Allison walked into her room and only then noticed the message from Watson, sent about thirty minutes ago.
"Hey, are you home yet?"
Allison quickly replied, "Yeah, just got in. What's up?"
Watson responded, "Mind if I call?"
"Sure thing," she texted back.
A moment later, her phone buzzed with Watson's call.
"Hey, Watson, what's going on?" Allison asked.
"Hey, sorry about earlier. I didn’t realize my aunt had invited so many people today," Watson apologized, sounding a bit sheepish. "She just told me you found Julia when she got lost in the park and wanted to thank you with dinner. She thought it would be less awkward if I came along, since we're partners and all. I had no idea she'd invite my grandparents too. Really sorry about that."
Allison chuckled. "I thought it was something serious. No worries, I’m not exactly shy around people."
Watson sounded a bit awkward. "I was just worried it might be too much. My aunt can be a bit overzealous, especially since my parents have been abroad for years. She's been trying to set me up on dates for ages. When she met you, she jumped to conclusions about us. I did try to set her straight, but I guess it didn’t sink in..."
Allison was taken aback for a moment.
She hadn’t expected Mandy to have matchmaking plans.
Processing Watson’s words, Allison asked cautiously, "So, your aunt’s playing matchmaker for us?"
There was a brief, telling silence on the line.
Watson's breathing was all she heard.
After a moment, he replied with a vague, "Yeah."
Allison found the situation a bit absurd.
She laughed softly, "I think your aunt might be in for a letdown. I’m really not looking to date right now. Just launched the new firm, and it's got all my attention. I’m all about work these days."
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