Perfectly Matched (9 page)

Usually my appearance didn’t send grown men scurrying, but I could only imagine how I looked. I could feel that my hair had frizzed, and I knew my makeup had long since melted away.

I glanced around. The restaurant had a good crowd gathered. I didn’t see Maggie anywhere and figured she was in the back, helping with the cooking. She was doing that more and more now that Raphael was working here part time. Her love was in the kitchen, and it was a relief to her that she could trust the front of the Porcupine to Raphael.

He was a trustworthy guy. One of the best I knew. Maybe, possibly,
the
best.

Maggie was lucky to have him. Theirs was a match I thought
I’d
made, but it turned out that my father had a hand in their romance as well. Still, I liked to take credit. Often.

A second later, Raphael was back. He set a tall glass of iced tea in front of me along with a tiny plate of lemons.

The man knew me well.

I squeezed a lemon. “Thank you. I’m dying of thirst.”

“You should have let the movers lug the boxes, Uva,” he said.

He’d been calling me “Uva,” Spanish for “grape,” since I was five years old and threw a tantrum that turned me as purple as a Concord grape.

In turn, I called him “Pasa,” Spanish for “raisin.” Because any good grape knew that raisins were older and
older meant wiser. M
uch, much wiser.

“I know,” I said. “But I needed a distraction.”

He glanced at the cat carrier. “I’ll refrain from teasing about what the cat dragged in.”

I guzzled some more tea and held the cold glass to my hot cheek. Eyeing him with as much consternation as I could muster in my current state, I said, “You need to work on your definition of refraining, Pasa.”

His brown eyes glowed as he smiled. “You do look a little worse for wear.”

He was being kind. I totally looked like something the cat had dragged in.

He sniffed the air. “And you smell a bit, too.”

I knew he was right about that, also, but I wasn’t about to admit it. “To think you used to be one of my favorite people.”

Laughing, he said, “I’m still one of your favorite people. Who’s your friend?” He motioned to the carrier.

“Ebbie.” As I explained about Jeremy Cross, Raphael’s eyes grew bigger and bigger, and his smile wider and wider.

“It’s not funny,” I said, having trouble keeping a straight face. The longer I had Ebbie, the more I was finding humor in this situation.

He tried to school his features into some semblance of solemnity. “Of course not.” His lip curved. “You’ll tell me how Grendel handles this addition?”

Grendel still hadn’t completely forgiven me for bringing a golden retriever into his life a few months ago, even though that had been temporary. “He’ll be okay. I mean, look at her.” I motioned to Ebbie. “She’s a bundle of cuteness.”

“I’m sure he’ll appreciate that fact.” Raphael continued to smile.

It wasn’t a reassuring smile, either.

In truth, I was trying not to think about Grendel’s reaction. He was going to pitch a kitty hissy-fit. To keep from thinking about that, I changed the subject. “Is Maggie in the kitchen?”

“Not today.” He rubbed his thumb over an imaginary spot on the countertop and wouldn’t look me in the eye.

“Where is she?” I pried. I’m a good prier. Partly from all the investigating I did for a living, and partly because I was extremely nosy.

Pink tinted his olive-toned cheeks. “Shopping.”

I used a straw to stir my drink. Ice cubes clunked against the side of the glass. “Oh? What kind of shopping?”

Rubbing the imaginary spot harder, he said, “Things.”

I stopped stirring and stared at him. “What things?”

His eyes met mine, and I saw the pure happiness in their depths. “A wedding dress.”

I squealed. And not caring that the whole restaurant was staring, I leaned over the counter and flung my arms around him. “You finally asked her to marry you!”

Almost shyly, he nodded.

Tears welled in my eyes.

“Uva,” he said. “No tears.”

“But they’re happy tears.” He’d been a widower for so long now. I couldn’t be happier for him.

“Have you set a date yet?”

“Before playoff season.”

Swiping at my eyes, I laughed. Raphael was a diehard member of Red Sox Nation, while Maggie was a Yankees fan. It just went to show that opposites can attract. “Smart move.”

“Yes, though we might have to live apart during that time.”

“Or not watch the games.”

His face scrunched in horror. “To say such a thing!”

I rolled my eyes and sucked down my iced tea.

“More?” he asked, motioning to the glass.

“Please.”

While he was gone, I checked my cell phone. Still nothing from Sean. His silence was unsettling.

I tucked my phone away and checked on Ebbie. She was sitting contentedly, staring out her mesh window. “We’ll get you out of there soon,” I promised.

As soon as I talked to Sean, I would catch the ferry back to
Hingham
, where my car was parked in the shipyard. It was a short drive home from there.

Looking at my phone, I felt a pang. Not only because Sean hadn’t checked in, but because I was missing him. We’d grown so close that it was strange to have no contact over several hours.

I thought about Raphael’s big news, and felt a pang about that, too. One that had nothing to do with Raphael and everything to do with me.

Thanks to Cupid’s Curse, marriages in my family didn’t work out. Plain and simple.

Legend stated that it was Cupid who’d gifted my ancestors with the ability to read auras. With it, however, came a curse. Valentines were not able to see our own auras, or the auras of other Valentines.

That boiled down meant that we couldn’t match
ourselves
.

Not a single Valentine relationship had ever worked out. Couples either split up and lived separate lives (like my parents) or they simply dissolved the union (like my grandparents).

So far there had been no exception to the rule. And even though my parents were once again dating, I didn’t hold out much hope that this current fling was going to last much longer.

I was a relationship pessimist.

Where that left Sean and me was yet to be determined.

He knew about Cupid’s Curse, and I knew all about his disastrous relationship before me. We both had issues with love and marriage. Yet...we were together. We loved each other.

