1. Elysa

CHAPTER 1

ELYSA

It’s a slow news day in Silver Spoon Falls. My coworkers at the paper are all milling around the office, searching for something to write about. I don’t have the same problem. Gossip never sleeps, especially not in a town full of millionaires and billionaires. There’s always something to share with the eager readers of my secret column.

The only problem? Not even my coworkers know who writes the Silver Spoon Single Serve . As far as they know, I just write the filler stuff that goes in the actual paper—the society fluff, the horoscopes, and those random sections that come and go with the seasons. My identity as the town gossip is a complete mystery. Well, almost. Leia Bayliss, my best friend, knows that I’m behind the column. She also knows I’m the matchmaker in town. But she’s one of the only ones. The other two who know, Cormac Carmichael and Finn Taylor, are paid handsomely for their silence. And their help in ensuring my secret remains my own.

It’s ironic, really. For someone who can’t keep a secret to save her life, I’ve done pretty darn good keeping this one. But this one matters more than any I’ve ever had before. Not the gossip column—that’s just for fun. I love spreading good news, and my column does that. The matchmaking is the important part.

My love life derailed one bookie back. I’m not even kidding. The last guy I dated, Gavin Cochran, turned out to be a psycho who was trying to run an illegal sports betting scheme. He tried to murder Leia. I officially swore off dating after that. I couldn’t find my forever, so I gave up. But it turns out that I’m pretty good at helping people in this town find theirs. There’s no way I’m going to risk someone exposing my identity when there are still happily-ever-afters to create.

If I can’t have mine, the people in this town should at least get theirs. Like Asa Steele and Leslie Langley.

I glance over my column about them, smiling to myself as I read it back.

Rumor has it that a certain Army Ranger has put a ring on it! That’s right, readers! The biggest menace on the block is officially off the market. You can stop running in the other direction when you see him coming now. He’s driving off into the sunset with his very own Good-Girl-Gone-Bad. There’s just one burning question left: Will the matchmaker strike liquid gold with the third sibling?

If those aren’t enough hints to point everyone in the direction of Asa and Leslie, there’s no helping my readers. And if that last line doesn’t leave them wondering if Aidan Steele is next on the block… well, they should.

It’s a darn good question.

I fully intended to make him my next eligible bachelor until Asa warned me that his meddling brother wanted to expose me. Now, I’m hesitant to poke that particular bear. Aidan Steele is a certified grump. He gives orders, and people obey. And people in this town love him. How could they not after everything he’s done for his family? He quit college and came home to run their family’s oil business and raise Caroline after their parents died. He held it together for her and Asa when he was so freaking young himself, and then catapulted their oil business to insane success.

If anyone in this town has a chance of figuring out who I am, it’s him. That’s not a risk I can afford to take. And yet, part of me wants to take it anyway. He’s an enigma to me. I can’t figure out why he’s still single when any woman in this town would kill to date him.

He’s gorgeous, with wild, dark hair and piercing eyes. Like his younger brother, he’s a giant of a man. He looks more like he should be putting all of those muscles to work in the oilfields instead of managing them from a posh office. The few times I’ve run into him around town, he’s always been this commanding, calming, yet ridiculously grumpy presence.

And that’s the other problem. I like him—a little more than I probably should. If I still believed that forever existed for me, he’s the man I’d go for. He ticks boxes I didn’t even know needed ticked, and he makes me crave things that I’ve never admitted to anyone.

I joke with Leia all the time about Daddy vibes, but the man has them in spades. It… scares me a little bit, how easily I imagine him in that role in my life. I’ve never even told anyone—not even Leia—how much I’ve come to crave that sort of relationship. To be cared for in that way, to be adored by a man who treats me like the center of his universe. One capable of handling me when I’m a brat but soft enough to adore me when I’m spiraling. And God knows, I have plenty of those days since Gavin Cochran messed up my life.

Aidan could be that man. Except… I’m not on the market.

I still find myself reluctant to pair him with anyone else. This woman isn’t driven enough for him. This one is too driven. This one isn’t patient enough. This one wouldn’t understand his bond with his siblings… No one fits.

You fit , a little voice whispers in the back of my head.

I cut off that line of thinking immediately. No way, no how. I’m off the market.

