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“A glass of red wine, please?” The more experienced daters didn’t need as much hand holding as our younger clientele. So I leaned against the bar and watched the action.
“You sure you don’t want something stronger?” Sage’s deep voice sounded in my ears as he set the glass beside me. “This could be painful to watch.”
I laughed and turned to the handsome bartender. “I find the idea of old people finding love again, and getting a little action, pretty comforting. We’ll all be old some day.”
His deep chuckle was far too amused for my liking. “I have no problem with old people getting’ it on. I meant because of the whole thing with you and Stone.”
I gasped. “What do you mean?” There was no thing with me and Stone, we were just giving each other some space. Apparently that space meant he hung out with Joss Callahan instead of calling me. Or texting me. Or sending me junk food just because.
“I mean you’ve been joined at the hip for years, and rumor has it you haven’t spoken in weeks. Red wine seems a little tame for all that.”
His words turned the wine to acid in my stomach, but I swallowed the last sip anyway, and I did it with a wide smile. “This is perfect, Sage. Thanks. It’s no big deal, really.”
“If you say so. Holler if you need some real booze.” He flashed a flirty smile and turned to grab beers for a few happy hour suits, giving me time to scope out the singles.
It was a good event, requiring very little of me since the clients weren’t new to dating and more than that, they wanted companionship and love unlike many of TFL clients who were succumbing to societal, parental or even career pressure. Other than joining a few groups to get stilted conversation back on track, I blended into the background. Like I usually did during these events.
Three hours and two glasses of wine later, Eva and I stood near the door collecting preference cards from each single as they exited Carriage House. Some wore eager smiles, while others held an air of disappointed resignation, fearing they would never find love again. It was a heartbreaking look and I kept my smile big.
“We’ll update your preferences and set up another mixer soon,” I assured them.
“I’m not sure she believes you,” Eva whispered when the last single, who’d only been widowed for twelve months, left with low shoulders and tears shimmering in her eyes.
I know the feeling sister. With Stone effectively out of my life, I felt almost like a widow myself, having to resist the urge to share a funny meme with him, or call him to tell him something funny that happened to me. I could almost imagine the joy of spending decades with a person and the devastation of having them gone so abruptly. The way I missed Stone, already, was palpable.
“She will,” I told Eva. “Soon enough.”
“Let’s hope so, because that woman is too amazing to spend the rest of her days alone and mourning a man who loved her enough to buy the TFL certificate to encourage her to find love again.”
I gasped in surprise at Eva’s words. “Seriously?”
“Yep. Super sweet, right?”
“Incredibly,” I said on a sigh. “Maybe that’s what I need to do for Stone.” It was a thought I had been playing around with all week. If I found Stone a woman, maybe we could get past this messiness and get back to our friendship.
“No.” Eva’s gray eyes brooked no argument, but still I had to try.
“But this could get us back on track,” I insisted.
“No. That’s cruel and that’s not who you are, Soph.” I opened my mouth to say more, but Eva put two fingers to my lips. “No. Imagine if you were in love with a guy and his response was to set you up with someone else. How would you feel?”
Hurt. Angry. “Okay, I see your point. Fine, I’ll stay out of it.”
“Excellent. If you don’t want to be that woman, just let him find her on his own. This isn’t a job for you, Sophie. Now I have a gorgeous man and a hot meal waiting for me at home, so I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Yeah, yeah. See ya.” I turned back to the bar and decided another glass couldn’t hurt since I had no reason to rush home. No one waiting for me with a hot meal. Or a cold one. “How about that something stronger now, Sage?”
His bearded smile flashed bright and the big man nodded. “Coming right up Soph.”
“Thanks.” Taking a seat at the bar, my back stiffened when I caught a glimpse of Maggie in the mirror, walking towards me with a determined glint in her eyes. Here we go. I knew what came next, Maggie would choose her son and tell me I was no longer a part of the family.
