Excerpt #2:
When we were loading our
haul into Reggie’s SUV, my phone rang. I turned it around to show her the display,
which read Match. She gave me a thumbs up.
“Dinah, honey, it’s Gertie,”
she crooned when I answered. “Sweetheart, I have a match for you. Isn’t that great?”
“It sure is. Umm, how
come Zach is having you call me?”
This was the first time
Gertie had called me. For some reason, little prickles of warning raced up and down
my spine.
“Oh, honey, this has nothing
to do with the job matching. I’m talking about the matchmaking service. I found
a nice young man who really wants to meet you.”
“Gertie --”
“And the timing is just
perfect, what with it being New Year’s tomorrow.”
“Gertie, I don’t --”
“He wants to take you
out for New Year’s Eve. So can I give him your phone number?”
“Gertie!”
This time, I got through,
stopping the flood of words. My volume made some icicles break off the awning of
the store.
“Is that a yes?” she said,
after a couple seconds of silence.
“Gertie, I did not sign
up for matchmaking. Just the job matching.”
Reggie’s eyes got wide
and she mouthed, “matchmaking?” She grinned and continued loading the back of the
SUV.
“But honey, don’t you
want to go out with a nice young man for New Year’s? Start the year off right. Falling
in loooove!” she crooned, and ended on a giggle.
I had the feeling this
nice little old lady with her eye-watering taste in clothes had already started
in on the New Year’s champagne. Then again, I suspected she could get a buzz from
non-alcoholic sparkling grape juice.
