The Matchmaker's Gift(67)

Abby felt a twinge of guilt. “No, no, everything’s fine, I promise. Really. Evelyn is fine.”

“My receptionist said it was an emergency.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. But I really needed to ask you something.” She tried to sound casual. “Do you have any plans for tonight? Because I have tickets for the Shakespeare Festival in the park.”

There was a long pause before Jessica spoke again. Her voice was heavy with frustration. “Abby, I was with a patient. Couldn’t you have waited for me to call you back? And yes, I do have plans tonight. I’m supposed to have dinner with some friends after work.”

“Cancel.”

“Excuse me?”

“Sorry, that was rude. Cancel, please? Come with me to the play instead. The weather tonight is going to be perfect. The show got wonderful reviews…”

“Abby, listen. I appreciate the invitation, but I’m not going to cancel on my friends—”

“There’s a man!” Abby blurted out. “I mean, there will probably be a lot of men at the theater. But there is one particular man I want you to meet.”

Jessica’s voice grew soft. “Are you serious? I thought you said you didn’t know how to—”

“I don’t. I mean, I really don’t. For the record, I didn’t go looking for him. He just, sort of, you know, appeared … I can’t explain it. Don’t ask me to try. I just think it would be good for you to meet him.”

“Abby, this is amazing news, but can’t I meet him another night?”

“No. It has to be tonight.”

“Okay … I suppose I can change my plans. Can you tell me a little bit about him? His name? His age? What he does for a living?”

“No.”

“No?”

“I don’t mean to be difficult, but you know I’ve never done this before. I don’t know what will happen, but I think it’s best if you don’t go into the evening with any preconceived ideas of who this guy is.”

“But he’s not a serial killer. Right? And he’s age appropriate? I’m thirty-seven. Have I told you that? Because I don’t think we ever discussed my age.”

Abby sighed. “He is definitely not a serial killer. He is absolutely age appropriate. He has a very successful career. Other than that, I don’t want to say more.”

“Fine. I’ll go. He already sounds a million times better than every date I’ve had this year. What time does the play start anyway?”

“Eight o’clock at the Delacorte Theater. Go into the park on the Fifth Avenue side at Seventy-Ninth Street, by the Met. Follow the signs to the theater, and I’ll meet you by the entrance at seven thirty.”

“Sounds good.”

“And Jessica—leave the white coat and sneakers at the office, okay?”

Jessica chuckled. “So now you’re telling me what to wear? You’re really embracing this yenta thing, huh?”

Abby groaned. “Never call me that again.”



* * *



It was a perfect New York summer night. All of the humidity had disappeared. Central Park felt lush and alive—filled with breezes, birdsong, and the silvery laughter of thousands of fascinating strangers. It was the kind of night that made Abby feel like there was no better place in the world to be.

If only she weren’t about to do something so stupid.

She spotted Victor first, waiting on a pathway, watching his two daughters chase each other in the grass. Abby recognized the younger girl from the bakery. She was surprised that Victor had chosen to bring them—it seemed like a sophisticated outing for children so young. Then again, for all Abby knew, maybe the children of millionaires studied Shakespeare in preschool.

“Abby! Come, meet my daughters!” He called the girls over as Abby walked toward them. Both of them had Victor’s golden-brown eyes, the color of just-warmed maple syrup. “Isobel, Chloé,” Victor said, “this is Abby.”

Abby lifted her hand in an awkward wave, which the girls immediately returned. They wore simple sundresses in plain white cotton, flecked here and there with fresh grass stains.

“Is your friend Will joining us?” Victor asked.

Didn’t Victor know that Will was with Nicole? Why hadn’t Nicole mentioned the meeting? It took a moment for Abby to regain her composure. “No,” she said. “Not tonight. Unfortunately, he had to stay late for work. But I invited a different friend—she should be here any minute.”

Victor nodded. “I understand. Nicole had to work late as well.”

“Is that why you brought the girls tonight? The Two Gentlemen of Verona is an … interesting choice for children.”

Victor looked amused. “You think my daughters are too young for such a performance?”

The last thing Abby wanted to do was offend him. “Please, don’t go by me. I don’t know the first thing about kids.”

“For better or worse, Isobel and Chloé have been forced to spend many evenings in the company of adults. I can assure you, they know how to behave. I had planned on bringing only Isobel, but Chloé insisted on coming as well. She has agreed to sit on my lap, where I’m sure she’ll fall asleep.”