Matchmaker Mayhem
Chapter 28: The Karaoke Disaster

Chapter 28: The Karaoke Disaster

The private karaoke room at SingStar Lounge was a sensory overload. Neon lights blinked erratically, throwing the room into a disorienting mix of purples, blues, and greens. A half-functional disco ball spun lazily from the ceiling, casting fragmented reflections onto the group of Ava’s clients—who, fueled by alcohol and a misguided sense of confidence, had decided that their rendition of Shallow from A Star Is Born was the perfect way to showcase their "bond."

Harper, holding the microphone like it was a magic wand, belted out the lyrics with so much conviction that Ava almost admired her bravery. Dan, her fiancé, leaned into the chorus with gusto but absolutely no sense of pitch. Together, they sounded like a duet between a dying cat and a car alarm.

Ava grimaced as the microphone crackled with feedback. She clutched her soda like it was a flotation device in a sea of chaos. "How did I let this happen?" she muttered to no one in particular.

Kelly, sprawled across the plush couch with a margarita in hand, didn’t even bother looking up. "It was your idea."

"No, it wasn’t," Ava snapped. "It was my idea to celebrate Harper and Dan’s successful match. Quietly. At a nice restaurant. With wine and polite conversation. Not this!"

Kelly sipped her drink and shrugged. "Well, that’s on you. You work with extroverts. They see a microphone, and it’s game over."

Ava sank further into her seat, glaring at the blinking karaoke screen that kept taunting her with its cheerful Your Turn! messages. The smell of stale popcorn and beer filled the air, mixing unpleasantly with the artificial lemon scent of a cleaning spray that clearly wasn’t doing its job.

Across the room, Ryan lounged at a table with his signature mix of smugness and charm, a beer in one hand and a plate of chicken wings in the other. He looked far too comfortable for someone surrounded by this level of chaos.

Their eyes met, and, of course, he smirked.

"You know what this night’s missing?" Ryan said, strolling over and plopping down next to her with the kind of casual confidence that made Ava want to smack the beer out of his hand.

"An exit strategy?" Ava deadpanned, taking a sip of her soda.

Ryan ignored her. "A duet. You and me. Think of it as team building."

Ava stared at him like he’d just suggested they wrestle a live alligator. "You want me to sing? In front of people?"

Ryan’s grin widened. "You say that like it’s worse than the turkey incident."

"It is worse," Ava shot back. "At least the turkey didn’t judge me."

Ryan leaned back, looking entirely too amused. "I don’t know. That turkey was pretty judgmental."

---

Before Ava could deliver a scathing retort, Ryan stood and grabbed a microphone. "Alright, folks!" he called out, his voice cutting through the room like a ringmaster at a circus. "Ava and I are about to bless your ears with a classic. Prepare to be amazed!"

The room erupted into cheers and laughter. Kelly raised her margarita and shouted, "Finally, some entertainment!"

"Ryan," Ava hissed, scrambling to her feet and grabbing his arm. "What are you doing?"

"Helping you loosen up," Ryan replied, scrolling through the karaoke song list on the touch screen. His eyes lit up as he made his selection.

Ava glanced at the screen and groaned. "I Got You Babe? Really?"

"It’s a crowd-pleaser," Ryan said, handing her the second microphone. "And you can’t back out now. The people demand it."

"The people demand snacks," Ava muttered. "Not this."

But the room was already chanting, "Ava! Ava! Ava!"

Kelly leaned over from her spot on the couch, her margarita sloshing dangerously close to the edge of the glass. "You’ve got this, boss! Embrace the chaos!"

Ava sighed, resigning herself to her fate. "This is a terrible idea."

"Most of the best ideas are," Ryan said, his grin infuriatingly charming. "Now come on. Don’t leave me hanging."

---

The opening chords of I Got You Babe filled the room, and Ava wanted to crawl under the nearest table. But Ryan, as always, leaned into the moment with zero shame.

He launched into the first verse with so much dramatic flair that the crowd immediately burst into laughter and applause. He was half-singing, half-performing, gesturing toward Ava like they were the stars of a Broadway musical.

