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Keith’s idea would get it. But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong for me to focus on getting what I want.”
    â€œHey,” Emma said in a softer voice. “I know you worry about this, but you’re not him.”
    For a moment Matt was silent as a vision of the “him” flashed into his mind. Everyone always said that Matt was the exact image of his father’s brother, Mathew, and while he knew they were only referring to the way he looked and their shared name, Matt’s great fear was that the similarities might go deeper than that. Especially since his uncle shared a similar passion for business organization and had run a very successful electronics company until he’d died of a heart attack five years ago.
    Uncle Mathew had always put his work and business first, assuming that when the right woman came along he’d settle down. But that didn’t happen and he’d ended up dying alone in a New York hospital. A life and death, all unplanned.
    And while Matt knew that he would always have his parents and his sister’s family, it wasn’t enough. He wanted it for himself. He wanted to be different from his namesake.
    â€œI’m fine.” He took a deep breath and forced himself to relax. “Besides, as it happens I might have met someone.”
    â€œWhat? Who? And why didn’t you lead with this information?” his sister demanded in a rush. “Details. Now.”
    â€œWell, remember I said that I hid out in the art gallery next door yesterday?” Matt said as he got to his feet and walkedup the stairs to his apartment above the office. “I might’ve forgotten to mention that the owner was pretty gorgeous. Her name’s Kate.”
    â€œAn artist named Kate?” Emma squealed. “I like the sound of her already. Have you asked her out yet?”
    â€œNo,” Matt admitted with a frown. “Yesterday was kind of topsy-turvy, but I definitely plan to do it today.”
    â€œGood, and please explain that you were suffering from temporary insanity when you mentioned the baby thing to Keith,” Emma said in a strict voice. “In fact, would you like me to write you a note? I could explain that apart from your excessive neatness you’re a pretty nice guy who only occasionally does dumb things.”
    â€œYeah, I read in a dating handbook that the best way to get a girl to say yes is by giving her a note from his sister,” Matt retorted.
    â€œNo need to be smart,” Emma said. “I’m just trying to help.”
    â€œI know, but I have asked women out before,” Matt replied. “And come to think of it I’m not sure Kate knows what the competition was about. I certainly didn’t mention it and she didn’t appear to use the Internet much or have the radio on.”
    â€œAn ostrich? Well, that’s promising.” Emma sounded happier as Matt walked into his open-plan kitchen and peered out the window that looked out onto the street below. “She might even say yes.”
    â€œWhat’s that mean?”
    â€œIt means that who in their right mind would say yes to go on a date with a guy who’s eyeing up their womb as the potential incubator for his child?”
    â€œI told you, it’s not like that,” he was stung into retorting. He might be efficient but it didn’t mean he wasn’t romantic. All he was trying to do was let the two things operate side by side. Was that really so bad?
    â€œSo why do you want to date her, then?”
    â€œBecause she’s—” Matt paused and licked his lips as he tried to explain the connection he felt to her. Or the way her mouth pressed together when she was concentrating, or the little furrow between her brows when she mentioned the problems she had with her building. But try as he might, no words came and he let out a helpless sigh. “Because I just want to.”
    He inwardly groaned. Perhaps he