Matchmaker Mayhem
Chapter 71: Mei’s Paris Announcement

Chapter 71: Mei’s Paris Announcement

The tea shop was unusually quiet, the kind of quiet that felt suspicious when Mei was around. Ava sat at the counter, sorting through client profiles with a sense of accomplishment for the first time in weeks. The chaos of the convention was behind them. Ethan had been dealt with (for now), Julian had slunk away in algorithmic defeat, and she and Ryan had finally acknowledged what was simmering between them.

Ava glanced up at Ryan, who was leaning against the counter, sipping a cup of Earl Grey and casually scrolling through his phone. Every so often, he’d glance at her, flash her a small, knowing smile, and go back to whatever he was reading. It was... nice. Comfortable.

Too comfortable, she realized. Mei’s silence usually meant something was brewing.

The bell above the door jingled, and Ava braced herself. Sure enough, Mei swept into the shop, her floral scarf trailing dramatically behind her. Harold followed with a box of pastries, looking pleased as always.

"Oh no," Ava muttered under her breath, setting down her papers.

"What’s that?" Ryan asked, glancing up.

"Mei’s got that look," Ava said, narrowing her eyes at her grandmother.

"What look?"

"The ’I’m-about-to-change-your-entire-life’ look."

Ryan grinned. "Should I get popcorn?"

"Don’t encourage her," Ava hissed, just as Mei reached the counter, her smile radiant and far too mischievous.

"Good morning, my dears!" Mei chirped, setting her oversized handbag on the counter. "I hope you’re well-rested because I have some news."

"Mei," Ava said slowly, crossing her arms. "We just got back from New York. Please don’t tell me you’re planning another ’adventure.’"

"Adventure?" Mei repeated, feigning innocence. "Oh no, this isn’t an adventure. This is an opportunity."

Ryan leaned closer to Ava, whispering, "Popcorn. Definitely popcorn."

Ava elbowed him but kept her eyes on Mei. "Just get to the point, Grandma. What are you plotting now?"

Mei reached into her bag, her movements slow and deliberate, building suspense like a magician about to reveal their biggest trick. She pulled out a crisp white envelope with bold, gold lettering across the front: "For Paris Only."

Ava blinked, dread pooling in her stomach. "What is that?"

"An invitation," Mei said, placing the envelope in front of Ava.

"Invitation to what?" Ava asked, not touching it.

"To your next challenge," Mei said, her grin widening.

Ava groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Grandma, we just finished the last challenge. Can’t we have, I don’t know, a week of peace?"

"Peace is overrated," Mei said breezily, waving a hand. "Besides, this isn’t just any challenge. This is Paris."

Ryan choked on his tea. "Paris?"

"Yes, Paris," Mei said, her eyes sparkling. "The City of Love, the capital of romance, the birthplace of—"

"Please stop," Ava interrupted, finally picking up the envelope. "What exactly are you signing me up for now?"

"An international matchmaking event," Mei said, clasping her hands together. "Hosted by L’Amour Élite, the most prestigious matchmaking agency in the world. It’s a chance to showcase your skills on a global stage."

Ava stared at the envelope, her fingers hovering over the edge. "Why do I feel like this is going to be a nightmare?"

"Because it probably will be," Ryan said, leaning on the counter beside her. "But at least it’ll be a scenic nightmare."

Ava shot him a look. "You’re not helping."

"I’m just saying, if we have to face chaos, we might as well do it with croissants," Ryan said, smirking.

Mei ignored them both, continuing with her pitch. "It’s not just a competition. It’s an opportunity to work with the best matchmakers in the world, to learn from their techniques, and to—"

"Grandma," Ava interrupted, holding up a hand. "What’s the catch?"

Mei blinked innocently. "Catch? Whatever do you mean?"

"There’s always a catch with you," Ava said, narrowing her eyes.

"Well..." Mei trailed off, pretending to examine her nails. "It’s a team competition. So, of course, you’ll need a partner."

Ava groaned. "Let me guess. Ryan’s already signed up."

"Of course," Mei said brightly. "You two make such a good team. And besides, he’s the only one who can handle your... quirks."

"I don’t have quirks," Ava muttered.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "You alphabetize your tea tins by flavor and color."

"That’s called organization," Ava said defensively.

Ryan grinned. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Matchmaker."

Ava ignored him, turning back to Mei. "What exactly does this ’competition’ involve?"

"Challenges, galas, networking events, and, of course, live matchmaking," Mei said, ticking off each item on her fingers. "It’s all very glamorous."

"Glamorous," Ava repeated flatly.

"And competitive," Mei added, her smile turning sly. "You’ll be up against some of the best matchmakers in the world, including L’Amour Élite’s own team."

Ava’s stomach sank. "Great. More algorithms and psychics."

"Oh no," Mei said, shaking her head. "This is Paris, darling. Think artists, poets, and hopeless romantics. It’s a completely different game."

Ryan leaned closer to Ava, his voice low. "Sounds like fun."

"Define ’fun,’" Ava muttered, glaring at the envelope.

Mei patted her shoulder. "You’ll do wonderfully, dear. And if you don’t, well... there’s always wine."

---

That evening, after Mei and Harold had left the tea shop, Ava and Ryan lingered, the quiet settling around them like a blanket. The envelope Mei had presented earlier sat between them on the counter, its bold, gold lettering catching the dim light of the shop’s hanging lamps. For once, there were no interruptions, no schemes, just the two of them and the weight of a decision that could change everything.

