Maddie has brought along a huge three-ring binder containing my completed dating profile. She has it spreadout on the table and is flipping through the pages while Riley watches on, nibbling on her croissant.
“Okay, so you’re an ENFP on the Myers-Briggs. You’re a Pisces on the cusp of Aquarius. And an Enneagram three-wing-four. Your love languages are touch and acts of service.”
“Awesome,” I say through a mouthful of eggy goodness. “What’s that mean for the Prince Charming I inevitably get to scare away?”
Maddie is really getting into this matchmaking thing. I’ve dutifully completed all the questionnaires and interviews after bidding on her donation to the art gala silent auction.
“You’re not going to scare anyone,” Maddie placates.
“You jinx yourself every time,” Riley says to me.
I sigh at my half-sister. She and Rowdy began dating last month, and now that she’s come out of her shell a bit, she’s determined to critique my dismal dating record.
Maddie talks a mile a minute, and I worry this meetup will only add to her caffeine intake. “You’ll do fine. You just have to go with the flow.” Maddie says. “If you enjoy this process and have a successful first date, then you can truthfully recommend my services to other people. So, let’s talk about your first blind date. I’ve scheduled it for February 14.”
Riley and I exchange confused looks. “That’s in three days. That's the Valentine’s Day mixer,” Riley correctly points out.
“Yeah, that’s a lot of pressure for a first date,” I say. "Plus, I don't have any time to prepare myself."
"Prepare yourself for what? You are already perfect!" Maddie exclaims.
While I appreciate her compliment, this is worrisome.
"Slow down," I tell her. "You're doing too much all at once."
Maddie pleads with me. “I know, and I understand if you want me to move the date. It’s just that my company is the majority sponsor of the event, and my brand will be out there.Having people there on a date set up by Swan Matchmaking Services is the perfect synthesis."
Riley and I look at each other. "Corporate speak. How romantic," Riley comments, her eyes wide as she gives me a knowing look over the rim of her coffee mug.
"You're right," Maddie says, sighing. "That's not the best choice of words. I'm tired, you guys. But think about it. What if you end up marrying the guy? It’s an auspicious beginning, isn’t it?”
I stare at my friend, and I want to tell her the truth about herself. I’m worried that she’s taking on too much just because it's Valentine's Day. On the outside, Maddie is living her best life. She just started a new business, she’s in the best shape of her life, her hair is on point. She just bought a new house. Maddie has it together.
But every once in a while, I know she still thinks about Ewan.
We don’t talk about Ewan, though. Not while she’s around.
“Okay,” I say. “I will make the best of it. Besides, I do always enjoy the dancing and the food and the games, even when I don’t have a date to the dance. Have you narrowed down who my date’s going to be?”
Maddie taps her pen on her lips. “No, and I’m still waiting for a few guys in my pool of candidates to finish up some of the background work. But”—she gives me a wicked grin—“all data aside, my sixth sense is telling me who it should be.”
Riley leans in. “Who?”
Maddie folds her lips between her teeth and shakes her head.
“Not even a clue?” I ask.
It’s clear the answer is no. We’re not getting anything out of Maddie today about my potential date. She’s really going to do this to me blind.
“Hey,” Riley says, changing the subject. “When did you get a new coat?”
I almost forgot I was wearing it. I tug at the collar of the soft, down-filled material. “It was so weird. I was waiting for my coffee, and then Foster from the sporting goods store came out and just put it on me.”
Riley and Maddie exchange a look. “That is very weird,” Riley says.
“I saw him this morning, and he was such a grumpy bastard,” Maddie says. “He bolted out of the store with that coat. I didn’t even realize who he was giving it to.”
I shrug. “I can’t decide if he’s nice or just wants to boss me around because I wasn’t wearing proper outerwear.”
