Page 28 of Someone Like You

‘Oh, he’ll be fine with all that,’ she says dismissively. ‘He’sRaff, and besides, he’s got CiCi and Devin. Ooh, can you imagine how incredible it would be if Raff had his dream jobandmet his dream woman in time for Christmas?’

‘Christmas?! Now you’re delusional. That’s, like, five weeks away.’

‘Thirty-three days to be exact.’

‘Sure, okay, but why the rush? What’s so special about Christmas?’

‘You didnotjust say that.’

‘Sorry – forgot who I was talking to.’

I love Christmas as much as the next person, but Freya makes Buddy fromElflook like the Grinch. She’s a Christmasfreak. And now she seems to have conflated matching Raff with her favourite time of the year. I need to step in here before she starts ordering poinsettias for the bridal bouquet.

‘But, Frey, that timeline’s way beyond wishful thinking.’

‘Which is why we need to get cracking,’ she retorts.

‘Poppy hasalreadygot cracking. You said that she and Ursula are working on it.’

‘Theyareand that’s why I need you. I can’t be part of the selection process, so I need you to step in as my proxy.Someone’sgot to ensure they choose the right potentials for my very best friend.’

‘First, “very best friend”? Are you in the third grade?’

She shrugs, hitching my shoulder up along with hers.

‘Second, what amI, chopped liver?’

She giggles.

‘And third, how is Poppy going to feel about me interfering in her case?’

Mentally, I have my fingers crossed that Poppy will hate the idea and tell Freya no.

Freya stops, so I do too.

‘I’ve already talked to Poppy and she’s in agreement, I promise,’ she says earnestly. ‘Because you won’t be interfering; you’ll be helping.Please, Gaby. I’d feelsomuch better if you were part of the vetting process. Oh,andwe’ll need your help with the set-ups,’ she adds casually as an afterthought.

‘The set-ups? What do you mean, you’ll need my help?’

Freya explains the agency’s strategy for matching Raff while adhering to his sole caveat – that he doesn’t have to go on dates. And without asking me first, Freya has volunteered me to help fabricate these ‘happenstance’ meetings.

Why did I ever agree to be part of this ridiculous caper in the first place?

‘Please, Gaby. We can’t do this without you,’ she says, her pale-blue eyes boring into mine. They could melt even the hardest heart, so how can I, her second-best friend, say no? Simple – I can’t.

‘Fine,’ I say with a resigned sigh.

Her expression transforms from pleading to elated in 2.1 seconds. ‘Really?’ she asks, bouncing on her toes.

‘Really – but only if you don’t second-guess me.’

‘Of course not.’

‘Come on,’ I say, ushering her towards the train station. ‘And don’t say “of course not” as if it’s a foregone conclusion. I won’t be texting you a play-by-play or anything. And you’ll have to accept whatever Poppy and I decide.’

‘And Ursula.’

‘And Ursula,’ I reply. ‘I’m serious, Frey.’

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