Secrets of the World's Worst Matchmaker

by Piper Rayne

  I swipe my eyes.

  “And I had a matchmaker on my side too. A few generations ago and I’m not sure who she ever matched, but Mr. Miller found it.” I laugh and she rolls her eyes because she slipped up by mentioning Mr. Miller.

  “And the other book?” I ask, nodding toward it.

  “Oh, well.” She looks around the treehouse. “I’m not sure it’s necessary after I see all these. Colton is one special guy.” She picks up the book and hands it to me.

  I open the first page, and it’s filled with pictures of my siblings and me. There are none of my parents. There’s Austin and Savannah helping us other five look into the two cribs of Sedona and Phoenix. There’re more images of fights, huge fort builds, swimming in the lake, game nights, plays we put on.

  “This is the best way I felt I could prove to you that you think you don’t rely on anyone, don’t let anyone get close in case you’ll get hurt, but that’s not true. You do.” Grandma flips a few pages and there’s more.

  All of us at weddings, baby showers, new business openings. Rome there to give me that ridiculous matchmaking vehicle. Kingston there to help me move. Savannah cleaning the bathroom in my old office.

  “They’re my family, of course I love them. And they have to love me no matter what.” I swipe another tear.

  “Do they? Because up until five minutes ago, you thought you weren’t related to them.” She laughs. “If I ever see that Hank Billings, I’m going to give him a junk-punch.”

  I chuckle.

  “I think you’re missing the one other person who is at all these functions.” She pushes the book closer to me.

  “I know, I see how Holly joined, Wyatt—”

  She shakes her head. “Look harder, Juno.”

  I look harder at the pages and smile because Colton’s in every image. At Austin’s wedding, he’s in the background, helping to pass out wedding programs. He’s helping Wyatt build the deck on his and Brooklyn’s new house. He stands by my side as we watch Rome cut the ribbon at the opening of Terra and Mare. And it goes on and on. Colton always there, always present, always by my side.

  “You’ve already been leaning on him and him leaning on you. Nothing’s going to change that just because you wear a ring and you hold his last name. Although I do think Colton Bailey has a nice ring to it.”

  We both laugh.

  “I wish I could promise you that nothing bad will happen. All of you deserve a lifetime of happiness, but life doesn’t come with guarantees, Juno. But I can guarantee the universe won’t conspire against you just because you’re happy.” She gives my hand a squeeze. “I have one question for you. Will it hurt any more or less if you lose him right now with your stubbornness than it will years from now when you’re wearing his ring and living as his wife?”

  I feel as if a band is growing tighter and tighter around my chest. “I’m just so afraid that if I’m too happy, something will happen to destroy it. Look what happened with Mom and Dad. They were so happy one minute and then they were gone.”

  Grandma Dori smiles, but sadness fills her eyes. “I hate to break it to you, but you don’t have any control over that. No one does. All we can do is live our life.” I lay my head on her shoulder, and she runs her fingers through my hair. “Life keeps happening to you whether you choose to live it or not, Juno, my strong one.”

  I burrow into her a little deeper. “I thought Savannah was the strong one?”

  She laughs. “Savannah’s hard-headed, for sure. But I see now that you’ve always kept up the façade of being strong, even though inside you needed someone to make you see it would all be okay. You and Savannah have something else in common too.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You both kept those boys away from you for so long. Had those arms locked out in front of you and would not bend to let them close.”

  I giggle.

  “I’m serious. You were blessed to find love so young, and you both squandered it for years.” She draws back and her finger lands under my chin, bringing my face up to look in her eyes. “My question is, how many more years are you going to lose by dodging fate?”

  I shake my head. “It’s too late. He hates me. If you saw how mad he was… he’s never yelled at me like that. I hurt him.”

  “Well, I have no doubt you hurt him. All these pictures are proof of how long he’s loved you. Lovesick puppy dog that he is. But you know Colton’s not perfect. I wish he’d pushed you sooner. He’s chased you his entire life. What do you think you should do now?”

