Friends & Fortune Cookies: A Sudden Falls Romance by Elizabeth Bemis Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Bemis
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much proximity to Joe was weakening my resolve to keep him at arms’ length. And my resolve didn’t really need any weakening. Not if I didn’t want to get my heart broken again.
“No. That would be... silly. I can certainly take care of myself for a couple of hours.”
But he looked disappointed. I tried not to let it bother me.
I abandoned the book, got ready, and checked on him before I left. He was out cold, but I left a glass of water, an apple, and a protein bar on the nightstand.
It’s Just Coffee was twenty minutes away from Sudden Falls, inside the I-275 loop, but still more-or-less in the suburbs. I parked my car and headed into the steel-and-glass, five-story office building. It’s Just Coffee was on the top floor. A receptionist greeted me then offered a clipboard with several sheets of paper.
“Marci will be with you shortly.”
The information they requested wasn’t unlike the online dating questionnaires. “Name, age, race, occupation, salary, etc. Do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you have children? Do you want them? Hobbies, interests, etc.” I started scribbling.
I hesitated over my name and occupation then decided to be honest
The matchmaker came out as I was finishing up. She was young, slim, and pretty with caramel-colored hair in a perfect chignon at the nape of her neck. “Hi. I’m Marci Elliot.” She held out a hand with short French-tipped fingernails, which I shook.
The whole interview was a little nerve-wracking. But after we had made it through a few of her questions, I started to warm up to the situation. And to Marci. I really wanted to interview her . What made someone in her mid-twenties want to become a matchmaker? I decided not to play my hand yet. I could always come back to interview her.
“You know. There’s a guy who might be perfect for you! He’s an attorney who owns his own firm. He’s blond, nice looking...”
I insta-flashed on Joe’s face and shook my head to clear it. No!
She continued on, unaware that I’d lost focus. “...No kids, but he wants them. I wonder if he’s available today?” Before I could slow her jets, she picked up the phone.
“Hey Rob, It’s Marci from It’s Just Coffee . How are you? I just met an amazing woman, and I think you two would really hit it off...” She listened intently for a moment. “Today?” She shot a questioning look in my direction. “Sure. She can meet you today.”
I hadn’t actually given her the thumbs up on that one.
“Sounds great. Her name is Grace. Like you, she lives in Sudden Falls. Café Diem?” She looked at me to confirm. I nodded my assent. Might as well get this over with.
“She’ll meet you there at one this afternoon.”
Which gave me just enough time to get home to check on Joe. I rolled my eyes at myself.
I signed the paperwork to become an It’s Just Coffee member, paid the fee—which was not insignificant—and thanked my lucky stars the paper was picking up the cost.
I might have been Marci’s easiest sale ever.
I made my way home and found Joe sitting on the couch, which made me glad I’d shut my laptop. I wasn’t sure I wanted Joe to know my deepest personal feelings on the subject of dating until I was ready to put them out there for the whole world. If I ever would be. I trusted that he wouldn’t open my computer. But if the words were right there in front of him, his curiosity might get the better of him.
“Oh, good. You’re up,” I said.
“Yeah. It’s weird to be lazing around in the middle of the day.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I fell off a roof.” He sounded grumpy.
I stepped into the kitchen, found a couple of bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer, and handed one to him along with a towel. “For your face.” And another, “For your ribs.”
He leaned back against the couch, rested his head against the back, and plopped the makeshift icepack on his face. The other he set more gingerly on his ribs.
“How was your appointment?” he
“No. That would be... silly. I can certainly take care of myself for a couple of hours.”
But he looked disappointed. I tried not to let it bother me.
I abandoned the book, got ready, and checked on him before I left. He was out cold, but I left a glass of water, an apple, and a protein bar on the nightstand.
It’s Just Coffee was twenty minutes away from Sudden Falls, inside the I-275 loop, but still more-or-less in the suburbs. I parked my car and headed into the steel-and-glass, five-story office building. It’s Just Coffee was on the top floor. A receptionist greeted me then offered a clipboard with several sheets of paper.
“Marci will be with you shortly.”
The information they requested wasn’t unlike the online dating questionnaires. “Name, age, race, occupation, salary, etc. Do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you have children? Do you want them? Hobbies, interests, etc.” I started scribbling.
I hesitated over my name and occupation then decided to be honest
The matchmaker came out as I was finishing up. She was young, slim, and pretty with caramel-colored hair in a perfect chignon at the nape of her neck. “Hi. I’m Marci Elliot.” She held out a hand with short French-tipped fingernails, which I shook.
The whole interview was a little nerve-wracking. But after we had made it through a few of her questions, I started to warm up to the situation. And to Marci. I really wanted to interview her . What made someone in her mid-twenties want to become a matchmaker? I decided not to play my hand yet. I could always come back to interview her.
“You know. There’s a guy who might be perfect for you! He’s an attorney who owns his own firm. He’s blond, nice looking...”
I insta-flashed on Joe’s face and shook my head to clear it. No!
She continued on, unaware that I’d lost focus. “...No kids, but he wants them. I wonder if he’s available today?” Before I could slow her jets, she picked up the phone.
“Hey Rob, It’s Marci from It’s Just Coffee . How are you? I just met an amazing woman, and I think you two would really hit it off...” She listened intently for a moment. “Today?” She shot a questioning look in my direction. “Sure. She can meet you today.”
I hadn’t actually given her the thumbs up on that one.
“Sounds great. Her name is Grace. Like you, she lives in Sudden Falls. Café Diem?” She looked at me to confirm. I nodded my assent. Might as well get this over with.
“She’ll meet you there at one this afternoon.”
Which gave me just enough time to get home to check on Joe. I rolled my eyes at myself.
I signed the paperwork to become an It’s Just Coffee member, paid the fee—which was not insignificant—and thanked my lucky stars the paper was picking up the cost.
I might have been Marci’s easiest sale ever.
I made my way home and found Joe sitting on the couch, which made me glad I’d shut my laptop. I wasn’t sure I wanted Joe to know my deepest personal feelings on the subject of dating until I was ready to put them out there for the whole world. If I ever would be. I trusted that he wouldn’t open my computer. But if the words were right there in front of him, his curiosity might get the better of him.
“Oh, good. You’re up,” I said.
“Yeah. It’s weird to be lazing around in the middle of the day.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Like I fell off a roof.” He sounded grumpy.
I stepped into the kitchen, found a couple of bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer, and handed one to him along with a towel. “For your face.” And another, “For your ribs.”
He leaned back against the couch, rested his head against the back, and plopped the makeshift icepack on his face. The other he set more gingerly on his ribs.
“How was your appointment?” he
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