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Every nerve ending is on fire throughout my body. I’ve done a lot of daydreaming, pretending I would know what this moment was like if it ever happened to me, but this is far surpassing every expectation. The guy knows how to kiss and I am here for it.

When we finally pull back for air, I lean forward, resting my forehead on his chest.

“Are you okay?” Trey asks, using his pointer finger to gently tilt my chin up.

“More than okay,” I say. “I can’t believe you did all this for me.” I wave to the hundreds of lights and grin.

“Well, your dad helped. I owe him, which means I’ll be your assistant when you work at his house.”

I laugh and nod. “Sounds just like Dad.” There’s a banging on the doors and I turn to see the camera crew still locked outside. “Should we let them in?”

Trey leans down and gives me a kiss. “Do we have to?”

“I’m pretty sure they have to film some of this. But once they get everything put together, it should help the matchmaking company out, right? I mean, I was cursed before.”

“Not cursed, just waiting for your happily ever after. Or your one day at a time kind of happy?”

I laugh and nod. “I think we both deserve the happily ever after.”

EPILOGUE

Kenzie

If someone had asked if I thought I’d be part of a “Where are they now?” episode, I would’ve laughed hysterically. And yet here I am, checking every bit of the makeup the people are applying to my face so I avoid looking like a blowfish again.

Trey and I have been dating for the past six months and several items have been checked off my lists. We got his house organized and the pictures from it look so good on the website. He also helped me get my dad’s house cleaned. Having tickets to every game and being able to cheer him on, even giving him encouragement when he’s had a rough game, is a dream come true. He even worked it so I could be the person behind the net who pushes the button when there’s a goal. Another bucket list item unlocked.

Dad has been going to therapy for his hoarding problems and aside from a quick cleanup every week when I check in, he’s been able to keep things low maintenance and clean. He’s even talked about meeting up with Sherry a few times. I hope they get back together. She’s always been good for him.

“Can you believe we’re here?” Trey says, leaning over to kiss me once the makeup ladies step back.

“No, definitely not. Are there any swelling parts of my face?”

Trey takes a quick look and shakes his head. “I think we’re all clear on that front.”

Samantha Jordan walks in with her still semi-fake smile. “Okay, we’re ready to get started. We have a few questions for the two of you. There will be a video montage of the footage we have of you both. I guess people go for that kind of thing,” she says drily.

Trey and I lock eyes for a moment and I know he’s thinking the same thing I am. If it wasn’t for our relationship with Meg, we would’ve turned down this offer.

“Action,” one of the camera crew says, and I wonder if they got sent to the wrong set. There isn’t a whole lot of action here.

“When did you know that you would be matched with Kenzie?” she asks Trey.

“The night before the final date.”

A video of the last date comes up and I sit there watching it for a few moments, getting a bit emotional about the whole thing.

“Explain what we just saw,” Samantha says. For once she’s looking at me.

“Well, I was told my date would meet me at the rink and was surprised to find Trey was my match.”

“I take it the two of you are for matchmaking then?”

It’s a question we’ve asked ourselves a few times over the months. Would we have gotten together if we hadn’t been forced on so many strange dates and just hung out in the friend groups? I’m not sure I could’ve broken myself out of the friend zone.

“I do,” I say, nodding. Samantha gasps and I turn to see what she’s seeing.

Trey is down on one knee. “Can you save that answer for a later date? Like the day you marry me, MacKenzie Sullivan?” He holds out a ring that’s simple and just my style.

“Smooth,” I say under my breath. The guy was terrified of cameras and here he is proposing with too many of them on us to count.

“We’ll laugh until the day we die. We’ll have takeout in our comfies and not fall through the couch cushion. Also, I’d say we should avoid any unnecessary swelling of the face. Swimming in a pond is also not ideal. But I’m okay to kiss you and take care of you in all those situations.”

The grin on my face probably makes me look like a clown, but this is happiness, pure and simple. Finding joy in the daily life and making our own story.

“I would love to marry you, Treydon Hatch.” I pull him up and give him a kiss even Samantha comments on.

In a million years, I didn’t think I would be in this position. But sometimes you have to take a chance with your athlete boss.