Page 13 of To Fall or Not to Fall

Chapter Nine

A va

“Ava, I just want to know how you went from having zero admirers to two men amorously fighting over you.”

Arabella grins at me as we get ready for the next matchmaking event. I just stare at her and don’t even deign to answer her because she’s being ridiculous.

“I want to know, as well,” Aria says, giggling as she pulls on her red plaid shirt. I watch as she puts her blonde hair into her ponytail and then applies some orange eyeshadow. She looks slightly ridiculous, but she still looks cute.

“Guys, I love you, but I do not have anyone fighting over me at all.” I fold my arms. “While, yes, I have a secret admirer because they put a love letter in Little Women for me, I don’t know who did it, and it’s not like they’ve approached me and told me they like me.

And no one’s asked me on a date. So, as far as I’m concerned, I’m still desperately single, and I have no one to take with me to the fall festival.

And Granny is calling me daily, asking if I’ve found anyone, and I want to delay Granny—” I pause.

“Anyway, we should get going. It’s about a fifteen- minute ride to the Cedar Hollow Pumpkin Patch, and we have to be there before everyone else so we can set up the couples on their one-on-one hayrides. ”

“I’ve got the caramel corn,” Arabella says, holding up a big plastic bag.

“And I’ve got name tags,” Aria adds.

“Yay.” I grin as we head outside to my car. “Anyway, what about you two? Are you crushing on anyone? Is there?—”

“We’re not talking about us,” Aria cuts in quickly. “I want all the details on what’s going on with Rupert and Theo.”

“Number one, I’m not even interested in Rupert.” I let out a deep sigh. “I mean, he’s cute enough, but he doesn’t set my heart on fire.”

“But what if he’s the one who left you the note? He certainly seemed to be hinting that it was him,” Aria says.

I shake my head. “I mean, that would be cool because it would mean, at some point, he’s done some research or listened to something I’ve said, but…

I think Theo’s cute. But he was really weird the last time I saw him, so I’m pretty confident he’s not interested in me.

And I don’t chase men that don’t want me. ”

“You are not chasing anyone,” Aria insists as we get into the car and pull off. “Just reach out to him?—”

“Nope.” I cut her off. “I’m not reaching out to anyone. Let’s concentrate on the evening. I want the hayrides to go magically. We have ten different couples coming, and then we will all get to go on the last hayride together.”

“Yay,” Arabella says.

“I mean, yay ,” she says again, more enthusiastically. “I am really happy we’re going to go on the hayride, but I would’ve much preferred it to be with someone handsome.”

“Are you telling us that we’re not handsome?” I tease, and we all burst out laughing.

We pull into the pumpkin patch, and I’m surprised to see that there are already three women there.

“Hey, Ava.”

“Hi, Sally. Hi, Patricia. Hi, Bridget.”

“We’re here early. We’re really excited to see who you matched us up with. I really hope that you matched me up with Michael,” Bridget says.

I just give her a small smile. “You’ll see.”

We wave to the girls and then continue toward one of the big barns. That’s where I see Old Man Johnson. He’s got a rake in his hand and a frown on his face.

“Hello, Ava,” he says. “How did I let you convince me to do this again?”

“Because we’re paying you, and because you believe in love in the fall season.”

“Hmph.” He drops his rake to the ground. “Let me get the horses ready. You girls said you wanted to put up some decorations?”

“We just wanted to put some pumpkins and stuff to make it festive.” I pause, realizing I’m not really making sense, but I’m having a hard time concentrating with him looking so grumpy. “Are you and your son still going to be the ones pulling the carts around the farm?”

“Yeah. Cody will be here. I believe Jackson and Dave are running a little late, but they’ll be here, as well, so we’ll have four hayrides going at the same time.

We’ll let them walk around the pumpkin patch to choose pumpkins, and then we’ll bring them back.

” He actually smiles. “Twenty dollars a pumpkin. I hope they know that.”

“Yes, Mr. Johnson,” I say, though I glance at Arabella and frown. He had initially said ten dollars, but I wasn’t about to argue with him.

“Do you want me to start fetching the pumpkin lights from the car?” Arabella asks. “I can string them right here.”

“There is no outlet there,” Mr. Johnson points out.

“They’re battery operated, so it doesn’t matter.”

He nods. “I’ll be back.”

We watch as he walks away, and then the three of us just stare at each other and shake our heads.

“I don’t want to be rude, but do you smell that?” Aria sniffs.

“Well, I don’t know if that’s a cow patty or horse manure,” I say, “but yeah, it doesn’t smell great.”

