Matchmaker Mayhem
Chapter 99: Settling Into a New Normal

Chapter 99: Settling Into a New Normal

The first morning back in town, Ava woke up warm.

Too warm.

She blinked blearily, only to find herself wrapped in a solid, steady embrace—Ryan’s. His arm was draped lazily around her waist, his breath soft against the back of her neck.

Oh.

Ava didn’t move at first, absorbing the moment. How quickly this had become normal. How easily she had adjusted to waking up beside him, despite her insistence that nothing had changed.

She let out a small sigh, shifting slightly, but that only caused Ryan to tighten his hold, mumbling something incoherent against her hair.

Ava smirked. "What was that, Romeo?"

Ryan groaned. "Five more minutes..."

Ava rolled her eyes. "You’re not even awake."

"Am too," he murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

Ava turned slightly to face him, and even half-asleep, Ryan managed to crack one eye open, smirking. "Morning, Matchmaker."

Ava’s heart did a thing—an annoying, fluttery thing. But she covered it up with a scoff. "Are you officially moved in now, or should I start charging you rent?"

Ryan grinned, voice husky. "You want me to pay you in kisses?"

Ava tried not to laugh, but it bubbled out anyway. "You wish."

Ryan hummed, pressing a lazy kiss to her forehead before finally letting go. "I really do."

Ava barely resisted the urge to pull him back.

---

By the time they arrived at the Matchmaker’s Tea Shop later that morning, Harold had already prepared a "Welcome Home" spread, complete with freshly baked pastries and a variety of Ava’s favorite teas.

Ryan, meanwhile, had appointed himself Chief Taste Tester, much to Harold’s dismay.

"Ryan, stop stealing the croissants!" Ava swatted at his hand as he reached for another.

Ryan, mid-bite, looked utterly unrepentant. "It’s quality control."

Harold sighed dramatically. "It’s theft."

Ryan smirked, leaning against the counter. "Would it help if I said it was for love?"

Harold narrowed his eyes. "Absolutely not."

Ava, shaking her head, grabbed a tea tin from the shelf, only to pause when she noticed something.

Her favorite blend—Vanilla Jasmine—had been fully restocked.

She frowned, running her fingers over the smooth label. "Wait... I thought we were out of this?"

Harold blinked. "We were."

Ryan casually took another sip of tea, avoiding eye contact.

Ava turned to him. "Ryan..."

Ryan shrugged, suddenly very interested in the contents of his cup. "Maybe I... called in a favor."

Ava stared at him. "You ordered this?"

Ryan rubbed the back of his neck, looking almost embarrassed. "I mean... I know you like it. And, well, you were stressed, so... I just thought—"

Ava launched herself at him.

Ryan barely had time to set his tea down before Ava’s arms wrapped around his waist, hugging him tightly.

It wasn’t dramatic. It wasn’t exaggerated.

It was simple. And real.

Ryan chuckled, pressing a kiss into her hair. "I take it you approve?"

Ava, face buried against his chest, mumbled, "You’re annoying, but yes."

Harold cleared his throat. "Ah, young love. It’s disgustingly wholesome."

Mei chose that exact moment to walk in.

Her knowing grin was immediate. "Well, well, well."

Ava groaned. "Nope. We are not doing this."

Mei ignored her. "You know, dear, when a man restocks your favorite tea blend without being asked, it’s a surefire sign that he’s hopelessly in love with you."

Ryan did not deny it.

Ava huffed, pulling away. "Can we please go one day without a romantic intervention?"

Mei sighed dramatically. "Impossible. Now, go make me a cup of that special tea your fiancé ordered."

Ryan, grinning, leaned toward Ava. "Fiancé, huh?"

Ava gave him a flat look. "You proposed. You don’t get points for accuracy."

Ryan waggled his eyebrows. "I should still get points for effort."

Ava shoved a scone into his mouth to shut him up.

