The Matchmaker

by Catherine Walsh

“Thought I said I’d be the one making you breakfast.” “You did, didn’t you? Then I want French toast.” “I’ve got no bread. How about eggs?” “Eggs are gross.” “Eggs are not gross. What the hell?” He peers up at me, pushing my hair back to see my face. “What other wrong opinions do you have?” “They are slimy and gross,” I tell him. “Like mushrooms.” He rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling. “Alright, what about pancakes? No visible eggs. Only hidden ones.” “I like pancakes.” “Hallelujah,”

“Maybe we should…” Callum trails off, as he pops a forkful of pancake into his mouth. “Oh, God. Oh, this is not good. This is…” He swallows, grabbing both our plates. “Don’t eat that. We’ll have cereal.” “I’m sure it’s fine!” I say, laughing as I try and take my food back. “I’d like you to maintain any attraction you have toward me for a little while longer,” he says, dumping everything in the sink.

“I’ll drive you to the hospital,” he says, and I just nod because I figured that was happening.

YESSSS HES IN HIS REDEMPTION ERA

“You sound like Gemma now.” “Well, a word of advice, Katie. If a single working mother says you’re doing too much, you should probably listen.”

“You know,” I say. “Some people might think you like being the bad guy.” “They’re right,” he says flatly. “I love being hated for doing my job.” “You’re not hated for doing your job. You’re hated for how you do it.” “Successfully, you mean?” “You didn’t care,” I say simply.

“I think there’s a compliment in there somewhere.”

“Okay,” he says. “If that’s what you want me to do. But I want updates from you. Tell Jack to text me if you can’t. I’ll unblock his number.” “You blocked his—” I cut myself off, shaking my head.

“I’ll text you,” I say. “I promise. I—” love you. The two words are on the tip of my tongue, about to spill out of me so naturally it’s almost frightening. “Katie?” “I’ll see you tonight,” I say, clearing my throat. “Okay.” He sounds confused, but I hang up before I make my life even messier and return to the waiting room to find Jack where I left him.

NAURRRR SO STINKIN CLOSE OML

“Not a mechanic,” he interrupts, like I’m an idiot. Which, yes, fine.

The way she disrespected HERSELF

And that’s how I start my truce with Jack Doyle.

YESSSSSSSSSSS

And it’s all suddenly too much. The emotions hit me one after the other. The stress of this morning, the anxious wait at the hospital, the relief that threatens to overwhelm me as soon as our eyes lock. It has been a bad day. A bad, long day and I have never felt more vulnerable. I choke on a breath and turn, slipping through the crowd as I leave the crowded field behind and head back up the road to the village. Jack was right. I need sleep. I need a shower and a change of clothes and a few minutes to be alone. I need—

Turns out, if you don’t think about it too much, you can run pretty well in heels. The thing is not to second-guess yourself. To just keep going and barely touch the ground.

Ikr

He falls back down to the grass, scowling at the sky. “You told me once that Kelly’s was your favorite place in the world. Well, you’re mine. You’re mine and I’ll go where you go. For as long as you want me to, I’ll be right there with you.”

“You’re falling in love with me?” “Understatement of the century,”

YESSSSSSSSSSSS

“I’m in love with you, Katie Collins. And I’ll choose you every time.”

YESS

We stay like that, watching each other until his expression softens into one of faint amusement. “Not that you have to say it back, but—” “Crap. Sorry. No, I do. I love you too.” He laughs as my face heats in embarrassment. “Sorry,” I repeat. “It’s because I was listening to your big proclamation.” “Is that what that was?” I nod. “About how you’re so devoted to me.”

But I don’t move. I don’t want to move. I’m exactly where I need to be.

“Callum?” “Yeah?” He kisses the crown of my head, and I burrow into his side. “You’re my favorite place too.”

“I can lift things,” Nush says. “You weigh a hundred pounds.” “Yeah, of muscle.”

ME FRRR

after her and Maeve,” Callum says, turning serious. “I’ll never forget it.” He starts forward, only to stop when Jack grimaces. “What?” Callum grins. “Afraid I’ll wrinkle your suit?” “Yes, actually I— okay.” Jack stiffens as his brother draws him in for a hug. “Alright, thank you.” Callum takes pity on him, slapping him on the back before releasing him. “We don’t

“I’m meeting your parents?” “You don’t want to?” “Of course I want to!” I exclaim. “But didn’t you hear my accent story?”

“Seriously, Katie. Relax. They’ll love you.” “You can’t know that. How do you know that?” “Because I love you. And I’m the favorite child.”

“I found another ten euro,” Noah says, rifling through his own pile. He stares at the plastic bag for a long second before handing it over. “What are we going to do with all of it?” Gemma makes another note on her spreadsheet. “We’re giving it to a children’s charity.” “I’m a child,” he points out, and she ducks her head to hide her smile.

“I mean, surely, I need a business degree or something,” I say, ignoring him. He just shrugs. “I have one and I barely use it.”

LOL

“What’s this for?” he asks, when I hold on to him a little longer than is probably professionally appropriate. “For being like a dad to me,” I tell him, my voice muffled in his shoulder. “For letting me do my homework here because I didn’t want to be alone. For giving me a job even when you didn’t have to. For looking after me my whole life.” “What was I supposed to do, lock you outside? You were very persistent as a nine-year-old. And you’re very persistent now. I’ve always admired that.”

AWWWWW

I give him one last squeeze and sit back, wiping my eyes. “No,” he says immediately. “No crying in the office. You’ve got to leave now.”

LOLLL

“You’re looking at the new co-owner of Kelly’s. Either he thinks I’ll be an excellent business partner, or he’s secretly saddling me with a load of debt.” “That does sound like the kind of thing he’d do,”

AHAHAHAHAHAA

“I think someone dropped their keys down the well?”

ASFBKFXSEFHIGSAEFHH IT WENT FULL CIRCLE OMGGG

She’s been planning to propose for weeks but can’t decide on how to do it, her plans growing more and more elaborate with each passing day. She wanted to do it at the festival. Then in Paris. Then New York. But I have a sneaking suspicion that nothing will be good enough, and she’ll end up blurting out the question one random evening when they’re both wearing sweatpants and eating takeout. Either that or Monica will ask first.

“The last bus is here,” she says to me now, a small line between her brows as she finishes off my hair. “The driver said the last drop back to the hotel is one a.m., and anyone who misses it will just have to walk. I liked him.”

Gee i wonder why...

Nush sniffs. “Are you okay? You smell nervous.” “How do I smell nervous?” “You just do,” she says as my mouth drops open. Gemma glares at her. “You’re fine. Don’t listen to her.”

I moved into Callum’s farmhouse six months ago. He wanted it to happen a lot sooner, but he was patient with me, knowing it was a big step for me to leave Granny and the house I grew up in. But when the time finally did come, it felt easy. It felt right.

YESSSSSSSS