Husband By Request
“Dominique?”
“Hi, darling.”
“Are you all right?”
That was always the first question to come out of his mouth when they’d been apart, whether it was several hours or a whole day. Hopefully in time his anxiety would lessen to the point that he’d stop.
“I’m fine. Olympia’s back in town and I invited her for dinner. I hope that’s all right.”
She detected the slightest hesitation before he said, “Did she know we were already having my parents?”
“Yes. To be honest, I thought she sounded a little lonely. Being divorced with a baby has to be hard. Considering Maris was her best friend, she probably feels at a loss.”
“That was very thoughtful of you.”
“I have an ulterior motive.”
“What’s that?”
“I was thinking of inviting someone else who I believe is a little lonely too. But I need his phone number.”
“My wife the matchmaker. Dare I ask who it is?”
“Paul.”
He muttered something unintelligible.
“Before you tell me it’s a bad idea, just hear me out. He’s crazy about the baby.”
“We’re all crazy about Ari.”
“Well, you know the old saying—love me, love my child.”
“Dominique—they’ve been friends for years. If something was going to happen between them, don’t you think they’d have gotten together long ago?”
“I don’t know. Maybe Paul wasn’t ready until now.”
“What makes you think that?”
“There was a look in his eyes while he was playing with Ari. A tenderness that went beyond a person’s normal interest in a baby. What would it hurt to throw the three of them together and let nature take its course?”
“It’s fine with me, but I can’t vouch for Paul’s plans. Would you like me to find out?”
“I think maybe this time the invitation should come from me.”
“Instead of the boss?”
“When you put it that way, yes!” She chuckled. “If I ask him, he knows he can turn me down. It’ll be an interesting test to see how he reacts.”
“Now you’ve got me intrigued. Here’s his number.”
She wrote it down on a pad by the phone. Afterward she said, “Don’t work too hard. I’ll see you this evening.”
“What are we having for dinner?”
“Something I guarantee you’ve never had before.”
“In that case I’ll be home early for an appetizer—preferably served in the bedroom.”