The Matchmaker Meets Her Match Read Online Free Page B

wait, is it Andrea today? — anyway, she mentioned that it’s been two years.”
    “Could be,” Rilka admitted. One year, two years, ten years, what did it matter? She was never going to find a match for him.
    “Will I really find someone?” he asked, making her wince. “I mean, I know I’m not the most — . And sometimes I’m — .” Rilka focused on giving him a supportive smile. Her teeth hurt. “But — I always — .” He trailed off and looked at her expectantly. She rubbed her temples. Flipping burgers at a fast food joint would be worse than this how?
    “I’m not sure I understand your question,” she said in the most encouraging tone she could produce.
    “Is there really someone for everyone?” he blurted out. “Even me?”
    She let out a breath. How often had she shaken her head after he left, wondering if he really knew how hopeless he was? A pretty package, that was all he was. How many times had he reported a delightful first date ending in delightful sex only for the delightful woman in question to disappear after the second or third date? And he’d be heartbroken. He liked people — especially women — and it was acutely painful to him to be rejected not because of something as superficial as appearance — that would obviously be a failing on the superficial person’s part — but because of who he was. His very essence. If poor Duncan even had an essence. With less attractive people she could always fall back on
he has a terrific personality
. But she couldn’t do that with Duncan.
He’s decorative
. That was what she had.
    “Gran used to tell me, ‘The most important thing to know about this business, Rilka, is that there’s someone for everyone,’” Rilka said, Duncan’s
even me?
twisting unhappily in her gut. “She really believed it and she did this work all her life.”
    “What about you?” he asked. Of course. Her personal belief, or lack thereof, was the one thing she’d tried to avoid bringing up. “You know me. What do you think?”
    She took a deep breath and looked up into that breathtaking face and tried to remember not to become sexually aroused. A tear glimmered on a soot-black lash. Damn, he even looked hot when he was crying, noble and dashing and heroic. She herself got red and blotchy, not to mention disgustingly wet and sticky when she cried, which didn’t exactly make people want to comfort her. She wanted to take Duncan into her arms and soothe him because he was so attractive. Then they’d end up in bed and by Wednesday she’d be ducking his calls just like all the other women she derided for being such pigs. She kept her hands firmly in her lap. His lip trembled the tiniest bit.
    He must be made to stop. He was going to give her a heart attack.
    “Duncan,” she said impulsively. “Someday you’ll see her. You’ll walk into a room and there she’ll be. And you’ll know it. And she’ll know it too.”
Good lord
, Rilka thought,
what have I been smoking?
“Can you imagine that? It’ll happen, Duncan. You just have to believe.”
    “I believe,” he said fiercely. “Thank you. For a moment my faith wavered, but
I believe
.” He pressed his hand over his heart to symbolize his belief, and gave her a sunny smile that made her want to strip off her clothes as much as the tremulous tear had.
    Of course you believe,
she thought, seeing him out the door.
Because you are so easily led.
She waved to Jenny — or perhaps Andrea — then shut the door behind him.
    What had she been thinking? She should have broken it to him gently.
You know, Duncan, some of us are meant for the single life. Have you thought about getting a dog?
    No, scratch the dog. She couldn’t recommend a dog. He’d forget to feed the dog and then she’d have a dead dog on her conscience. Maybe she could buy him a robot dog. The Jennifers and Andreas could keep him supplied with batteries.
    • • •
    Her last appointment of the day, Rilka thought thankfully, opening the door