“What are you doing?” Leia plops down in a chair beside my desk, startling me.

“Cheese and rice!” I growl, practically falling out of my chair. I turn a death glare on her. “You scared the crap out of me.”

“I can see that.” She grins at me, her eyes bright with humor. “Why so jumpy?”

“I was thinking.”

“About what?”

I dart a quick glance around the newsroom to make sure no one is in earshot. “Aidan Steele,” I whisper. “I can’t figure him out.”

“Are you still thinking about trying to find a match for him?” Leia’s lips twitch. “Asa tried to warn you to leave it alone.”

“I know!” I cry softly. “And I am leaving it alone. Really, I am.” I think. Maybe.

Leia hits me with a look that tells me she thinks I’m full of crap. She knows me far too well. “Don’t you have a new client anyway?”

“You mean Tyler Dooley?” I snort, waving her off. “That one is easy. He’s in love with his assistant. As soon as he accidentally gets a call from the sperm bank for her, it’ll all be over with.”

Leia stares at me, her eyes wide. “You are diabolical.”

“She wants a baby. He wants to marry her. Problem solved.” I shrug. Matchmaking isn’t really rocket science if you understand people, what drives them, and what they want. Tyler wants his assistant. He just doesn’t think he’s allowed to have her because he’s her boss. But when faced with the possibility of her starting a family without him? Well, the obstacles he’s created for himself stop feeling insurmountable and start looking a lot more like problems to solve.

Leia’s right, though. I need to leave this whole Aidan Steele thing alone. It has the potential to blow up in my face, and that’s the last thing I need. As much as I don’t like it, he’ll just have to be the Steele sibling that got away.

“How can you possibly eat that?” Leia asks, glowering at my plate at lunch.

“Um, because I’m not breastfeeding and I do what I want?” I retort, adding more hot sauce to my nachos.

She scowls at me, poking at her grilled chicken wrap like she thinks it might bite her. I don’t know why she keeps torturing herself, trying to stick to some ridiculously rigid diet while she breastfeeds. I’m pretty sure nutrients are good for the baby. And nachos may not be the healthiest option, but they cover all the food groups. Therefore, nutrients. I should have been a scientist.

“You suck,” she mutters. “I think they cooked this chicken last year.”

“Probably. It’s been waiting in the freezer since you had my last niece. They kept it in reserve just for you.” I dangle a nacho dripping in sour cream and cheese sauce in front of her face. “Does it taste like freezer burn and sadness?”

She snatches the nacho from me, popping it into her mouth. “I hate you so much,” she mumbles as she scarfs it down.

“You’re welcome,” I sing-song, laughing. She loves me, and she knows it. I let her steal my food so she can order lame food and still feel like she’s being a good mom. As if she needs a ridiculous diet for that. Leia is a kickass mom.

She steals another nacho from my plate, popping it into her mouth instead of answering. I laugh again, shaking my head.

“Did you find something to write ab… Hold that thought,” I mutter when my phone dings with an incoming message for the matchmaking service. Finn set it up so I have two lines on one phone. The man is a genius. I swipe to view the text.

Unknown

Is this the Fairy Godmother?

Me

Depends on who is asking.

I pop a nacho into my mouth… and almost choke on it as the next message immediately pops up.

Unknown

Aidan Steele

“Crap,” I whisper, turning my phone so Leia can see his message.

“Told you to leave it alone,” she says, most unhelpfully.

“I didn’t even do anything!”

“You thought it into existence. Now, he’s texting you.” She shakes her head sadly. “If you’re going to manifest hot billionaires, at least manifest one who doesn’t want to ruin you.”

Unknown

Are you ignoring me now?

Me

Nope. Just checking my phone for bugs.

Last I heard, you wanted to expose me…

Unknown

Heard about that, did you?

Which of my blabbermouth siblings ratted me out?

Me

I’ll never tell.

Unknown

Fair enough. But that’s not actually why I’m texting. I need help.

“Ha!” I cry softly, changing his name in my phone so I know who to avoid. “As if I believe that.”

Me

I heard that churches are open seven days a week. You might check there.

Aidan

You suggesting I need Jesus, Fairy?

