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Epilogue
“Pardon me—what did you just say?” Decker Duhman’s eyes are wider than any one human’s eyes that I’ve ever seen, his head shaking in disbelief.
I arrived at his office a few minutes ago, wanting to give him the news in person.
“The meeting with Ari went really well, but not the way you might have hoped.”
I can barely get the words out without my face turning crimson, heat radiating up my chest, to my cheeks, to my hairline.
This is so embarrassing.
I not only hijacked his date, I also stole her right from under him.
The only detail not making me feel like a piece of shit friend is the fact that he hadn’t met her yet. Barely knows what she looks like. Has never heard the sound of her voice.
“She isn’t interested in dating you because…she wants to date me.”
Decker still sits stoically at his desk. The pink bowtie at his chin matches the color of his face, which matches the color of mine.
“We’ve been on two dates already.”
His eyes get huge; round as saucers. “What?”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to come and tell you in person.” I bite down on my bottom lip; the same way Ari had flirtatiously bitten down on it when we were kissing goodnight last week.
Now is not the time, Miriam.
“It was a dick move and I’m sorry—I don’t know what else to say. We obviously weren’t planning it, neither of us have ever dated women before. But we’re going to give it a shot.”
“A shot.” He repeats.
I nod.
“That doesn’t mean I can’t keep looking. For you. Um. For a match.”
I stop talking, the fishbowl that is his glass office has me hyperaware that we’re surrounded by men and women in cubicles, some of them curiously peering over the tops of the gray walls of their cubbies.
Decker presses his index fingers to his temples. “I need a minute.” He pauses. “Actually, no—I need a lot of minutes.” He raises his head to look at me. “How about I get in touch after I’ve processed this information?”
I nod. “Yes.” Certainly. “Of course.”
Who could blame him.
I stole his potential new girlfriend.
Ari would argue that no one can steal a person from someone, least of all someone they have never met—so technically I’ve done nothing wrong. But obviously, because Decker is my client and paying me to make matches for him, this has the potential to be a huge problem.
Not to make this about money but… I need it. And if this gets back to my brother before I have a chance to explain that I met someone and that someone doesn’t look or sound like the match he envisioned for me? The whole reveal is going to be so dramatic.
As dramatic as Palmer Darling’s funeral extravaganza.
I buckle my seatbelt once I’m in my car and text Ari, a smile already returning to my face.
She makes me so happy. Ridiculously so. I have no idea what will happen between us; if this will work out, if we’ll continue exploring our romantic connection or part as friends—but I’m excited to see where this takes us.
Me: Well. That went better than I’d hoped.
Ari: Really? That’s good news!
