Matchmaker Mayhem
Chapter 73: Welcome to Paris

Chapter 73: Welcome to Paris

The black town car rolled to a smooth stop in front of an elegant Haussmann-style building, its ornate wrought-iron balconies overlooking the cobblestone streets of central Paris. Ava stared out the window, her brow furrowed in confusion. "This... can’t be it."

Ryan leaned closer to the window, his breath fogging up the glass slightly. "Looks like it is. Either that or Mei hijacked someone else’s address."

Ava shot him a look as Mei dramatically stepped out of the car, her scarf fluttering behind her. Harold followed, clutching a baguette under one arm and an oversized suitcase in the other. Mei turned to face them, her grin wide and mischievous.

"Welcome to your Parisian palace!" she announced, gesturing grandly at the building behind her.

"Palace?" Ava repeated, stepping out and taking in the lavish entryway framed by blooming flowers. The place looked far too luxurious for their typically chaotic travel arrangements.

"You rented this?" Ava asked, skepticism thick in her voice. "Where did you even find the money?"

Mei waved her hand dismissively, her many bracelets jingling. "Oh, don’t fuss over the details, dear. Let’s just say I have friends in very high places."

"High places like where? A secret matchmaking mafia?" Ava muttered under her breath.

"I heard that!" Mei chirped, heading toward the entrance. "Now, come along! We don’t want to keep the concierge waiting."

As they stepped inside, Ava’s jaw nearly dropped. The apartment was a stunning blend of classic Parisian charm and modern luxury. High ceilings with intricate molding, tall windows that let in an abundance of light, and polished hardwood floors stretched throughout the space. A chic sitting area overlooked a private garden, complete with a small fountain and rose bushes in full bloom.

Ava spun around, her hands on her hips. "Okay, seriously, Mei. How did you afford this?"

Mei didn’t miss a beat. "Oh, I just called in a favor or two. You know how it is—Paris is full of grateful clients and old friends."

"Old friends?" Ava raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. "Like... rich old friends?"

"Rich, influential, and charming old friends," Mei corrected, winking as she set her hat on a marble-topped table.

Ryan whistled low, clearly impressed as he wandered into the sitting room. "You really outdid yourself this time, Mei."

"Only the best for my favorite granddaughter and her entourage," Mei said, clasping her hands together.

Ava groaned. "You only have one granddaughter."

"Exactly," Mei said, as if that proved her point.

As Ava wandered into the bedroom, her eyes fell on the centerpiece: a massive, plush queen-sized bed with a tufted headboard. The duvet was crisp and inviting, flanked by pillows that looked like they belonged in a magazine spread. She frowned.

"Uh, Mei?" Ava called, stepping back into the hallway. "There’s only one bed."

Mei poked her head around the corner, her expression utterly unbothered. "Of course, dear. It’s a queen bed. Perfect for two."

Ava blinked. "Two?"

"Two," Mei repeated, her tone cheerful as ever.

"I’m assuming you mean me and Ryan," Ava said flatly, though her cheeks were already heating.

"Don’t be so dramatic," Mei said, brushing past her. "You’re both adults. Besides, Harold and I have the other room, and it’s only fair that the most important duo—" she gestured dramatically between Ava and Ryan, "—get the best one."

"Most important duo?" Ryan asked, strolling in with his hands in his pockets. His grin widened when he saw the bed. "Cozy."

Ava turned to him, her arms crossed. "You’re awfully calm about this."

Ryan shrugged, leaning against the doorframe. "What’s there to stress about? It’s just a bed."

"It’s just a bed," Ava mimicked under her breath, glaring at him. "What if I kick in my sleep? Or steal the covers?"

"Then I’ll kick back, and we’ll call it even," Ryan said smoothly, his grin turning playful.

Mei clapped her hands, clearly pleased with herself. "See? You two will figure it out. Now, if you’ll excuse me, Harold and I need to unpack. Don’t wait up!" She disappeared down the hall, humming a tune that sounded suspiciously like Edith Piaf.

Ava sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed as Ryan flopped down beside her, stretching his arms behind his head.

"This is nice," Ryan said, testing the pillows. "I could get used to this."

"Don’t get too comfortable," Ava warned, giving him a sidelong glance. "This is temporary."

"Sure it is," Ryan said, smirking as he shifted to one side of the bed. "I call dibs on the right side."

"There are no dibs," Ava said, standing up and heading toward her suitcase. "We’re just sharing because we don’t have a choice."

Ryan tilted his head, watching her unpack with a bemused expression. "You’re overthinking this, Matchmaker."

"I’m not overthinking," Ava shot back. "I’m being practical."

"Practical," Ryan echoed, amused. "Because nothing says ’practical’ like color-coded packing cubes."

