Page 6 of The Merry Matchmaker

I’d buy her a sleighful.

She sent him a laughing emoji, but then got to thinking. Was that crack about Mrs. Claus a subtle cry for help in spite of his insistence that he didn’t need any? Could she find a Mrs. Claus for Mitch? He hadn’t done well finding someone on his own. Maybe she should give him a helping hand. Maybe she would.

2

“I doubt Mitch is looking for a Mrs. Claus,” Viola said as she helpedherself to another slice of pizza. The wallpaper fail had been fixed, andHappiness for Beginners, one of their favorite rom-coms, was playing on Viola’s TV in the background as they sat in the living room. At the moment, happiness for Mitch was taking top priority.

“You saw the text,” Frankie said. “It’s obvious he wants to be with someone. But he needs help. And protection. There are some skanky women out there.”

“Men like skanky,” Viola said, and took a bite of her pizza.

“Men like whiskey, also, but too much isn’t good for them. Seriously, Vi, I think I can help him.”

Viola laughed. “Just like you did when you introduced him to Laura Harding?”

Frankie waved away the Ghost of Mismatches Past. “That was last year.”

“I bet it feels like yesterday to him. Then there was Delilah Norman.”

“She was a mistake,” Frankie admitted. “I had no idea she was so...needy.”

“Needy? There’s an understatement. The woman was practically a stalker.”

“I introduced him to other women.”

“Whom you then talked him out of dating,” pointed out Viola. “Let’s face it, you’ll never find anyone for him who passes the Frankie test.”

“I will,” Frankie insisted. “But this needs to be done scientifically.”

“Scientifically? You gonna use AI?”

“No, HI. Human intelligence, online dating.”

“Oh, yeah, he won’t find any skanks there,” Viola said with an eye roll.

“Lots of people find their perfect match online.”

“Not if you’re involved,” Viola teased.

Frankie ignored the crack. “This is a great time of year to get to know people. All that Christmas cheer, just waiting to be shared.” She began thumbing the keys on her phone. “Hey, have you heard of this site?”

Viola leaned across the couch and looked over her shoulder. “Best for You,” she read. “Hmm.” She picked up her own phone and did some quick research. “Best for You is listed in the top ten dating sites. It’s geared for people fifty and older.”

“That’s just what we want,” said Frankie. “There’s bound to be someone there who’ll be a match.”

“As long as you find someone who can keep up with Mr. Fitness,” said Viola. “Call him and see what he thinks.”

“I’m not going to call him. He’ll balk. He’s such a chicken.”

“You’re just going to sign him up?”

“Sure. I know everything I need to know to get him set up on here.” Frankie scrolled through the pictures on her phone until she found one she’d taken at the chamber of commerce Fourth of July picnic. He was perched on the edge of a picnic table and wore a gray T-shirt that showed off his well-formed pecs along with Levi’s encasing muscular thighs. Flip-flops on his feet. He had a beer bottle raised in a toast.Here’s looking at you, kid.It was what he’d said to her right before she took the photo.

She showed it to Viola. “If you were single, would you date this man?”

“I don’t do white,” cracked Viola. “But yeah, that picture sells him. It oughta sell him to you.”

Frankie gave a snort.

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