When it was Ava’s turn, she hesitated for a moment, her grip on the microphone tightening. But the cheers from the crowd—and Ryan’s exaggerated hand motions urging her on—pushed her forward.

She sang, her voice surprisingly decent but far from polished. The room erupted into more cheers, and Ava felt a small spark of confidence.

By the time they reached the chorus, Ava had loosened up enough to throw in some playful gestures of her own. She wagged her finger at Ryan during the lyrics, rolled her eyes dramatically, and even twirled the microphone like a pop star.

Ryan, not to be outdone, grabbed her hand during the instrumental break and spun her around with so much force that she nearly collided with a table.

"You’re a menace," Ava said, laughing breathlessly as she steadied herself.

"And you love it," Ryan shot back, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

For a brief moment, Ava forgot about the chaos of the room. It was just the two of them, laughing, singing, and bantering like they were the only people who existed.

---

As the song neared its end, Ryan stepped closer, his voice lowering as he sang the final line: "I got you, babe."

Ava froze, her heart thudding in her chest. The playful energy between them shifted into something heavier, more intimate.

The room seemed to blur around the edges, the flashing neon lights dimming in her peripheral vision. All she could see was Ryan, standing impossibly close, his smirk replaced by something softer. His eyes locked on hers, steady and searching.

Time slowed. Ava could barely breathe. For one terrifying, exhilarating moment, she thought he might kiss her.

And worse—she thought she might let him.

But then the applause broke the spell, and reality came crashing back.

Ava stepped back abruptly, her cheeks burning. "Well," she said, clearing her throat, "that was... fun. But I think I’ll leave the singing to the professionals."

Ryan tilted his head, his expression unreadable. "Professional boundaries?" he asked, his voice low enough that only she could hear.

"Exactly," Ava said quickly, clutching her microphone like a shield.

Ryan’s smirk returned, but his eyes still held that unspoken question. "If you say so."

---

Before Ava could escape, Harper and Dan rushed over, their faces flushed with excitement.

"That was amazing!" Harper gushed. "You two have such great chemistry!"

Dan nodded eagerly. "You should totally do another song. Maybe a love ballad this time!"

"Pass," Ava said, her voice higher than usual. "One performance is more than enough."

Kelly wandered over, holding a fresh margarita and looking far too amused. "What’s wrong, boss? Scared you’ll become the next karaoke star?"

Ava glared at her. "Don’t you have tequila to spill?"

Kelly smirked, her gaze flicking between Ava and Ryan. "That almost-kiss was straight out of a rom-com. Very When Harry Met Sally."

"It wasn’t an almost-kiss," Ava snapped. "We were singing."

Kelly raised an eyebrow. "Sure. Whatever you say, boss."

The crisp night air outside SingStar Lounge was a welcome relief from the chaos inside. The muffled sound of someone attempting Adele’s Rolling in the Deep filtered through the bar’s thick walls, accompanied by a crowd that was either cheering or begging the singer to stop—it was hard to tell.

Ava crossed her arms and leaned against the brick wall, staring down the street in a desperate attempt to ground herself. She could still feel the warmth of Ryan standing too close during their duet. The way his eyes had locked on hers, the soft teasing edge to his voice when he sang that last line—it was too much.

Behind her, the door swung open, and Ryan stepped out, his jacket slung over one shoulder and a smirk firmly in place.

"You left without saying goodbye," he said, strolling toward her with that infuriating mix of casual charm and complete lack of personal space.

Ava sighed, pulling her jacket tighter around her. "Goodbye."

Ryan ignored the brush-off, leaning against the wall next to her. "You didn’t answer my question."

"What question?" Ava asked, not looking at him.

Ryan tilted his head, studying her. "Are we pretending nothing happened, or are you just avoiding it because it scared you?"

Ava scoffed, finally turning to face him. "Scared me? Of what? Your off-key rendition of Sonny Bono? Trust me, I’m fine."

Ryan grinned, clearly enjoying her flustered tone. "First of all, I was on key. Second, you weren’t exactly terrible yourself. Admit it, Ava—you had fun."

She rolled her eyes. "You’re insufferable."

