CHAPTER TWENTY

THE MATCHMAKERS

“Woohoo! That was a whirlwind,” Charlotte says, fanning herself with her hand.

Brooke and Linda grin and sigh as they look over the pictures of the happy couple, Marcus and Alice.

Deborah laughs. “I knew a strong woman was perfect for him.”

“He swept her off her feet,” Brooke agrees. Realizing what she just said, her blue eyes pop wide. “I mean, that is, I didn’t…” she stammers.

Deborah’s gasping by the time she gets her laughter under control. “It’s fine. I knew what you meant, and he did sweep Alice off her feet.” She winks. “And right into his lap.”

“Was it worth the wait?” Sandra asks, referring to how impatient Brooke was and the fact that her granddaughter was the last to be matched.

“Yes!” Brooke exclaims. “I couldn’t be happier for my Alice and Marcus.”

“They really do make a lovely couple,” Linda says, blinking back tears of happiness. Being one of the matchmakers has been some of the happiest times of her life. She gets to spend time with a great group of friends and bringing all those young people together and seeing them find love has simply been wonderful.

“I’m strangely relieved that we have another couple to set up, even if it’s only really a gesture,” Agnes whispers to Charlotte.

Nodding, Charlotte smiles. “I know. I’m going to miss our weekly meetings and all the updates on the couples.”

“Why does the fun have to end?” Elliot butts in, her dark penciled-in brows highly arched on her lined forehead. “We could canvas the senior center and see if anyone else has need of our services.”

“That sounds exhausting,” Margot protests. Her nerves are still shot from having both her grandchildren matched recently. Everything turned out wonderfully, but there were some tense moments there that kept her worrying.

“I think maybe a small break is in order,” Roberta suggests picking at the blueberry biscuits that her granddaughter Tracy and her boyfriend Dylan sent over from Tea Believers, the couple’s favorite tea house.

“Oh, really?” Sandra pouts, reaching for a chocolate supplied by Reed and Ember so thoughtfully to Agnes every week.

Deborah laughs again. She has been in a spectacular mood ever since her grandson Marcus officially began dating Alice. “Maybe it is better we hang up our matchmaking caps after Sadie and Mack. I don’t think our wardrobes could handle us gaining any more weight from all these goodies the kids keep sending.”

Sandra drops the chocolate she was about to pop into her mouth.

Elliot rolls her eyes heavenward. “Let’s put it to a vote,” she says, turning her gaze to Agnes, the group’s unofficial leader.

Agnes nods, bounds to her feet, and goes to the front. Her hands are empty, and it feels odd not to have papers with their scoring system and notes to look down on.

“Alright, let’s put it to the vote.”

“What are we voting on?” Linda asks, looking around in puzzlement.

“On setting up Sadie and Mack,” Brooke whispers out of the side of her mouth.

Roberta shakes her head. “No, no. We’ve already decided to do that! We’re voting on if we should take a break after getting them together or to continue on and find new couples.”

“I just don’t know how it will work when we don’t know the couples personally,” Margot laments.

Every pair of eyes in the room swings to her.

She sits up straighter. “What?” she asks in genuine bafflement.

Elliot tosses up her hands, setting off a furious jangle as the charms on her bracelets crash together. “You’re the one that got us to agree to set up Sadie and Mack, your granddaughter’s friends! And we don’t know them.”

“Oh, right,” Margot says, sliding down lower in her chair.

Deborahs starts laughing again and soon everyone joins in, even Margot.

“Ladies,” Agnes intones after she gets her own chuckles under control.

Everyone quiets down.

“All in favor of a break, say aye.”

Several ayes sound.

“All in favor of moving on to more matchmaking, say aye.”

A few ayes ring out.

Agnes blinks and glances around the room. “Okay, maybe we better do a show of hands instead.”

“If you want a break, raise your hand.”

Hands go up and Agnes quickly counts them.

“Raise your hand if you want to continue matchmaking.”

“What about if we want to continue matchmaking after a break?” Sandra calls out.

Elliot huffs. “That’s what a break is. We take a break and then start up again.”

Sandra nods and picks up her discarded chocolate. “Oh, right.”

“Well, what did we decide?” Linda asks.

Agnes blinks rapidly. “We haven’t.”

“Well, now I’m confused,” Charlotte moans.

Clapping her hands together, Agnes gets everyone’s attention. “Maybe we can work on making a final decision after Sadie and Mack. To lessen the confusion.”

“I can agree to that,” Roberta calls out, shooting her hand into the air.

“Thank heavens for small favors,” Elliot mutters.

Agnes goes to sit down and then thinks better of it. She waves at Margot to get her attention. “You have the go ahead for Sadie and Mack. Let us know how it goes.”

Margot shoots her a weak thumbs up and grabs some biscuits to take back to her room with her.

Eventually, all the ladies disperse. All except Brooke and Deborah.

They exchange smiles.

“Any bets on who will be the first to get married?” Deborah slyly asks.

“Reed already gave Winnie a ring, remember?”

“Oh, right.” Deborah deflates for a moment and then rallies. “Well, I think Marcus and Alice will be next.”

Grinning, Brooke nods. “I think you’re right.”

Both ladies slowly get up. “See you next week, Brooke,” Deborah says in parting.

“Or maybe sooner,” Brooke says, waving her phone and showing Deborah a new picture of Alice and Marcus, smiling and cuddled up together on the couch in Marcus’s house.

“Our two are so next,” Deborah declares with a delighted grin.

Brooke hopes so too, but if not, all that matters is that they’re together and falling in love.

That’s what the matchmakers are all about after all. They came up with the perfect formula and they put it to the test. Five couples perfectly matched up. Five happily ever afters.

It doesn’t get much sweeter than that.