Riley:Agreed. Like Harper said, it’s tradition.
Harper:Hey, it’s not like I forced you two. I just gave you a nudge.
Riley:A hard nudge.
Olivia plopped on the couch and read the texts as her friends discussed the past. Harper had given Riley a makeover before her first date with Hayden, had dolled up Anita for a party she and Tanner had catered together, and before they were a couple, she’d even transformed her husband, Rusty, from a shaggy-bearded mechanic to a clean-cut entrant in a charity bachelor auction. Now that she thought about it, Olivia realized that all three makeovers had been the beginning of romance for the couples. No, she was definitely not letting Harper near her.
Anita:You two are adorable together, Olivia. I’m so happy for you.
Harper:Me too.
Riley:Ditto.
Olivia groaned. This was what she got for stepping outside her comfort zone. And the fact she’d barely hesitated to agree to Kingston’s idea bothered her. A lot. She was never impulsive.
I never will be again.
Harper:Olivia? You still there?
Olivia:Yes. Just got up to get a drink. It’s late, so I’m calling it a night.
Anita, Riley, and Harper:??
She looked at the screen and checked the time. Only ten o’clock? She’d thought it was much later than that. It sure felt like it. She stood and locked the front door, set her purse inits usual spot on a small table near the door, and headed for her room. She finished getting ready for bed and was pulling down the crisp white bedding when her phone pinged again. She sat on the edge and looked at the screen. The message was from Kingston.
She was tempted to ignore it. She hadn’t had a chance to process the evening’s events, and she needed to get her bearings. But she couldn’t be rude either. She swiped over the message.
I had a great time tonight. Thank you.
Olivia paused. And because she’d lied enough for one night, she typed the truth:
Me too.
...
Kingston was typing. She waited for him to finish, but his message didn’t appear. She started to set the phone on her nightstand when she finally saw it pop up.
Sweet dreams
Olivia set down the phone, turned off her lights, and slipped under the sheets. Despite everything, she smiled.
Chapter15
On Sunday after church, Erma hung back at the BBs’ table at the Orange Bluebird as the rest of her friends lined up at the brunch buffet. Bea had called for another emergency meeting, this time to celebrate their success. According to Karen, who had texted a full and detailed report to everyone Saturday night, after one manufactured date, Olivia and Kingston were a couple. Or at least they appeared to be during church this morning.
But Erma wasn’t as excited as her comrades in matchmaking crime. Even Myrtle was enthusiastic about Maple Falls’ latest pairing. “Bea was right,” she’d said to Erma on the ride over.“They do make a lovely couple.”
As she watched Peg, Myrtle, Viola, Gwen, Bea, and Madge fill up their plates—Madge’s was only half full and she’d hit the salad bar first—Erma pondered her reaction. She’d seen Olivia and Kingston walk into the sanctuary and had watched, along with the BBs, as they sat next to the other young couples. She’d even smiled when Bea elbowed her in the side and gesturedwith a nod of her head at the two new lovebirds holding hands. But something was off. Erma had spent far more time observing them than paying attention to Pastor Jared’s sermon, trying to figure out what was bothering her. They seemed stiff. Like they were going through the motions.
She shook her head at her own nonsense. Olivia had always been reserved, and she wouldn’t be comfortable with PDA, especially in the sanctuary. Erma didn’t know Kingston as well as Riley’s other friends, but he was a doctor and a professional. He probably wasn’t eager to canoodle in front of everyone at Amazing Grace Church either. Maybe they were passionate behind closed doors. Either way, it wasn’t her business. She should celebrate, because now the matchmaking was finally over.
Bea was the first one to arrive at the table, a big fried chicken breast taking up half her plate. She sat down, her grin stretching ear to ear, and not just because the Orange Bluebird had her favorite side dish—greens and ham hocks—on the menu today. “Too bad Karen couldn’t make it,” she said. “I’ve never met anyone who ‘doesn’t do buffets.’ But she’s just as ecstatic as we are about Olivia and Kingston.” She sat down next to Erma. “I still can’t believe it was so easy to get them together.”
Right. So easy. Erma mentally shrugged off the thought as her cell phone rang. She fished for her phone in her handbag and saw Hayden’s number pop up. “Hello?”
“Hi, Erma,” he said, sounding like he was in a car. “I need a favor, please.”
“For you, sugar, I’ll do anything. Well, anything that’s legal.”
