Page 113 of The Anatomy of Matchmaking

A pair?

A match?

No.

Not right now. And I can’t let that fact upset me. I have a cab to catch.

“Maybe we should leave them for now,” I tell Roxie. “If I were you, I’d come back and get him in a couple hours, for his walk. But you’re in charge now, so it’s your call.”

I bend down and give Outlaw a kiss on the top of his head, then pet Mittens one more time. “Bye,” I whisper.

I drag myself to my feet. It’s not easy.

Roxie walks with me to the bedroom door, then down the stairs.

Back at Pansy’s, I collect my suitcase.

While we stand on the curb out front—right near the starburst mailbox; right where Nick kissed me goodnight, just last week—I can’t fight off the tears anymore. Roxie wraps her arms around me, holds me tight, and rocks me back and forth a few times.

She doesn’t say anything. Maybe for the first time, she’s deciding not to give me advice.

Down the road, a lime-green taxi cab hurtles our way.

It slows down and parks next to the curb. A little chimney of smoke puffs up from the driver’s side as the front door opens.

There’s a figure seated in the back.

Today’s been rough. I had to say goodbye to a dog and cat I’ve grown attached to, plus my sister. I’m about to drive away from my entire family, a town that has a special place in my heart, and—worst of all—the closest thing to love I’ve ever experienced.

IthoughtI was at rock bottom.

But nope.

This day has more negativity to offer.

Sylvester is hunched in the back seat, speaking into his phone.

The driver continues to smoke as he glares at me and then my suitcase. “That thing’s as big as a tool shed. I’m too old to lift a thing like that.” He opens the cab’s trunk. “You know how I used to travel? With a paper bag. Had my toothbrush in it, plus a pair of clean underwear. That’s all I needed.”

I roll my luggage toward the trunk, then hoist it up and over the edge.

I know this cab driver. He’s the guy that drove me to Hopkins, chain-smoking the entire time. “Wow, good for you. I’m no minimalist,” I mutter unhappily, as I slam the trunk closed. I’m dreading getting into that back seat. “I wasn’t aware I’d be sharing the cab with another fare.”

He shrugs. “Hey, what are you gonna do? The drive up to Burlington is a long one, the company does what’s most efficient.”

If there was a way around this, I’d take it. But in this small of a town, it’s pretty much a miracle that we have any cab service whatsoever. For years, there were no options.

Roxie gives me a worried look. “You want me to drive you? I could call out from work. Grandma would understand.”

“No, it’s fine.” I squeeze her one last time. “I’ve got this.”

“Call me when you land.”

“I will,” I promise.

Then, with a queasy feeling in my stomach and sadness heavy in my heart, I open the back door and slide in next to Sylvester.

Chapter 28

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