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R eginald Montgomery sat in an armchair, though when Ellie entered the room, he stood with a smile. Mike sat off to the side, involved with his phone and affording them some semblance of privacy.

“Thank you for sitting down with me,” he offered as they both got comfortable.

She smiled nervously. “Of course. Though I admit this is all new to me, this idea of being matched.”

“What made you decide to be a candidate?” His blue eyes sparked with interest as he assessed her. “Especially over here, stateside?”

“I’m not a candidate in the same way as those other women. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” she hurried to add.

He smiled reassuringly at her. “Of course not. How, exactly, are you different, then?”

She fumbled for the words, but Mike spoke up from the corner. “She’s one of Celtic Connection’s clients, Reginald, from our UK office. She’s not from the matching pool.”

His interest, if possible, grew. “So you live in England? ”

“I do. But technically, I’m an American by birth. I hold dual citizenship.”

He grinned. “Exactly opposite of me. I am British by birth, but live in America. Well, for half the year, anyway. But I also hold dual citizenship.”

She smiled a bit at that. “I moved to England when I was about 7. How long have you lived in the States?”

“Since I graduated Cambridge with my PhD. I started my own software company, so California was the logical place to go. The Silicon Valley has an immense talent pool.”

“I’ve never been to California.”

“You should visit sometime. There’s so much to do, from going to the theater in San Francisco, to stargazing in the middle of the desert, to sunbathing on the beach.”

Ellie smiled. “While we do have the theater in London, I believe it’s missing the desert and beach.”

He laughed, the sound a rich wave of delight. “London has its charms, certainly. There’s a wonderful little restaurant near Piccadilly that I always try to get to when I’m in town. Perhaps you’ve been?”

When she realized that she had indeed been to the restaurant, they began trading their favorite things about the city, and the half hour flew by.

“Eleanor, your time is up.”

Colin stood rigidly at the doorway, frowning at them.

“Oh.” She rose, and he rose along with her. She gave Reginald a smile. “Thank you for the scintillating conversation. It was truly lovely to meet you.”

“You, as well. I look forward to getting better acquainted. Perhaps we ought to try a new restaurant together?”

She ignored the burning sensation of Colin’s eyes on her and gave a quick nod. “I’d like that.”

He gave her a little bow, and she inclined her head. “Good night. ”

Colin ushered her through the door and then quickly walked towards the exit.

“Wait,” she huffed. “Colin, you’re walking too fast!”

He slowed but didn’t look at her. “You two looked like you hit it off.” His voice was peevish, and she furrowed her brow at him.

“You sound angry about that.”

“Nope. I’m thrilled. Saves me a lot of time trying to find either of you a match.”

Taken aback by his brusque tone, she frowned at him. “Isn’t that what you wanted?” she replied irritably, his bad mood rubbing off on her. “Think. You could knock off two difficult clients at once. How lovely for your company.”

“It would certainly make it easier to get more clients overseas if the two of you got married. A bookshop owner marrying into the upper crust. It’s one for the books.”

She glared at him. “I don’t know why you’re angry at me for doing exactly as you asked, but I do know that I’m done with this conversation.”

“Good,” he replied tersely.

“Good,” she muttered.

They remained silent throughout the car ride back to Colin’s house.

“I’m sorry.”

Ellie shrugged and looked into her coffee mug. All night, she tossed and turned, alternately angry and confused about why Colin took his bad mood out on her.

He asked her to go to the stupid party.

He asked her to give Reginald a chance.

She did exactly that, and he was upset that Reginald showed interest in her?

She was surprised herself, but she assumed Reginald chose her as one of his three because they shared a common heritage.

They had a nice conversation, but Ellie doubted it would go any further than that.

He seemed charmed by her, but he could’ve been that way with the other women.

And she found him interesting, but not nearly as interesting as the man who stood in front of her now, looking chagrined.

She knew he looked chagrined, as she chanced a glance over the rim of her mug. He was staring at her intently.

“I was…unreasonable last night. I’m sorry that I took my grumpiness out on you.”

“Thank you.” She swallowed more of her coffee and wished he’d go away. She didn’t want to fight with him, but she didn’t want to be around him, either. She needed a clear head. “I thought to explore Faneuil Hall today, so I’m heading out. I’ll see you when you get home from the office, then?”

He gave her a small smile. “Not today. I thought I might show you the city a bit.” At her momentary freeze, he added, “That was the deal. You go to the mixer, and I show you the city. Remember?”

She remembered. She just didn’t think he wanted to be in her presence any more than she wanted to be in his.

“Please forgive me, Ellie. It won’t happen again. I don’t know what came over me, but I don’t want to fight with you. Especially over things that have nothing to do with you.”

She sighed and finally met his earnest eyes. She gave him a small smile. “All right, you’re forgiven.”

He blew out a big breath and smiled fully. “Then let’s have some fun. Faneuil Hall? Or a duck tour?”

“A what?”

“A duck tour. They’re these World War II amphibious vehicles that take you around the city on land and in the harbor. You’ll learn all sorts of stuff and see a lot, but the most fun is when you quack at the people on the street.”

Ellie raised her eyebrows at him. “Quack at people?”

“Yep. It’s fun. ”

“I think I want to see Faneuil Hall, thank you.”

He grinned at her. “We can do both. It’s not a huge city.”

And that’s how, a mere two hours later, she found herself with a pair of ridiculous yellow duck lips attached to a cord around her neck.

Within just a few minutes of the tour starting, she and Colin both enthusiastically blew into their duck bills to produce a loud quack at random people they passed on the street.

“My quack is louder than your quack.”

Ellie gasped. “It most certainly is not! Mine is far superior in both volume and quality.”

Colin gave her a mock once-over. “That sounds suspiciously like a dare, Miss Carberry.”

In response, she placed the duck bill at her lips and quacked in his face with all her might.

He stared at her for a few seconds, shocked, then burst into laughter. She followed helplessly with her own, and thus began the quest for the best quack.

After the hour and a half tour (in which Colin reluctantly accepted defeat), they headed to the Boston Tea Party Ships if they found anything online, it’ll be to a dummy address in Medford.”

“Is that a town near here?”

“A city, more like, and close enough to be believable. We’re going to the Celtic Connections office.”

She nodded, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

He immediately unbelted himself and slid closer to her. “Ellie, don’t cry. It’ll be all right.”