I think back to when I randomly filled out my own match questionnaire a few days earlier. It wasn’t hard for me to select things. I want all of the things most women want.
Me: Family centered.
I barely press send, and it hits me that I don’t think I’ve ever met a man more family centered than Christian. Other than mydad. Christian has his sister’s back a hundred percent, and now he’s clearly put his own business on hold for his grandma.
Me: Good sense of humor.
When I press send, I check another box. I’ve laughed so much with Christian over these cute text messages.
Me: Has a good heart, doesn’t take love for granted.
A tear pops into the corner of my eye, and I can’t help but get emotional. He hasn’t replied while I sent off all these texts, but he must know he meets all the specs, and I’m setting him up.
Me: What about you? What’s your perfect match?
I watch my phone screen, now fully awake and I hold my breath waiting for him to flirt. He doesn’t reply, and after ten minutes, I risk another text.
Me: Let me guess, needs a working elevator.
I bite my lip, holding back a giggle, and press send. Within seconds, I see he receives my messages and is typing back.
Then he stops typing, and I wait.
I decide to tease him.
Me: I’m ready to ask my question.
He doesn’t reply.
thirty
Christian
Three days later
“Do you need help with those boxes?” I ask El as she retrieves another large box from the stack of boxes pressed against grandma’s bedroom wall.
“Sure. Help me load them in Tom’s truck. He left it parked outside. We’re donating all this stuff she won’t need at the nursing home to Goodwill.”
“Tom,” I echo, while I grab two boxes and lead the way down the hall. “Do we finally have a name for the mystery man you’ve been seeing every night?”
“I guess so.”
“I confess I already had a name but it’s good you’ve finally told me about him.” I push the back door open with my shoulder, holding it while waiting for her to pass through it. “Why all the secret meetups?”
“I was wondering the same thing.” She walks in front of me, heading to the curb where the now familiar blue pickup is parked. “I had suspected he was married, but he always denied it. It turns out that he’s a first-year lawyer at the same office handling Grandma’s estate, and he was assigned to her team. I didn’t even know he was a lawyer. When I met him, he was driving an Uber, and he didn’t tell me right away. Uber is a side hustle he works to help pay off his school loans.
He didn’t realize the conflict of interest until after we already had a couple of dates, and by then he was catching feelings for me. He didn’t want me to think he was dating me to get access to grandma’s inheritance, nor did he want to get in trouble at work for a conflict of interest. He broke up with me right when he found out, but he never told me why because of client confidentiality. That was when I left school.” Reaching the truck, she drops her box into the back and brushes her hands off by rubbing them together.
“Interesting.” I plop my box next to hers and push them both back to make room for more.
“We spent the last week talking.” Her eyes sparkle back at me, giving away her true feelings about him. “He asked to be transferred to another work team. His boss didn’t even care because he understood the accident, and we both want to try to work things out.”
I stuff my hands in my pockets and rock back on my heels, enjoying the confession. “You know, I’m going to have to meet his guy before I approve.”
“I know. But hey,” she pivots and starts walking toward the house, “at least you don’t have to worry about supporting me in New York anymore.”
“I don’t know if that’s a huge bonus or not. I’m used to you being there. Now that Portia’s back, I have the funds to start looking for an apartment. I envisioned you tagging along.”