Ava huffed, refusing to take the bait. "If you so much as snore, you’re getting kicked out to the garden."

Ryan chuckled, his voice warm. "Noted."

After Mei’s triumphant departure, leaving a trail of floral perfume and cryptic humming, Ava found herself standing awkwardly in the middle of the bedroom, eyeing the queen-sized bed like it was a ticking time bomb. Ryan was already leaning against the doorframe, watching her with a lopsided grin that only made her more self-conscious.

"You’re overthinking again," Ryan said, his tone light but teasing.

"I’m not overthinking," Ava replied, crossing her arms. "I’m... strategizing."

Ryan raised an eyebrow, stepping further into the room. "Strategizing about what? It’s just a bed, Ava."

"It’s not just a bed," she said, gesturing dramatically. "It’s... proximity."

Ryan chuckled, his voice warm and unbothered. "Proximity?"

"Yes! Proximity," Ava said, feeling her cheeks heat up. "We’re coworkers, Ryan. This isn’t exactly... professional."

He tilted his head, his grin softening into something gentler. "We’re more than coworkers, Ava. You know that."

Her heart did an annoying little flip at his words, but she wasn’t about to let him see how much he affected her. Instead, she turned toward her suitcase, busying herself with unpacking.

"You take the left side," Ryan said casually, sitting down on the bed. "It’s closer to the window. You like fresh air."

Ava froze mid-fold, glancing over her shoulder at him. "How do you know that?"

Ryan shrugged, leaning back on his hands. "I pay attention."

The simplicity of his answer made her pause. Ryan always had a way of noticing things about her that no one else did—small, inconsequential things that somehow felt significant when they came from him.

"Fine," she said, turning back to her suitcase. "Left side it is."

Ryan smirked. "Glad we cleared that up."

—

Later that evening, Ava found herself drawn to the apartment’s garden. The air was cool and fragrant with the scent of roses, and the soft gurgling of the fountain was surprisingly calming.

Ryan joined her after a while, carrying two mugs of tea. "Thought you might need this," he said, handing her one.

"Thanks," Ava murmured, wrapping her hands around the warm mug. They sat side by side on the garden bench, the quiet settling over them like a blanket.

"Still thinking about the competition?" Ryan asked after a moment.

Ava nodded. "I can’t help it. L’Amour Élite isn’t just another matchmaking event. It’s... huge."

"And you’re going to crush it," Ryan said, his tone confident.

Ava smiled faintly, staring down at her tea. "You always say that."

"Because it’s always true," Ryan said, nudging her shoulder lightly. "You’re better than all of them, Ava. Even Julian."

She glanced at him, her chest tightening at the sincerity in his eyes. "You really believe that?"

"Every word," Ryan said, his voice soft. "And I’ll be right there with you, no matter how messy it gets."

Ava’s cheeks flushed, but for once, she didn’t try to deflect. Instead, she leaned back, letting herself relax beside him. "Thanks, Ryan."

They sat in comfortable silence, the garden’s soft glow casting shadows across their faces. For the first time since landing in Paris, Ava felt like she could breathe.

For now, the chaos of Paris could wait.

Later that evening, after they had both settled in, Ava found herself sitting on the edge of the bed, scrolling through her phone while Ryan stood by the window, looking out at the glowing Parisian streets below.

"It’s beautiful, isn’t it?" he said, his voice soft.

Ava looked up, the warm light from the bedside lamp casting a golden glow across the room. "Yeah," she murmured. "It really is."

Ryan turned, leaning against the windowsill as he watched her. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the comfortable silence stretching between them. Then, almost hesitantly, he crossed the room and sat beside her.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

Ava nodded, her fingers still toying with her phone. "Yeah. Just... a lot on my mind."

Ryan reached out, gently brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. His touch was light but deliberate, and Ava’s breath hitched at the simple, intimate gesture.

"You’ve got this, Matchmaker," he said softly, his eyes meeting hers. "Paris, Julian, the competition... whatever it throws at you, you can handle it. I’ll be right here."

Ava felt her chest tighten, the vulnerability in his words catching her off guard. She managed a small smile, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thanks, Ryan."

He smiled back, his hand lingering near hers for just a moment before he pulled away, standing up to grab his pillow and set it on the bed. "So, no rules about hogging the covers, right?"

Ava laughed, the sound breaking the tension in the room. "As long as you don’t snore, we’ll be fine."

"Deal," Ryan said, grinning as he slid under the covers. "But if I wake up freezing, I’m blaming you."

"Goodnight, Ryan," Ava said, shaking her head as she switched off the light.

"Goodnight, Matchmaker," he replied, his voice laced with affection.

As Ava settled into the left side of the bed, the quiet comfort of the room wrapping around her, she couldn’t help but feel that for all the chaos Paris promised, having Ryan beside her might just make it manageable.