Matchmaking for Beginners(77)

“Are you sure, dear, because I don’t want to interrupt your privacy,” she says. “But today I just couldn’t help myself. I used to come over and eat breakfast every morning with Blix and Houndy, and I—well, I just feel like this is where I’m supposed to be.” She shrugs. “I know that’s not right, this isn’t my house, and Blix isn’t here anymore, but—”

“Stop! Come in! I’ve been wanting to see you.”

“Well, if you’re sure . . .” She steps in and looks around, and once again it’s like she’s drinking in the surroundings, gaining strength simply from being in Blix’s house. Then she turns her eyes to me and says quietly, “Also, I need to talk to you about love if you have some time.”

“Love? Sure, I have time. Who doesn’t have time to talk about love?”

Then, wouldn’t you know, Noah comes charging out of the kitchen as though the word love summoned him, juggling his coffee cup while he shrugs his way into his backpack, and I see her eyes widen just slightly at the sight of him. Of us. Even though we’re not an us, I know we look like it.

“Hi, Lola,” he says. “Off to school. Marnie, see you later.”

“Fine,” I say, embarrassed.

He looks for a moment like he’s going to come over and kiss me good-bye, but then he just says, “Keep it real, ladies.” And he’s gone, slamming the door behind him so hard that the glass rattles. I look over at Lola and her knowing little smile.

“Yep, he’s still here,” I say. “It’s weird.”

“Well,” she says. “It’s certainly on topic.”

“Noah is not about love. Noah is about the convenience of living here because he’s taking classes.”

“Oh,” she says. “You forget that I’ve learned a few things from Blix.”

We go upstairs to the kitchen, and just as she’s gotten settled in the rocking chair by the window, there’s the sound of footsteps on the stairs. Sammy bangs his scooter into the kitchen door, like he does every morning, and I hear Jessica saying, “You’ve got to stop doing that. Marnie isn’t Blix, and she might be sleeping,” and he says, “She isn’t sleeping. And I just want to say good morning to her!”

Lola claps her hands. “Oh, I’ve missed this so much! Sammy heading for school! Ah! It’s been way too long!”

I open the door, and Sammy runs into my arms. Jessica told me that I’ve inherited him along with the house. Then he goes over and hugs Lola, too, and Jessica dabs at her eyes and blows kisses, and once we’re all hugged and they’re on their way, Lola looks at me and says, “So do you think you love him?”

At first I think she means Sammy, but then I know what she really means.

“Who? Noah? No. You can’t be serious! No!”

“It’s okay if you do,” she says. “Love is so complicated, isn’t it? You probably had him figured out and filed away, and then look what happened: Blix gave you this house, and railroaded you right back with your ex! Damnedest thing in the world. Unintended consequences, I call it.”

“But I don’t love him.”

“No, but you’re sleeping with him,” she says. “So there’s that.”

“Oh God. You can tell?”

She nods. “So, if I may ask, what happened to the guy back home?”

I groan. “He’s still hanging in there. Listen, I’m just bad, I tell you. I was always the good girl who did everything she was supposed to. And now every day I tell myself that I’m not going to have anything to do with Noah again, and then at night . . . I don’t know . . .”

She smiles at me. “I get it. You’re just having that year of life when you’re like a magnet. Sweetie, you’re attracting everything to you. Situations and lovers and life—you’re pulling stuff in all over the place! It’s my theory that everybody gets one of those years. It passes, don’t worry.”

“It’s not dangerous? Because it feels kind of awful.”

“Well. If you stop at one year, then it’s not dangerous. How old are you anyway?”

“Twenty-nine.”

“Perfect! See? You’re going to be fine. It’ll run its course, trust me,” she says. “And just so you know, I think Blix approves of this.”

I look at her closely while I’m stirring cream and sugar into my coffee. “So . . . am I allowed to ask about the man who comes and picks you up? The man with the New Jersey plates? Is that the love you wanted to talk to me about?”

She scowls at me. “Well, yes. But first you need to know that he’s not anywhere close to being somebody I could ever love.”

“No?”

“Marnie, he was my husband’s best friend.”

“So . . . ?”

She purses her lips. “Can’t you see what’s wrong with that? I can’t believe you matchmaking people! Do you have any scruples?”

“Clearly I don’t. But I don’t see why this—”

“Okay, I’ll explain it all to you. Blix sent him to me. She told me as much. With all her little tricks and sending out vibes into the universe. Whatever. She said she was going to work on finding me a man to love, even though I said I didn’t need one, and time passes, and one day, out of the blue, I get a call from William Sullivan. William Sullivan, my husband’s best friend! Wants to see me. Catch up. Old times. You know. Has no idea that he’s the subject of any kind of vibe being sent out! He just shows up.”