Ava leaned back in her chair, her arms crossed as she stared at the unopened invitation. "You know, she does this on purpose."

Ryan, sitting across from her with his legs stretched out and crossed at the ankles, gave her a teasing smile. "You think?"

Ava shot him a look, but her lips twitched despite herself. "Of course she does. Mei doesn’t believe in ’peace.’ She thrives on chaos."

"Can’t argue with that," Ryan said, reaching for his mug of tea. "But you’ve got to admit, she’s got a knack for knowing what you need before you do."

Ava groaned, leaning forward and resting her forehead on the counter. "Please don’t agree with her. She’s impossible to deal with when she knows she’s right."

"Maybe," Ryan said, setting his mug down and leaning closer, his voice softening. "But she’s not wrong about this."

Ava lifted her head, her brow furrowing. "About what?"

Ryan gestured toward the envelope. "Paris. The competition. The chance to take what you’ve built and show it to the world. I mean, come on, Matchmaker Extraordinaire—this is your thing."

"Is it?" Ava asked, her voice quieter now. "Or is it just another one of Mei’s grand ideas that ends in chaos and disaster?"

Ryan tilted his head, studying her. "You really think the New York convention was a disaster?"

Ava hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve. "Not exactly. But it wasn’t easy either. And Mei doesn’t exactly give you time to breathe between ’adventures.’"

Ryan leaned back, a small smile playing on his lips. "You know what I think?"

"Do I want to know?" Ava asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I think you’re scared," Ryan said simply.

Ava straightened, her eyes narrowing further. "Excuse me?"

Ryan held up his hands in mock surrender, but his gaze remained steady. "Not in a bad way. It’s just... you’ve done the hard part. You proved yourself, Ava. You went up against algorithms, psychics, and egos bigger than this shop, and you crushed it. But now you’re worried about what happens if you take it to the next level."

Ava’s shoulders sagged slightly, her defenses softening. "Maybe I am. It’s just... Paris, Ryan. It’s huge. Bigger than anything I’ve done before. What if I mess it up?"

Ryan reached across the counter, his hand brushing hers. His touch was warm, steady, grounding. "Then you mess it up. But I don’t think you will. And even if you do, we’ll figure it out. Together."

Ava looked down at their hands, her heart doing that annoying flip-flop thing she was starting to get used to. "You make it sound so simple."

"It is simple," Ryan said, his voice firm but kind. "You’re overthinking it, as usual."

Ava huffed a laugh, shaking her head. "You’re insufferable."

"And yet, you keep me around," Ryan teased, giving her hand a small squeeze before pulling back. "So, what’s it going to be? Are we going to Paris, or are you going to let that envelope stare at you all night?"

Ava hesitated, her gaze flicking back to the envelope. The gold lettering gleamed invitingly, as if daring her to take the plunge. She thought about the clients she’d helped in New York, the connections she’d made, the challenges she’d faced. And, most of all, she thought about Ryan—how they’d navigated the chaos together, how he’d stood by her even when she doubted herself.

Slowly, Ava reached for the envelope, her fingers brushing against the crisp paper. She tore it open with deliberate care, pulling out the sleek invitation inside. The words shimmered in the light:

International Matchmaking Competition: Paris Edition

Redefining Love Across Borders

She stared at it for a moment, her mind racing. Then, she looked up at Ryan, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Looks like we’re going to Paris."

Ryan grinned, raising his mug of tea in a mock toast. "To chaos. And croissants."

Ava laughed, clinking her mug against his. "To chaos."

---

They stayed at the shop long after closing, the invitation still sitting between them on the counter. The conversation shifted to lighter topics—French pastries, the Eiffel Tower, and whether Mei could resist meddling for at least a day in Paris (a unanimous no). The tension that had been lingering between them since Mei’s announcement began to fade, replaced by the easy banter they’d fallen into over the past few weeks.

At one point, Ava leaned back in her chair, letting out a contented sigh. "You know, for all the chaos, this isn’t so bad."

Ryan glanced at her, his expression softening. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Ava said, her voice quieter now. "I mean, don’t get me wrong. Mei’s schemes drive me crazy, and the idea of another competition makes me want to scream. But... I don’t know. It feels like we’re actually doing something that matters."

Ryan’s smile widened, his voice warm. "That’s because we are, Matchmaker."

Ava rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched into a smile. "You’re going to milk that nickname forever, aren’t you?"

"Absolutely," Ryan said, leaning back and crossing his arms. "It’s one of my best discoveries."

"Your best discovery?" Ava asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," Ryan said, his grin turning playful, "second best. The first is obviously you."

Ava felt her cheeks flush, and she quickly looked away, muttering, "You’re impossible."

"And yet," Ryan said, his voice softer now, "you’re still here."

Ava didn’t respond, but she didn’t need to. The look they shared said everything.

---

From the doorway, Mei peeked her head in, her grin triumphant. "Don’t forget to pack comfortable shoes, dear. Paris is best explored on foot."

Ava groaned, turning toward her grandmother. "Are you spying on us?"

"Spying? Me?" Mei gasped, feigning innocence. "I’m simply ensuring my favorite matchmakers are ready for their next grand adventure."

Ryan smirked, leaning closer to Ava. "You think they have popcorn in Paris?"

Ava laughed, shaking her head. "If they do, Mei will find it."

And as they locked up the shop that night, Ava felt something she hadn’t in a long time: excited. For Paris. For the chaos. For the chance to do what she loved—with Ryan by her side.