Page 3 of Adorkable

“And don’t be too hard on Lillian,” she added. “She reminds me of me at that age, always trying to get people together.”

“I wish she wouldn’t,” I muttered.

“Her heart’s in the right place.”

“I don’t know why she feels responsible for my love life. Mom, I’m only seventeen. There’s plenty of time for me to find the right guy...and itwillbe a guy,” I reiterated just to be clear.

She shrugged. “One of these days, it could be The One, waiting right out there on our doorstep.”

“Mom.”

“I know, I know,” she said, waving me off. “Occupational hazard, I guess. I’m a servant of true love; it’s what I do, Sally.”

I’d heard that one before. As a wedding planner, Mom really couldn’t help herself. It was natural for her to want to put soul mates together. Her job was to give couples their happily ever after. She and Hooker were like two peas in a pink-heart-shaped-love-drunk pod. I just wished they’d use their talents for good instead of trying to match me up all the time. “Don’t go planning my wedding just yet, Mom.”

“Oh, please, I’ve had your wedding planned since you were in the womb.”

I couldn’t hide my look of horror.

“Relax, I’m just kidding,” she laughed. “The truth is I don’t want you to be alone.” Her eyes went from sparkling to hollow. “Believe me, it gets old after a while.”

It was moments like this that reminded me how much I despised my father.

“Better than being tied to a lying, cheating son of a b—”

“Sally,” Mom said on a warning note.

I widened my eyes all innocence. “What? I was going to say banker.”

“Sure you were.” Mom shook her head, looking toward the kitchen door. “Poor Daisy, I feel terrible about all of this. I think she really liked you, Sally. She’s going to be heartbroken when she finds out. What should we say?”

Daisy and I had gotten along fine, but I wasn’t so sure about the whole heartbreaking thing.

I gave Mom’s hand a pat. “I’ll let her down gently,” I said as we walked back into the dining room.

Daisy was typing something on her phone, texting someone. When we came in, she looked up and said, “Sorry, but I’ve gotta go.” She stood, and I followed her to the door. “Mom just confirmed my flight. It looks like it’s been moved up a few hours, so we’re going to have to leave really early tomorrow. It was good meeting you, Sally.”

“You, too,” I said, noticing only now that Mom had somehow managed to disappear. Apparently, she was leaving this up to me. Well, I supposed there was only one way to say it. “So Daisy, there’s kind of been a mistake. As much as I liked talking to you, I’m not—”

Daisy placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a sympathetic look. “Listen, no offense, okay? You’re cute and everything, but you’re a little…dorky for my tastes.” I opened my mouth, but she went on, “Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that as a bad thing. It’s just not what I’m looking for right now. You understand, right?”

I swallowed then said, “Of course.”

She leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek. “If you’re ever up in New York, give me a call, okay?” As she opened the door, she glanced back over her shoulder. “We’ll do lunch or something.”

I stood there stunned, watching her taillights disappear around the corner, until Mom came up behind me a few minutes later. “So, how’d it go?”

“She said I’m not her type.”

“Oh.” Mom shrugged. “Well, that’s too bad.”

I was indignant. “She called me a dork. She just met me. How could she possibly make that call after only one dinner?”

Mom eyed my outfit critically and then said, “You do realize you’re wearing your Gryffindor jersey, right?” I opened my mouth to tell her it was a collectible straight off the Harry Potter official clothing line, but Mom cut across me. “And you know that when Daisy walked in, you had your right hand up, fingers splayed in that strangeStar Treksignal.”

Yeah, I thought, but that was just because I’d assumed it would be my date walking through the door—which I guess, it actually had been—and I’d wanted to scare him off. In my experience, boys didn’t look twice at girls who employed Trekkie references, let alone wore Potter memorabilia.

“It was the Vulcan Salute,” I muttered.

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