Read Online The Matchmaker Meets Her Match by Jenny Jacobs - Free Book Online

she’d bet psychiatry paid a lot better. If she went to a party — not that she ever did, but just for the sake of argument, say that she went to a party — if she introduced herself as a psychiatrist she would get a totally different reception than if she announced she was a matchmaker. Although if she were a psychiatrist she would probably hear all the same things she heard now, and people would want her to fix them instead of just fixing them up. So, no, psychiatry was not going to be her new career path even if it did pay better.
    “Not that he returns the affection,” Daphne concluded. “He would never do anything inappropriate.” She sighed, as if she wished he
would
do something inappropriate. Rilka wondered if Dr. Pennyman had any clue about the number of late-night fantasies he had almost certainly starred in. Probably not. People almost never perceived themselves that way. The ones who thought you should be obsessing over them were never the ones you would.
    But at least Rilka wouldn’t have to report him to the State Board of Healing Arts. Although she thought if more people did more inappropriate things they would be a lot happier. Or maybe not. Maybe the wheels would just fall off faster.
    She cleared her throat and began the standard spiel. “Okay. Let me explain. Usually when I work with someone with a disability or disfigurement, something that makes it difficult for people to make an immediate connection, I suggest finding a place to become a regular — ”
    “Oh no,” Daphne interrupted, looking shocked and appalled, fidgeting with her hair again. “I could
never
do that. All those people staring at me when I walked in?
No
.”
    Rilka had expected to encounter resistance. “I could go with you the first time or two,” Rilka said. “Then, as you become more comfortable, and the regulars get to know you — ”
    “I’ve tried that,” Daphne said, interrupting again. That habit of interruption was going to be annoying. Who was the expert offering advice, after all? With a guilty start, Rilka thought,
The expert sure as hell isn’t me.
So maybe the client knew more about what she needed than Rilka did. There. Gran would be so proud of her for that epiphany.
    “That was one of the first things Dr. Pennyman suggested,” Daphne said, and now she was breathing hard and looking like she might burst into tears. “It doesn’t help.”
    “Okay,” Rilka said, giving Daphne’s hand a soothing pat. “Okay.”
Don’t cry! Anything but the crying!
    After a moment it looked like Daphne had gotten hold of herself, so Rilka could breathe more easily. Daphne probably hadn’t done it right. She’d picked the wrong place or quit too soon, but Rilka wasn’t going to tell her that. She could practically hear Gran say in exasperation,
Why don’t you just listen, Rilka?
So she just listened.
    “What I wanted is for you to explain, you know, about me. To potential dates. So that they won’t flinch when they see me.” Now Daphne looked up and met Rilka’s eyes. “
That’s
what I want.”
    “Okay,” Rilka said.
Tell dates not to stare
. Couldn’t people figure that out without Rilka’s help? Apparently not. “I have another client with some similar problems meeting people. Would you like to give it a shot? He’s a double amputee.”
    “I won’t stare at him if he won’t stare at me,” Daphne said firmly. “And as long as we go somewhere private.”
    • • •
    What was he doing here? Jeremy wondered as he looked at the woman shrinking back into the corner of the sofa. Daphne wasn’t afraid of him, exactly, at least as far as he could tell. She was afraid of
life
.
    He didn’t want to be here and she didn’t look so thrilled, either.
    Still, she’d told him she wanted to go somewhere private, so he’d agreed to meet her at her place. Now he was sitting in his chair, facing the sofa and trying to think of something to say.
    “Nice place,” was what he came up with.
    “Thanks,”