  The truth of her words hit me. “Chase him.” I sit up straighter. “I have no idea where he is though.”

  “That’s a nice excuse.”

  I pick up my phone and call him, but it goes right to voicemail. “I’m going to get him.” I kiss her cheek. “Thanks, Grandma. Do you need help down?”

  “You’re welcome and no, you go. One of your siblings will help me.”

  I smile at her after stepping down one rung on the ladder. “We’re so lucky to have you. You know that, right? We give you hell, but if we didn’t have you, we never would’ve survived.” Tears tumble down my cheeks and my vision grows blurry.

  She pats my head. “I know, but it’s nice to hear. You go now.”

  I nod and climb down the rest of the way.

  “Now, Juno,” she says.

  I look up to the top of the ladder, my body buzzing to run. “Yeah?”

  “You owe me one if you get him back. I expect Stella’s phone number in return.”

  I shake my head and she smiles, although I don’t think she’s joking.

  “Let me get him first.” I run up the side of the house to the driveway until I reach my car.

  “Juno!” Austin yells.

  I turn around and he tosses me Colton’s ring box. I catch it, confused as to why he has it. But instead of asking, I say, “Thanks,” slide into my car, and roar down the driveway.

  I go way over the speed limit on the way to Colton’s house, but when I get there, I find it empty. I run up the stairs and find the bedroom neat and orderly. Nothing out of place or out of the ordinary. Running back downstairs to the kitchen, there’s no note, and when I check the garage, his truck isn’t there. Where would he have gone?

  I rush down the hallway to his office and don’t see any clues. I sit at his desk and rub my temples before pulling out my phone to call Kingston, putting it on speaker.

  “Heard you’re in crisis,” he answers.

  “Seriously, how fast does the Bailey phone tree work?”

  “You know the answer to that.”

  “Where would he go, King? He’s not here, and I’ve blown it. He’s finally reached his limit!”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Calm down first. You won’t lose Colton. You’re at his house, right? Is his suitcase there?”

  “Hold on.” I take the phone with me and rush upstairs where he keeps his luggage in the closet. “It’s missing. Oh my God, he’s flying somewhere.”

  “Boot up his computer. If he were home, let’s hope he’d book a flight on his computer and not his phone.”

  I run back to the office and do as he says, entering Colton’s password. “I don’t see anything.”

  “Go to his history.”

  I scramble to click and finally find it. “There’s nothing that sticks out to me.”

  “Go to his recent files on his computer. What has he been doing?”

  “Okay.” I scroll to his documents and click on recent activity. I click on the first one and it’s a slideshow of pictures. “It’s a picture slideshow of…” I lean forward. “No way.”

  “What is it? Please don’t tell me if it’s naked pictures of the two of you. I don’t want that in my head.”

  “It’s a slideshow of all my success stories with SparkFinder. Pictures of them now, married or with kids. Each one thanking me. One of their kids is holding a sign that says, ‘Juno the Matchmaker—if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here.’”

  “Way to g
o, Colton,” Kingston whispers.

  “Oh, Kingston, they all look so happy and in love.”

  “And they found each other through you,” Kingston says. “Still doubting that whole matchmaking thing?”

  I click off the slideshow. “I need to find Colton right now. Where else do I look?”

  “Let me see if he’ll answer a call from me. I’ll call you back.”

  “Okay, I’m going now to drive around.”

  “Just sit and wait. Maybe he’ll return there.”

  “He took his suitcase. I’m going.”

  He blows out a breath. “Okay, I’ll call you if he answers.”

  “Thanks.”

  We hang up and I grab my keys, going back to my car and thinking I’ll drive to the airport. I press on the gas, and the streetlights pop on as the sky darkens. I try to call him again, but he doesn’t answer. I hit the highway toward Anchorage with so much anxiety, I can’t stop tapping my hand on the steering wheel.

  A while later, my phone finally rings and it’s Kingston. “Did he answer for you?”

  “Juno, can you come and get me?”

