“What things?” Lily asked. “I can mark them in your file and make sure the next match is stronger.”
“I don’t know. Like, for example, she thinks it’s bad to give money to the poor?” Mick said. “Even on Christmas. I think she said, especially on Christmas.”
“Oh.” Lily felt her heart drop into her stomach. “That bad?”
“Maybe she was making a joke? Or she’s the Grinch,” Mick suggested.
“Oh, Mick. I’m sorry to hear that. Honestly. I knew she was wealthy, but she seemed so down-to-earth, so easy to talk to.”
“She’s easy to talk to, I guess,” Mick offered. “I mean, she talks and talks and talks, and makes you listen, but that’s fine.Right? I mean, maybe I’m being too sensitive. I’ve been a loner for a long time. Maybe I’ve forgotten how to hang out with people.”
“I think you’re listening to your instincts,” Lily said. “It’s healthy.”
“I don’t know.” Mick sounded downtrodden.
“Listen, two bad dates are nothing,” Lily assured. “I have a few other candidates. We’re going to find you someone perfect.”
“I might need a brief break,” Mick said.
Lily sighed. Never had she seen a matchmaking client give up as swiftly. But she’d never encountered anyone as “difficult” as Mick Hamilton. She tried to visualize the perfect match for him and struggled not to see him alone, covered with paint, baking cookies in his adorable house. She resolved not to let Mick be her first failure.
“When I get back to Nantucket, we should meet and discuss this further,” she said. “I don’t want you to lose heart. There’s someone for everyone.”
“You’re still out of town?” Mick asked, perking up. It was as though he hadn’t had a personal conversation in a while.
“I am. I extended my trip to LA,” she explained. She went on to say that Liam’s career was flourishing, that she really liked his co-stars, and that she was getting into the LA swing of things.
“It sounds like a blast,” he said. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Lily felt her pulse quicken in her throat. She knew she couldn’t stay on the phone much longer. She had other clients to call and other things to tend to. But she hated to leave Mick alone like this. She wished she could send someone over to his house to check on him.
“Have you ever been to the Sutton Book Club?” she asked suddenly.
“Once or twice,” Mick said. “It’s fantastic.”
“It’s my grandmother’s place,” Lily said. “Next time you go back there, you should say hello to her.”
“Esme’s your grandmother?” Mick asked. “She’s a fantastic lady. She cracks me up. I see where you got it from.”
Lily smiled. “That’s kind of you to say, but actually, I didn’t meet her till last year.”
Mick sounded intrigued. “There’s a story there, I guess.”
“Many,” Lily said.
“Well, I’ll pester you for them when you get back,” he said, sounding suddenly reticent, as though he sensed he was keeping her on the phone for too long. “Take care out there. Let me know when you find Hilary Swank.”
Lily cackled into her final goodbye, hung up the phone, and stared into space for a full five minutes. When she came to, she had to hurry to get ready to meet Liam and his co-stars. They were expecting her.
The second week of November, Liam’s television show wrapped, and absolutely every member of the staff and cast cried tears of sorrow and euphoria. Apparently, it was the most intense bonding experience of all. It was something none of them would ever forget.
Lily weaved her way through the cast party, searching for Liam and pausing every few people to congratulate them and clink her glass with theirs. Lily was wearing a tight-fitting dress she’d bought in West Hollywood, and she felt far more “LA” than the New York woman she’d trained herself to be for four years at Columbia.
When she finally found Liam, he had his arms thrown around Tommy and Bex, and he was singing a song. Lily didn’trecognize it. She tried to smile, but couldn’t. Liam was so caught up in his own world, so caught up in his emotion, that she felt she couldn’t ride this wave.
“He’s drunk!” Tasha filled Lily in, laughing. She swayed from side to side on her heels, obviously tipsy as well. “We’ve been through a lot today. Don’t be mad at him.” She squeezed Lily’s shoulder.
“I won’t be!” Lily cried. She wondered whether Liam had said that Lily was often angry about things. In reality, they rarely fought, certainly never about anything “big.”
