Monty with one hand where he’s curled himself up on my thighs.
“She already sounds good.” Sinclair beams. “Do you think Dad will like her?”
I lift my glass and swallow some champagne, but it does nothing to ease the sudden dryness in my throat. I can still feel the way his fingers threaded through mine. Feel the rough graze of his stubble and the soft contrast of his warm lips as he kissed my hand.
“I hope so,” I answer truthfully because Sterling liking her would make sense.
Him and a beautiful, educated woman at a similar stage of life makes sense.
Him and I… do not.
United by the shared pain of grief. That’s all.
My phone rings on the counter and my stomach clenches. It better not be Rory calling again. I’ve managed to send his last two calls to voicemail, but I know that won’t deter him for long.
“Here you go.” Sinclair hands it to me, and I read the name on the screen.
“Deborah?” I smile as I answer. “How are you? Did you want to discuss your date with?—?”
I snap my mouth shut with a frown as Sterling’s potential future tells me that her grandmother was taken ill, and she’s flown home to Maine to care for her.
I end the call.
“She’s not coming, is she?” Sinclair’s disappointed eyes search mine.
I shake my head. “Family emergency.”
She turns her attention to her plate and stares at it, pushing a piece of chicken around with her fork.
“But it’s fine. Have faith.” I reach over and squeeze her forearm.
“Your dad will probably be relieved.” Zoey winces. “He doesn’t sound like he’s onboard with the whole idea.”
“I guess I hoped he would come around when the time came. That he’d see…” Sinclair sighs and looks at me. “I hoped when you arrived that the rest would be easy. That it’d be this instant thing that would happen. Like magic. And that he’d know I was right to bring you to him.”
“He’s making progress,” I say. “Last night’s date didn’t work out. But it wasn’t his doing. It just wasn’t meant to be. He seemed happy about having another date when I met him this morning.”
“Really?” She smiles hopefully, and guilt tugs at my stomach.
Sterling didn’t exactly jump for joy. But he did listen intently as I told him about Deborah and how I’d planned tickets to a symphony show for them to enjoy, and suggested he send her chocolates on the morning of their date because she doesn’t care much for flowers.
He was even smiling as he kissed me goodbye on both cheeks, his hand finding my lower back and creating a centering warmth as he pulled me closer to him with the perfect amount of pressure.
And he smelled incredible. Woody, warm, spicy. A scent that had me breathing in and being filled with a sense of hope. Like the sparkly glow of a flame illuminating the dark.
I should call him and tell him to make sure he wears that cologne on his dates.
Sinclair looks between me and Zoey. “I just want him to be happy. He deserves it after everything that’s happened.”
“He does,” I agree. “And I will do whatever it takes to help bring it to him.”
“Thank you, Halliday. I know you will.”
“I have other potential matches to explore. And he has a lot of female acquaintances. I’d like to meet more of them and get a feel for things. Maybe he already has a friendship that he’s held himself back from and needs a little encouragement to see what’s in front of him.”
