Ew.

Aunt Lisa wraps an arm around me. “Well, I liked him. But I’m sad things ended the way they did — you deserve better than that.”

There’s no way I’m going to make it through dinner.

“Don’t worry about Sophie. I’ve got it all figured out,” Nonna says, and the room suddenly gets quiet.

“Oh no. This can’t be good,” I mumble under my breath.

“Mama, what are you scheming?” Aunt Lisa asks.

Nonna tries to look offended, but we all know she loves getting in the middle of everyone’s business. “Well, when life gives you lemons, you get right back on that saddle.”

“I’m not sure that’s how that saying goes,” Graham says.

“She just needs a date or two, you know, to get her mind off her troubles,” Nonna adds.

Aunt Maggie Mae looks way too interested in where this conversation is going. “The girls and I know some single boys her age.”

Uncle Sal’s head pops up. “After you set her up, I’ve got a nice boy in mind who works for me”

“Oh! Oh!” Aunt Patrice shrieks. “I have an idea! Let’s each of us pick someone for her! I have just the thing….”

And then everyone is talking at once.

“What is happening?” I ask no one in particular. Before I can stop this insanity, Nonna produces a long piece of white butcher paper.

“This will be so fun!” she says. Several aunts help clear the counter and Nonna lays the paper down. Then she grabs a Sharpie and starts writing dates, starting with tomorrow through New Year’s Eve.

“Sara, come help me with this,” Nonna asks.

Sara shoots across the room and helps Nonna tack it onto the bulletin board near the pantry door, and I give her a frown for being so quick to help. Sara gives me a wink back.

Movement at the back door catches my attention, and I see Wes peek his head in. Charlie motions for him to come inside.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, too. His blond hair and pale complexion stand out in this household of dark-haired, tan-skinned Sicilians. He looks taller than I remember, and he’s not nearly as scrawny as he used to be.

He sits down next to Graham and Charlie and points to the paper with a questioning look.

They both shrug. But I have a pretty good idea of where this is headed, and it terrifies me.

Nonna stands up next to the paper and points to it, Vanna White — style. “This is how Sophie will get over that no-good ex-boyfriend of hers.”

Wes searches the room until his eyes fall on me. He tilts his head and raises one eyebrow, and I give him a small, embarrassed smile.

“There’re enough of us here that we are bound to know some nice single boys. We’re going to set Sophie up on a few blind dates, and by the time she goes back to school after the New Year, she’ll hardly remember what’s-his-name.”

“Griffin,” Jake supplies.

Nonna rolls her eyes. “Thank you, Jake.”

Oh. My. God. I’m about to crawl under the table.

“This is a bad idea,” I say from the back of the room, louder than I intended. “And I’ll be home by New Year’s. Mom and Dad are coming home for your birthday party. I already have plans that night!”

Obviously, those plans included Griffin, but I still can’t let this happen.

Nonna waves her hand in the air, dismissing my protests. “I already talked to your mama. They’re coming here for the party and staying the weekend, so you’ll be here for New Year’s Eve.”

This is not happening.

Papa walks into the kitchen, and I run to him. “Papa, Nonna has lost her mind. She’s going to make me go on dates. With guys I don’t know.”

Papa looks at Nonna with a twinkle in his eye. “Well, Nonna thinks of herself as a matchmaker. And I don’t go against her when she’s got her mind set on something.”

“Don’t I know it,” Uncle Michael chimes in. “Sophie, run while you can. She’s been trying to fix me up for years.” He’s the youngest of the eight kids and the only one who isn’t married.

“Michael, the last three men I tried to set you up with would have been perfect if you just would have given them the chance,” Nonna says. And then she spins around to me. “Sophie, this will be fun. Trust me.”

“This can’t be happening,” I mumble. I wish I could click my heels and be at Margot’s house.

“Can’t never could,” Aunt Maggie Mae says, then asks, “So how does this work?” She’s licking her lips.

This is guaranteed to end horribly if she’s involved.

Nonna chews on her lower lip. She’s obviously making up this nonsense as she goes. “No dates on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day…so that leaves ten free days for ten dates. The boys have to be her age. Oh! And you have to post the activity the morning of the date so she knows what to expect.”

