Page 45 of Her Age Gap Match

“Really,” he laughed. “A matchmaker? My sister would never let me live it down.”

“Doesn’t matter,” I said. “Go anyway. The intake process alone is worth it.”

“How’s that?”

“You realize some things about yourself,” I said. “She’ll help you understand your strengths…your weaknesses. And sometimes she knows what you need and it’s not what you would ever expect.”

“So she’s a witch.”

I snorted. “The algorithm is, at least.”

Dean laughed. “Makes it worse, you know. My mother would say that God makes matches, not computers…but she’d also say I’ve been picky for too long and I should have listened to her about Maria Castellano back in 2009.”

“Should you have?”

“Absolutely not,” he laughed without hesitation. “Maria Castellano wanted a husband who came home at six and coached Little League. Nothing wrong with that. Just not me.” He paused. “That’s the thing. I know what I want—I’ve always known. I just haven’t found someone who wants it back.”

“Then tell Sophie that,” I said. “Exactly like that. She’ll know what to do with it.”

He peered at me.

“You trust her,” he said.

“I trust the system.”

“That isn’t as ringing of an endorsement as you think it is.”

“Believe me or not…” I shrugged. “Up to you.”

He nodded slowly, turning his glass one last time.

"I'll think about it," he said.

Which from Dean Russo meant he'd already decided.

I'd learned that about him over three years — the thinking about it was just the last step before the doing, the brief pause where he ran the decision through one final check. He didn't deliberate publicly. By the time he said anything out loud, the conclusion was usually already reached.

We finished our whiskey. Dean stood, straightened his jacket with the automatic precision of a man who'd worn a uniform for a decade and never quite stopped, and shook my hand.

"Good whiskey," he said.

"Always is."

CHAPTER 13

Poppy

The day had gone surprisingly well.

Went in to absolutely no fanfare, nothing out of the ordinary…talked to a few different couples at various stages of pregnancy, which was lovely. Left for lunch at noon with Stevie, who had clearly not slept a wink and wanted to know everything.

And now things were winding down.

No more meetings.

I could breathe.

…and I was going to spend the whole night with John.