Me

If the sin fits, Judas…

Leia giggles beside me, sneaking another nacho. “You’re a very sassy texter. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“Thanks.” I grin at her. “It comes in handy with some of these clients.” I’m not buying for a second that Aidan Steele is a client. My bullshit meter is at DEFCON levels. He’s up to something.

Aidan

Judas, huh? Ouch. And what do you mean you heard that churches are open seven days a week? You don’t know this for a fact?

Me

Like I said, if the sin fits… And how should I know when churches are open? The only preacher I know is… You know what? Never mind.

Aidan

No, please continue. I’d like to know more about this preacher who hangs around Fairy Godmothers. Surely, that’s sacrilegious.

Me

You mean blasphemous.

Aidan

Whichever one means God and fairytales are supposed to be antithetical, Fairy.

“He’s funny,” Leia says, still reading over my shoulder.

“He is full of it,” I retort, trying like hell to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. It isn’t anxiety, which would be understandable given that the man wants to expose me. It’s something far more dangerous than that. Excitement. I’m enjoying texting him. This is not good.

Me

It depends on who you ask, Aidan. Some would say they’re one and the same. But you should go check the church for help anyway. I’m all booked up. Sorry.

Aidan

You don’t even know what I want, Fairy.

I read his message and then set my phone aside, ignoring it.

“You aren’t going to answer him?” Leia asks, eyeing me doubtfully.

“Nope,” I say, popping a nacho into my mouth. “You were right this morning. His brother warned me that he plans to expose me. Taking the bait would be lunacy.” I may do a lot of questionable things…but this won’t be one of them. No freaking way.

So I tell myself.

All through lunch.

All the way back to my desk.

Halfway through the afternoon.

And then my phone dings again.

Aidan

I need your help meeting the woman of my dreams, Fairy.

“Yeah, right,” I mutter, snorting loudly enough that Lawson looks over from his desk. Asa is supposed to be the Steele brother to watch out for, but I think Aidan may be the real problem here.

I shove my phone back into my desk drawer, determined to ignore it. If he has a dream woman, I don’t want to know who she is. I don’t want to know anything about her. And I’m definitely not sad about it. Not even a little bit.

“Damn him,” I huff not even two minutes later, pulling my phone out of my desk when he texts again.

Aidan

She’s incredible, Fairy. The more I learn about her, the more I want to meet her. It’s making me fucking crazy.

Me

I’m not helping you. Stop bugging me.

Aidan

Don’t you want to know who she is?

I do. So freaking bad. The desire to know is a morbid sort of curiosity. Who is perfect enough to make this man fall? I haven’t been able to find her yet, and I’ve combed through every name I could think of, trying to find the perfect woman for him.

She probably doesn’t even exist. He’s toying with me, trying to get me to take the bait. I hate that it’s working.

Me

Absolutely not. Go away.

Aidan

Help me, Fairy Godmother, you’re my only hope.

Me

Did you seriously just quote Star Wars at me?

Aidan

No?

Okay, possibly. It worked in the fucking movie.

I laugh softly. How is it possible for him to sound cranky over text? He isn’t getting his way, and he’s grumpy about it. That shouldn’t be nearly as hot as it is. And yet…

“Nope,” I mutter to myself, shoving my phone back into my desk drawer. “No freaking way.” This is getting way too close to dangerous territory. I can not soften toward this man. If I do, he’ll own me, and then he’ll destroy me. I am not going to let that happen.

My phone buzzes with another text, and then another, but I ignore them this time, forcing myself to focus on finishing up my column and responding to comments on the site where I publish everything. By the end of the day, I’ve almost managed to forget about Aidan and his ridiculous attempt to unmask me.

Right up until I pull my phone out of my desk and see his final two texts.

Aidan

Since you refuse to ask who I’m so desperate to meet, I’m just going to tell you, Fairy. It’s you.

Please have dinner with me.

“Holy shi…”

The man has completely lost his mind!

And I’ve never wanted to go to dinner more.

This is so freaking bad.

“Not happening,” I mumble to myself. “This is so not happening.”

But I don’t tell him that. In fact, I don’t answer him at all. At least, not immediately. I need to take this bra off and drink a glass of wine before I dive any deeper into this madness.