“What?”
“Autumn is sitting across from me.”
Another silence.
His sister’s voice changed.
“Then who am I texting?”
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.”
Owen put the call on speaker.
His sister asked:
“Autumn?”
“I’m here.”
“Oh my God.”
Autumn closed her eyes.
Owen asked:
“How did you get that number?”
His sister hesitated.
“From the matchmaking app?”
Autumn looked confused.
“What matchmaking app?”
Owen stared at the phone.
His sister said:
“The link you sent me.”
Autumn’s voice sharpened.
“I never sent you a link.”
Nobody spoke.
His sister continued more slowly.
“Two weeks ago, I got a message from someone saying she was Autumn.”
“She said she was uncomfortable putting her number directly into the app, so she sent me an alternate contact.”
Autumn looked toward Owen.
“I’ve never used a matchmaking app.”
His sister whispered:
“Oh.”
Owen leaned forward.
“Then how did you two get introduced?”
Autumn answered:
“My coworker Melissa said her neighbor had a brother.”
Owen closed his eyes.
“My sister’s name is Melissa.”
Autumn stared.
“What?”
His sister spoke from the phone.
“I work at Hawthorne Pediatrics.”
Autumn shook her head.
“My Melissa works at Stone & Pine Architecture.”
The silence this time was worse.
Owen felt something cold settle behind his ribs.
They had not been set up by the same Melissa.
Someone had connected them separately.
Each believed the other came through a trusted person.
Autumn whispered:
“This date was arranged.”
Owen said:
“Yes.”
“But not by your sister.”
“No.”
“And not by my coworker.”
“No.”
His sister interrupted.
“Owen, leave.”
He looked toward the entrance.
“Why?”
“Because somebody wanted both of you in the same place.”
Autumn’s eyes met his.
The romantic tension from minutes earlier had disappeared.
Something more urgent replaced it.
Owen stood.
“We’re going.”
Autumn nodded.
She grabbed the gift.
Owen placed cash on the table.
They had not ordered food.
He did not care.
They moved toward the exit.
Then Autumn stopped.
Across the restaurant, a man stood near the bar.
Gray coat.
Dark hair.
Watching them.
Autumn grabbed Owen’s forearm.
Hard.
He looked at her.
She whispered:
“That’s him.”
Owen followed her gaze.