Page 7 of The Matchmaker Club

2

Unexpected Guest

The moment I pulled onto my street, Blush’s engine started to sputter.

“Oh, please, Blush, not now,” I begged. “We only have two miles ’til home.”

I gripped the steering wheel and turned as the car stalled and rolled to the side of the road. I shifted into park and banged my head against the steering wheel.

My grandmother warned me against getting this car. She said it was junk, but I fell in love the moment I laid eyes on her. She was a 1978 rusting, ugly green Chevy Nova, but after four years of my aunt and me putting work into her, she became blush pink and beautiful with an all-white interior. As for the parts that didn’t show—well, she needed a lot more work.

I looked up at the graying sky as small droplets started to splatter against the windshield.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

I squeezed my eyes shut, silently praying to the car gods before I turned over the ignition. Nothing. Probably the starter.

“You have rotten timing, girl.” I took out my keys and stuffed them into my jeans pocket. I grabbed the Matchmaker letter from my apron, folded it, and tucked it into the side of my bra cup. The rain started to come down a little harder, so I locked up Blush as fast I could and booked it down the road.

The drops were bigger and coming down faster by the time I had stopped running to catch my breath. I probably had another mile and a half to go. I decided to just accept my fate and walk the rest of the way.

My feet were drenched, and my sneakers kept riding up and down my heel through the slick wetness. I kicked them off and stuffed my socks inside of them. The road was still warm from the hot day and felt good under my bare feet. The smell of gardenias and pine wafted through the rain, reminding me that I was almost home.

Most of the land along this road belonged to our estate. Marlena had named it Cedar Gardens because of the old cedar tree that hovered by the creek in our back woods. She loved that tree, and under it was where she had first kissed the only boy she had ever loved.

I’d made that same mistake five years ago.

A car slowly pulled up beside me, and I shielded my eyes with my hand to get a better look. The window rolled down, and Mr. Intensity did what he did best: Stare.

Perfect. Exactly what I needed to top off this already lovely day.

“Would you like a ride?”

From you? No.

But I really didn’t feel like walking after being on my feet all day.

“Are you sure?” I asked. “I’ll get your nice Mercedes all wet.”

The side of his mouth curved up—almost to a smile, but not quite. “I can handle it.”

“You or the car?”

“Both.”

I folded my arms. “Are you hitting on me? Because if you are, I’m not interested.”

His attempt at a smile instantly turned into his usual scowl. “I’m only offering you shelter from the rain. Take it or leave it.”

“I’ll take it.” I opened the back door and slid inside. An overwhelming smell of leather and cigar tobacco filled my nose, but not the stale smell of smoke. The scent was more like a sweet cigar that hadn’t yet been lit. I liked it.

“Where to?” he asked.

“I live on this road, about a mile up.”

He looked into the review mirror at me, his brows scrunched together. “You live at Cedar Gardens?”

He already knew the name of our place? Geez, people in this town sure knew how to talk.