Page 64 of Mechanic’s Christmas Match

“I do have some pineapple jam,” Ana’s mother told him. “Will you help me make them?”

“Yes,” Theo squeaked, hopping up and down a little. “This is a good day.”

Ana’s heart squeezed with love for her family, and a sense of peace settled over her.

Theo is right, she thought to herself as she looked around at her own space filled with people she loved. This is a good day. And things worked out exactly the way they were meant to.

19

RORY

Rory arrived at the diner just before noon the next day and looked around. The place was always hopping on Saturday mornings, with waitresses hurrying between the tables and the scent of fresh coffee on the air.

Today it was even busier, since it was filled with holiday shoppers. Tinsel garlands and red and silver ornaments were hung from the walls and ceiling, adding to the joyful, bustling mood.

Maggie waved to him from a booth near the back where she sat with Arnold and Emily Jones. Maggie and Emily were on one side of the booth, with Arnold opposite them. All three looked so happy that they were practically glowing.

Rory wondered for about the tenth time since last night what it was that Maggie thought she could do to repay him for something as simple as a pancake breakfast.

But he had to admit to himself that it was nice to see them looking so happy. Even though he was pretty sure the pancake breakfast hadn’t been that romantic, if they’d brought Emily along.

“Hi,” Maggie said. “I’m glad you stopped by.”

“Good to see you all,” Rory said, suddenly feeling a little awkward around Arnold, though he’d met him half a dozen times before.

“Hey,” Arnold said, sliding over. “Take a seat. The ladies have been making a plan.”

“Oh really?” Rory asked, looking to Emily, who looked like she was going to start giggling at any moment.

“First,” Emily said. “You’re going to tell Ana that Maggie wants to meet up.”

“You do?” Rory asked Maggie. “Why don’t you tell her yourself?”

“I don’t,” Maggie said. “I mean, of course I’m glad to see her anytime, but this is…”

“It’s a trap,” Emily put in excitedly. “Ana will come to meet Maggie, but you’ll be there instead.”

“Can’t I just tell her myself that I want to meet?” Rory asked, trying to understand what they were proposing.

“No way, man,” Arnold said, chuckling. “She’s mad at you.”

“She is?” Rory asked, thunderstruck.

“We don’t know that,” Maggie said to Arnold. “But remember the way she ran off when we won the contest and everyone told us to kiss?”

“She did make a pretty quick exit,” Rory said.

And it was kind of odd for someone who wanted to play matchmaker to just leave when her match was working out.

“It hurt her feelings,” Emily said wisely. “Just like it hurt my dad’s feelings. You guys were all being really dumb.”

“Oh,” Rory said, surprised that the polite girl would put it so bluntly, but feeling like she was probably pretty spot on.

“When you care about someone, you tell them the truth,” Emily said firmly. “Right, Dad?”

“Sweetheart…” Arnold began.

“Don’t you sweetheart me,” Emily said. “You almost ruined everything. What if Maggie had fallen in love with Rory?”