But a wedding? A real marriage? It would be impossible.

Yet, suddenly I wanted to be a bride more than I could ever express. My chest tightened, and I started rubbing at imaginary spots on the counter to distract myself.

Raphael came back with another glass of iced tea and a small plate of fried mozzarella poppers. They weren’t on the menu—Maggie preferred healthy foods only—but Raphael knew my favorite food group was junk food and indulged me. Just in time, too, because I was feeling the need for comfort food, and I’d left my Twinkies in my office.

My stomach rumbled as I stuck a popper in my mouth. Bite-sized heaven.

“Your father stopped by earlier,” Raphael said. “He mentioned my services were needed to move Sean out of the penthouse.”

“Dad’s a little uptight about the arsonist possibly burning down his house. Go figure.”

Raphael smiled. “How does Sean feel about getting the old heave ho?”

I nibbled another popper. “He doesn’t know yet.”

“Ah. You haven’t heard from him since his meeting this morning?”

I didn’t even question how Raphael had known about Sean’s meeting. I was convinced he had some sort of superpower. I supposed that’s what made him an invaluable right-hand man to my father all these years. “Not yet.”

“Your father has given me a deadline... Four o’clock today.”

I understood where he was leading me. Raphael was to move Sean out whether he was there or not. Glancing at my watch, I saw it was already after two. “If we don’t hear from Sean by then, just bring the things to my place.” Maybe this was the push we needed to see if we could—or should—live together.

He nodded.

I finished my drink, stood up, and lifted the cat carrier. “I’m going to go check SDI again. Maybe Sean sneaked in and just hasn’t had a chance to call me yet.”

Pushing a salt shaker into its proper place, Raphael said, “I spoke with Sam a little bit ago.”

There was something in his tone that stopped me cold. “Oh?”

Quietly, he said, “He’ll be staying with Maggie and me for a few days.”

My stomach clenched a bit at that news. “Really? Maggie doesn’t mind?”

“You don’t sound pleased, Uva.”

It wasn’t that.

I loved Raphael more than I could express. He was a second father to me. My rock. If something happened to him...

“Ah,” he said, chucking my chin. “No worries. No one other than you, Sean, and Sam will know where he’ll be. And he’ll be careful. He knows how to lose a tail.”

I laughed. “‘Lose a tail?”’

“Andrew has been loaning me some of his books. I really enjoy the Spenser ones.”

I grabbed my phone from the counter. “You should ask to borrow the one he’s reading now.”

“It’s good?” he asked, curious.

“Definitely. Even Maggie might like it.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Why do I think you’re up to something?”

“Me? Up to something? Never.”

“Hmm.”

I leaned across the counter and kissed his cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

“After you shower, I hope.”

“You’re off my favorite people list again.”

His laughter rang as I pushed open the door and nearly walked straight into someone I never
expected to see that afternoon.

Chapter Nine

“Graham?” I asked, wondering what he was doing here.

He’d been frantically ringing the buzzer for Valentine, Inc.

He threw his head back dramatically and said, “Lucy! Thank God. I was beginning to worry that I wouldn’t be able to get in touch with you. I’ve been trying to call, but all I get is a voicemail saying the office is closed, and I don’t have your cell phone number.”

If he was hinting that I should give it to him, he was wasting his breath. No way was he getting my number. The less I had to do with any of the Diviner Whiners, the better. Especially Graham, who I’d pegged as a playboy the moment I met him. “What’s wrong?”

“I lost my wallet. I’m hoping it fell out in your office—it was the last place I know I had it for certain.”

His blond hair was slicked back instead of puffed up. It was a much better look than the wilted mess he’d had in my office this morning. I bit my lip. “I packed up my whole office this afternoon, and I didn’t see it. But I suppose it can’t hurt to take a look. If we don’t find it, I can do a reading...”

He was psychic, too, but he couldn’t find lost objects like I could. His talents were more as a medium—communicating with the dead. But now that Orlinda had been working with the Diviner Whiners, all except me could also tap into other extra sensory perceptions. Graham could now see visions of past and present events. He was working on tapping into seeing the future.

“That would be... Thank you,” he said. “I’m just feeling sick about it. Not about losing the money, because there wasn’t much in it, but of the hassle of canceling credit cards and getting a new license.” He looked at me with such gratitude, I almost felt bad for not giving him my cell phone number.

Almost. I hadn’t completely lost my mind.

He rocked on his heels. “Lucy, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Why are you carrying a cat around?”

“Long story,” I said, not wanting to explain it to him. “Let’s take a look upstairs for that wallet.” I reached for my key card to swipe through the lock and realized I didn’t have my tote bag.

Panic bloomed until I spun around and saw Raphael coming through the Porcupine’s door with my bag.

He was giving me a look I knew all too well. Part chastisement, part “
why am I not surprised
.” “You left it on the floor.”

I kissed his cheek. “You’re back on my favorite person list.” I motioned to Graham and made quick introductions.

I was just about to drop my phone into my tote when a young man on a skateboard rolled straight toward us. Graham pushed me aside before I was knocked over, but as the young man passed, he snatched my tote bag and zipped away.

“No!” I cried. “My bag!” I started after him. I needed my tote back. The pink bear was in there.

I teetered on my wedge heels and was quickly passed by both Raphael and Graham as they gave chase.

As I tried to keep Ebbie as level as possible, I dodged tourists and wondered how on earth the skateboarder could navigate these crowds so easily. I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk, and my left ankle gave out. Thankfully, a stranger passing by grabbed me before I hit the ground, but a sharp pain radiated up my leg.