  “Where is he?” I ask.

  “Just come and get me and I’ll drive you to him.”

  “Kingston!” I yell.

  “He’s on his way up north to his parents’ cabin.”

  My stomach sinks to the floorboards. “Wait.” I pull over. “Did you talk to him?”

  There’s silence. “No, he didn’t answer, but Mrs. Stone did.”

  “And what did she say?” I can barely get the words out, afraid of the answer. Do they know how stupid I’ve been? That I’ve jeopardized my future with their son?

  “She said he called her and asked about the code. Told her he had to get away. Just come get me.”

  “Oh my God, King, she probably hates me.” I can’t get enough air in my lungs. It feels as if my throat is closing in. “I think I know my way there. If anyone asks, that’s where I am.”

  “Juno, I’m not letting you to drive up there by yourself when it’s almost dark. He’s let me use the place a few times. I can get you up there, and I’ll drive your car back. You can stay there and enjoy the makeup sex.”

  I cannot lose Colton because of my idiocy. I almost did once. I won’t let it happen this time. “No, I don’t have time to waste.”

  I click off and pull back on the interstate.

  Ten miles down the road, I skid to a stop before I can drive into the back of a semi-truck. Before I can breathe a sigh of relief, a car hits me from the back and I careen into the cement wall.

  Thirty-One

  Colton

  * * *

  My mom texts me to say that the keycode is the same as it was the last time I was at the family cabin up north. She follows up to ask whether Juno and I are going together. I can’t very well tell her Juno’s coming because she’ll see Juno around town. I have no choice but to tell her I need some time away and I’ll call her tomorrow after I settle in. Surprisingly, she doesn’t push me for more answers.

  I turn up my music and turn off my Bluetooth.

  My mind runs through the events since Juno and I got together. The last months, we’ve been happy. Juno was happy. I know she was. Sure, she didn’t want to move in yet and I knew we’d have to take the wedding planning slow… but to actually say no to my proposal? It feels like maybe I don’t know her anymore. Would she really throw all our happiness away because she’s scared something bad will happen?

  I understand losing her parents was hard on her. Hell, I understood why she constantly pushed away the possibility of us being more than friends. Her fear is real, and I respect that, but now I feel naïve that I thought she was over that fear.

  My foot presses on the gas, eager to disappear before the embarrassment of Buzz Wheel reporting that Juno broke my heart hits the internet.

  When a love song starts, I punch the button on the stereo, wanting anything other than a song that speaks to my feelings of heartbreak. Hell, I’ll take opera over that.

  I replay the conversation in my head, her words echoing in my ear. That she’s committed to me. That she’s happy living in limbo right now. And I think about how long it took to get her to admit her feelings for me in the first place. Maybe I am rushing her. Maybe I should’ve waited longer to propose. Let her get comfortable with us.

  How can I forget the one thing Liam told me on that hill that dreary day in Lake Starlight fifteen years ago? That we have to be there for them. I’ve stuck by that with my friendship with Juno. Tried to be there for all of them in any way I could.

  The day of Mr. and Mrs. Bailey’s funeral comes back to my mind. Juno at thirteen with no tears pouring down her face.

  Who am I kidding? She feels for me. Juno feels a lot. She just feels so deeply, it takes her time to come to terms with it.

  I pull off the interstate only to pull right back on going the opposite direction, heading back to Lake Starlight. We’ll figure this out, but we’ll do it together. Not by me leaving her.

  Miles away from Lake Starlight, traffic slows, and it isn’t until after I’ve crawled along for five miles that I find out why. There’s at least a fifty car pile-up in the northbound side. My hand instinctively goes for my phone to call Juno and let her know that I missed the accident and I’m okay—but then I realize she doesn’t even know I was on this highway.

  Traffic slows further as we creep past the blinking red and blue lights. The paramedics and firefighters run through the vehicles as smoke fills the air, metal sprinkled along the pavement. I notice a black truck parked close to the cement barrier on the other side.