"I’ll take that as a yes," Ryan said, his smirk widening. "But seriously, that wasn’t just karaoke. Something was happening in there. You can deny it all you want, but—"

"Ryan," Ava interrupted, holding up a hand. "We sang a cheesy song. That’s it. End of story."

Ryan stepped closer, his voice dropping just slightly. "If it was just a song, then why are you blushing?"

"I’m not blushing," Ava said quickly, though her cheeks betrayed her by turning an unmistakable shade of pink.

Ryan chuckled. "Right. Must be the cold night air."

---

Before Ava could come up with a snarky reply, the door to the karaoke bar opened again, and Kelly stumbled out, margarita in hand. She took one look at Ava and Ryan standing close together and immediately grinned like a kid who’d caught their parents sneaking cookies before dinner.

"Ohhh, what’s this?" Kelly said, swaying slightly as she pointed at the two of them. "Am I interrupting a moment?"

"No," Ava said quickly, stepping back.

"Yes," Ryan said at the same time, his smirk growing even more insufferable.

Kelly gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to her chest. "I knew it! The duet wasn’t just a duet—it was a declaration! A confession! A—"

"Kelly, go home," Ava snapped, her tone sharp enough to cut glass.

Kelly ignored her, now leaning heavily on the brick wall for support. "You guys have to do another duet next time. Something more romantic. Like Endless Love or Islands in the Stream."

"Yeah, Ava," Ryan teased, his tone light but his eyes still holding that quiet intensity. "What do you think? Another duet?"

"I think you’re both ridiculous," Ava muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Kelly, stop encouraging him."

"Encouraging true love?" Kelly said, batting her lashes dramatically. "Never!"

"Go home, Kelly," Ava said again, this time more firmly.

"Fine," Kelly said with a pout, shuffling toward the curb to hail a cab. But before she left, she turned back to Ryan and stage-whispered, "Don’t let her push you away. She secretly likes you."

"Kelly!" Ava practically shouted, her face now the color of a ripe tomato.

Kelly winked and disappeared into the night, leaving Ava and Ryan in an even more awkward silence.

---

Ryan didn’t waste a second. "So, you secretly like me, huh?"

Ava groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I’m going to kill her."

Ryan chuckled. "She’s not wrong, you know."

"Wrong about what?" Ava asked, her voice muffled behind her hands.

"That you’re pushing me away because you’re scared," Ryan said simply.

Ava dropped her hands and glared at him. "I’m not scared. And for the last time, there’s nothing between us."

Ryan tilted his head, his expression softening. "Ava, you’re great at lying to clients. But you’re terrible at lying to me."

She opened her mouth to retort, but nothing came out. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them thick enough to cut with a knife.

Finally, Ryan stepped back, his usual grin replaced by something quieter. "Fine. Deny it all you want. But I’m not going anywhere."

Ava blinked. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Ryan shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It means I’m patient. You’ll figure it out eventually."

And with that, he turned and walked off into the night, leaving Ava standing there with her thoughts spinning like a carousel stuck on hyperdrive.

---

Later that night, Ava sat in her apartment, staring blankly at her laptop screen. She’d intended to catch up on work—organizing profiles, brainstorming new client events—but her mind kept drifting back to Ryan.

His words replayed in her head, soft and persistent. "You’re pushing me away because you’re scared."

Was she?

Ava groaned and flopped back onto her couch, glaring at the ceiling like it was responsible for her problems. "This is ridiculous," she muttered.

Her phone buzzed on the coffee table. She grabbed it, half-expecting another margarita-fueled text from Kelly. Instead, it was from Ryan.

Ryan: "Let me guess. You’re sitting on your couch, overthinking everything."

Ava stared at the screen, her heart doing an annoying little flip.

Ava: "I’m not overthinking. I’m working."

Ryan: "Liar."

Ava rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

Ryan: "Don’t stay up all night convincing yourself I’m wrong. You’ll need the energy to fight me off tomorrow."

Ava: "Fight you off?"

Ryan: "You’ll see. Goodnight, Ava."

Ava stared at the screen for a long moment before setting her phone down. She told herself she was frustrated—annoyed, even—but deep down, a tiny voice whispered something else.

She wasn’t scared of Ryan. She was scared of how much she didn’t want to fight him off.