“I don’t suppose you brought potpourri?” Arabella asks.

I just stare at her.

“Okay, maybe you didn’t bring potpourri. Who brings potpourri to a farm? I thought it would be smelling like roses and?—”

I pause. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. People are here to fall in love, and fall in love they will. They’re not even going to be by the stables for very long, as they’ll be on the hayride…”

“True,” Ava says, and then her eyes widen. “Guess who just got here?”

“Theo,” I blurt out without thinking.

But my heart drops slightly when I see Rupert.

“Oh, so you totally like Theo more than Rupert,” Aria says.

I put my fingers to my lips to shush her. “Oh my gosh. Don’t be so loud. What if he is my secret admirer?”

“So you do admit there’s a possibility?”

“Yes, I admit there’s a possibility. I mean, he may want me, but I don’t want him. There. I said it.” I blush.

“But what if Theo doesn’t want you?” Arabella presses. “Would you give Rupert a chance then?”

“I’d rather remain single.” I shake my head. “Rupert is nice and all, but he is just not my type. I would rather have no date at the fall festival than go with him.”

I hate to be honest, but?—

“Ava, there you are.”

I take a deep breath and head toward Rupert. “Hey, so good to see you. I wasn’t sure you were going to show up.” I lick my lips nervously. I don’t want him to think that I was wanting to see him, but I also don’t want to be rude.

“I’m not sure if we have a match for you because you didn’t sign up and?—“

“Don’t worry about that. I think I’m staring at her right now,” he says with a wink and my brain processes what he’s just said in slow motion.

My face blanches, and my stomach twists. Please do not be making a move on me right now. Please do not be making a move on me right now.

“I’m not sure I understand,” I say slowly.

“Hey, Aria, Arabella, this way, please!” I call to my friends. I need them to come and rescue me. I need them to get here ASAP so that I’m not stuck with Rupert.

“Huh?” Aria frowns. “I was?—”

“Come on, girls, over here!” I insist.

They must understand that I am not playing, because both of them run over to me.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

“I was just thinking that we should start organizing people, as they’re starting to arrive, and we want this to go smoothly. And Rupert here… well, he wants to join, but he doesn’t have a date. And I’m just trying to think if there’s someone that we think may be better matched to him.”

“I think a certain brunette with curly hair and big brown eyes who owns a bookstore,” he says smoothly.

And I swallow hard.

“Someone I’d love to whisk away to Antarctica or?—"

“Oh, hold on a minute. I need to check something.”

I immediately run back toward the barn and pretend I’m looking for something. I can’t deal with this. I don’t want to turn Rupert down. I don’t want to be mean. But he’s coming on too strong and doesn’t seem to be getting the hint.

I grab my phone, read a couple of articles, and then head back, hoping that he’s gotten into a conversation with someone else. But he’s standing there, looking eager—and as annoying—as possible. As soon as he sees me, he heads straight toward me.

That’s when Old Man Johnson pulls up with the first cart.

“Howdy, everyone. I’m George Johnson. I’m the farmer here at Cedar Hollow Pumpkin Patch. I’m going to take the first set of couples on the hayride to the pumpkin field, where you can pick your own pumpkins—twenty-five dollars a pumpkin?—“

“What?” I frown. Had the price just gone up?

“Twenty-five dollars for organic pumpkins that I know you can make some sweet, delicious pumpkin pie with. And Ava, I know you can make you some pumpkin spice lattes that will have the customers lining up.”

“I don’t use real pumpkins in my drinks.” I mumble, but I know not to make it a thing because the last thing I need is for him to cancel the entire event. “But maybe one day.”

He grins. “Will the first couples come on down? You’re the next contestant on the—” He starts laughing, which is so uncharacteristic that I think I’ve somehow been transported to the Twilight Zone.

I just look at him and wait for him to start bitching and moaning, but he actually has a smile on his face.

I glance over at Aria and Arabella, who both have confused expressions on their faces, and I know I’m not crazy.

“Did he just smoke crack or something?” Aria whispers to me. “He was just a grump like ten minutes ago. Now he’s acting like he’s the happiest he’s ever been in his life.”

“Probably because he’s thinking about all the money he’s going to make,” I mutter, shaking my head. I walk up to him and say, “Mr. Johnson, people haven’t been matched up yet, so let’s wait for everyone to arrive, and then we’ll send the first four couples over to you, okay?”

“All right, then,” he says. His expression changes slightly, and I watch him walk back to the cart.

I look over at Arabella, and she just smiles at me. I head back to the group to welcome the newcomers.

“Hi, everyone.”