  I swear it’s Kingston’s truck. Once I get closer, I see the firefighter sticker on the back and I’m sure it’s Kingston’s. Why would he come out to the accident if he weren’t on duty? Why else would his truck be here though? Maybe they needed to call more people in because of how many cars are involved?

  The guy behind me honks his horn, but I don’t care.

  Kingston is running in one direction, stopping and waving over a paramedic.

  I slam on my brakes, the guy behind me nearly rear-ending me. Instead of stopping, I pull off to the side of the road, park, and jump the barrier. Tell me that’s not Juno’s car. Please God, tell me that someone else has the same car. I run toward the car with my heart beating like a bass drum in my ears.

  “Juno!” I yell.

  Kingston looks up from talking to the driver and puts out his hands. “Colton, dude, you can’t be here.”

  “Yes, I can. Is it her? Is Juno in that car?” I try to go around him, but his hands are on my chest and he dodges every attempt. “Kingston.”

  He stops and nods. “She’s gotta go to the hospital to get checked out. Meet us there. I’ll keep you updated, okay?”

  “Bailey, what the hell?” one of his firefighter friends says. I think his name is Lou. I’ve met him a few times. “It’s your day off.”

  “It’s my sister.” He walks away from me, pointing at her car. “Her door is jammed.”

  “Shit. Okay.” Lou follows Kingston’s lead.

  With their attention away from me, I run over to her car. Juno’s head is bleeding, and her face is pale, but she’s breathing. She’s alive.

  Thank God.

  “Juno, are you okay?” I go to the door.

  “Colton, out of the way,” Kingston says, so I go around the car to the passenger side.

  Lou uses a crowbar to pry open the door.

  “I’m sorry. I never should’ve given you crap. If you don’t want to marry me, that’s fine. I’d rather just—”

  Juno shakes her head, tears spilling down her face. Lou gets the door open, and Kingston undoes her seat belt.

  “Slow, Juno,” he says. “Let’s wait for a stretcher.”

  She shakes her head. “I’m just a little shaken up. I’m fine.” As she says it, her head lazily goes in a circle and falls to the headrest.

  It’s good to have connections because a paramedic c
omes over, fist-bumps Kingston, and they put Juno on a stretcher right away.

  “Wait!” She tries to sit up. “I need my purse.”

  I snatch the purse and follow them to the ambulance. “I’m going with you.”

  “Your car?” Kingston points toward where I ditched my car.

  “Tow it. I’m not leaving her again.”

  Juno smiles at me as we climb into the ambulance, Kingston saying he’ll catch up with us.

  As the paramedics do her vitals and make sure her injuries aren’t worse, Juno points at her purse hanging off my arm. “Can I have that?”

  “No, I got it. Just worry about letting them check you out.” I grab her hand, thankful she’s here and alive and talking to me. Forget marriage, I can deal with cohabitation common law marriage. As soon as I get her to move in, that is.

  “Please, Colton, I need something.” I hand it to her, and she smiles at the paramedic. “I swear, I’m good.” She digs through her purse and hands me the ring box, tears in her eyes. “Ask me again.”

  “Juno,” I whisper and shake my head.

  “Ask me again.” She nudges the box closer to me.

  The paramedic smiles and stops working on her.

  “If this is because you thought I was leaving, then don’t. I’m not leaving. You’re stuck with me regardless of whether you’ll marry me or not.”

  She shakes her head. “No, I realized that I was an idiot and I was ruining our future because I was scared to lose you. But there’s no difference. I love you, and if something bad happens, just because I’m not your wife doesn’t mean my heartache would be less. I guess Grandma Dori is pretty damn wise. But don’t ever tell her I said that.”

  A small smile tilts my lips. “So?”

  She eyes the box in my hand. “Ask me again.”

  I remove the ring and hold it out. “Juno, will you—”

  “Yes! I’ll marry you!”

  I laugh. The paramedic laughs.

  Juno waves me over to her, where she wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me all over my face. “Forgive me for being so stupid?”