“She doesn’t get to know their names?” Olivia asks.

“No. Then it wouldn’t be a blind date,” Nonna answers.

“So we can pick anyone?” Jo Lynn asks.

Charlie’s head pops up, his eyes finding mine. He’s shaking his head fast and mouthing Evil Joes, over and over.

“Do I even have a say in this?” I interrupt.

The room gets quiet and everyone stares at me. Nonna’s face softens. “Step outside with me for a moment, Sophie.”

I weave my way around bodies and toys and pray my face isn’t as red as it feels. Aunt Lisa squeezes my hand when I pass her.

Once we’re on the back porch, Nonna pulls me in for a hug.

“We don’t get to see you that often, and I hate you’re so sad and broken. I just thought this could be fun…like an adventure. It will give you something to look forward to each day. And even if the dates are a disaster, it will give us something to laugh about when they’re over.”

I pull away and look at her. “I feel pathetic. And I’m not ready to date anyone right now.”

Nonna chuckles. “I’m not trying to find your next boyfriend. This is just for fun. Trust me.”

Fun.

The thing Griffin said he wished he was having. The thing that was missing between us, apparently. The thing the Sophie Olivia used to know was full of. Am I not fun anymore?

“If I do this, I have a stipulation of my own,” I say.

“What is it?”

“I get one free pass. If for whatever reason, I don’t want to go on one of the dates, I don’t have to. No questions asked.”

Nonna frowns, considering this. “Done. So what do you say?”

I finally nod, and Nonna beams.

“Perfect! Let the games begin!”

She pulls me back into the kitchen, and all conversation stops.

“She’s agreed!” Nonna says. My family literally cheers. “Now, let’s see if we can fill the board. I’ll start.” Nonna walks to the white paper and writes her name under December 31st.

“Uh…Nonna? Do you even know a boy my age that isn’t related to me?” I ask. I know she can hear the nervousness in my voice.

She bobs her head around. “Sure I do. I don’t know who I’m going to pick yet, but I’ll find someone!”

Great. I get to spend New Year’s Eve with…someone.

This is definitely going to be a disaster.

Papa shuffles over to the paper and stares at the dates. “How about I pick the thirtieth, since that’s the night of your grandmother’s birthday party? I’ll pick somebody nice.” He scribbles his name.

Ten dates and two of them set up by my grandparents. Awesome.

After Papa moves away, the floodgates open. Everyone stampedes to sign up. I stand in the back of the room, watching in horror. The only other person in the room who isn’t trying to claim a day is Wes.

He slides down the table closer to me. I can tell he’s as embarrassed for me as I feel for myself.

“This can’t be happening,” I say.

He turns to look at me. “I haven’t seen you in a while. How you been?”

I nod toward the board. “That pretty much says it all.”

He laughs. “Yeah, I guess it does.”

“How are you? Are you still with…” Oh God, I heard he was dating someone, but I forgot her name.

“Laurel?”

“Yeah, Laurel.”

He nods, then shrugs. I’m not sure what kind of answer that is.

“She was a grade ahead of us, right?” I ask.

“Yeah, she’s at LSU now.”

I run my hand through my hair, antsy to see the board once everyone is done. “So y’all are doing the whole long-distance thing?”

He nods but doesn’t elaborate. We’re both too busy staring at the board. Actually, we’re staring at Mom’s oldest brother, Sal, and the pushing war he seems to be having with Uncle Michael over the final date slot.

Nonna stands beside them with what looks like pure joy on her face.

Uncle Michael wedges his body in front of Uncle Sal’s and sticks his butt out, effectively pushing him away, then scribbles his name on the blank space.

Uncle Michael turns away, his expression victorious. Uncle Sal steps up and scratches Michael’s name out, then writes his next to it. Uncle Michael is too busy smiling to notice.

What a disaster.

Olivia stops next to me. “Charlie and I covered two of the dates. There are only a few you’ll need to be worried about.”

I let out a deep breath. “Thanks.”

Unable to stand it any longer, I walk toward the chart.

Charlie stops and whispers, “At least the Evil Joes have to share a day.”