“I already know all of that. It’s the details I need help with.” Matt picks up a snow globe off my desk, shakes it, then looks at it as if might be a crystal ball that holds the answer.
“Hmmm.” I watch the snow swirling around the globe. “Maybe something tomorrow, on the ski hill. That could be romantic."
“Tomorrow would be good.” Matthew sets the globe down. “Waiting is killing me.”
I consider my options. Matt seems desperate. I'd much rather ski than go shopping with Jasmine, and I'd really like to be there when Matt proposes. “Okay. I'll tell Jasmine I'll go shopping with her in a couple of days. Bring the ring with you tomorrow and give me some time to think. I’ll let you know what the plan is in the morning.”
"You're the best!" Matthew says. He stands and gives me a spontaneous hug. “You might want to let Mike in on it. He’s good at romantic stuff.”
“Yeah, sure.” I glance at the computer again. I feel guilty for wanting Matt to leave, but I haven’t checked my email since this morning.
He doesn’t. “So...”
“I don’t have a plan yet. I said in the morning.”
“Not that. What do you think of Michael?”
My thought process is shattered. “Michael?”
“Yeah, you know, the guy I brought with me.” Matthew makes it sound like I actually don’t know who he’s talking about.
“Hot-shot, pre-med, diamond-shopping, ski boy? He's nice, I guess."
“Nice, good-looking, smart, funny...” Matthew starts.
“Wow. If you feel that way about Michael, maybe you should rethink your engagement to Kendra.”
Matthew makes a face at me. “You know what I mean. Mike is a great guy.” He hesitates. “You should give him a chance.”
“Give him a chance?” If I wasn’t so shocked I might laugh. “Are you trying to set me up?”
“Maybe.” He picks up the snow globe again. “How do you feel about that?”
“Honestly, Matt, there's a problem with that. Before Jacob left, things kind of changed between the two of us.” My face flames. Here’s another conversation I’m not comfortable having with Matthew.
“I know.” Matt still won’t look at me.
“You know?”
“Mom told me you’ve been writing to him. She said you drove all the way home to say goodbye to him when he left for Iraq.” He gestures toward the picture. “Nice picture, by the way.”
“Thanks.” I pause. “If you know about Jacob, why did you bring Michael here?”
“He needed a place to stay while he went to visit some old friends.” Matt keeps shaking the globe.
The motion is getting on my already fraying nerves. I take it away from him. “I know that. But you just admitted you were trying to set me up."
“Don’t get me wrong, I love Jacob, almost like a brother. He’s a great guy. But he’s not...”
“Not what?” My irritation level rises.
His voice softens. “Michael is also a great guy. He comes from a family with money, and he's going to be a doctor.”
"Please don’t tell me this is all about money.”
“Of course not.” Matthew lowers his voice. “Jacob is a soldier, a good soldier, but right now that’s all he is, and the road to advancement is a long one.”
“How can you say that, Matthew? How can you say, ‘Jacob’s just a soldier.’ When that’s exactly what you are? How can you tell me that Jacob isn’t right for me because he’s a soldier, when you are asking Kendra to accept you on the same credentials?”