---

After the morning chaos with Mei and Harold’s unsolicited commentary on Ava and Ryan’s relationship, the tea shop settled into a familiar rhythm. Customers came and went, the comforting scent of jasmine and vanilla filling the air.

Ava found herself watching Ryan more than she cared to admit.

He had, somehow, fully integrated himself into her world.

Ryan had taken on the unofficial role of tea shop assistant, a title he claimed with great enthusiasm but zero actual qualifications. He was terrible at brewing tea (he once steeped a green tea bag for fifteen minutes before Ava nearly threw him out), but he had an undeniable charm when it came to customers.

"Let me get this straight," Ryan said, leaning against the counter, smirking at a woman who was eyeing a new tea blend. "You want a tea that wakes you up and calms you down?"

The woman laughed. "Is that too much to ask?"

Ryan grinned. "Not at all. Ava works miracles."

Ava, stacking jars on the back shelf, rolled her eyes. "Flattery will not save you when you inevitably break something."

Ryan glanced down at the teapot he was holding. "Bold of you to assume."

Ava crossed her arms. "Ryan."

Ryan held up a hand. "Relax. It’s perfectly—"

The teapot slipped from his grip.

Ava lunged, catching it just in time before it could hit the floor.

Ryan exhaled. "—fine."

Ava huffed, setting the teapot down. "You are a menace."

Ryan leaned in, voice low. "And yet, you keep me around."

Ava hated how warm that made her feel.

Harold, flipping through his newspaper, muttered, "That man could burn water, and you’d still let him in your kitchen."

Ava glared at him. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Ryan smirked, leaning closer. "Oh? So I’m not your favorite assistant?"

Ava turned back to her work. "You’re my only assistant."

Ryan chuckled, nudging her. "I’ll take it."

And the worst part?

Ava liked it.

---

By the time they made it back to Ava’s apartment that evening, the cozy space felt different.

Ryan had practically moved in without them ever talking about it. His suit jacket was draped over a chair, his books were stacked on the shelf, and his coffee mug sat next to hers in the sink.

It was a slow, quiet kind of inevitability.

Ava, standing in the middle of the living room, turned to Ryan. "You know, technically, you don’t live here."

Ryan, leaning against the kitchen counter, smirked. "Could’ve fooled me."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "That wasn’t an invitation."

Ryan took a step closer. "Didn’t need one."

Ava huffed, crossing her arms. "Are you always this insufferable?"

Ryan tilted her chin up, voice dropping. "You love it."

Ava’s breath hitched.

Ryan smiled, brushing a kiss against her temple. "And you love me."

Ava sighed dramatically, even as she melted into him. "I really hate how smooth you are."

Ryan smirked. "Liar."

Ava didn’t argue.

---

That evening, Ryan cooked.

Well. Sort of.

Ava stood at the kitchen counter, watching him stir something suspicious-looking on the stove. She had been highly skeptical when Ryan insisted he’d cook dinner, considering his culinary skills were limited to grilled cheese and ordering takeout.

"This isn’t some elaborate ploy to poison me, right?" Ava asked, arms crossed.

Ryan, completely unfazed, smirked. "Why? You scared?"

Ava scoffed. "Of you? Never."

Ryan grabbed a spoon and held it out to her. "Here. Try it."

Ava narrowed her eyes. "Is this a trap?"

Ryan sighed dramatically. "Just trust me, Matchmaker."

Ava took a small sip.

Oh.

It was... good.

Ryan watched her carefully, waiting for a reaction.

Ava cleared her throat. "It’s... acceptable."

Ryan grinned. "That’s Ava for ’I actually love this.’"

Ava glared at him, but she couldn’t fight the smile tugging at her lips.

Ryan stepped closer, his hand grazing her waist. "You’re welcome."

Ava rolled her eyes but leaned into him slightly. "Fine. You win."

Ryan smirked, his lips hovering just above hers. "I always do."

Ava closed the space between them, kissing him softly.

Ryan sighed into it. "I should cook more often."

Ava huffed. "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves."

Ryan laughed.

And just like that, home didn’t feel like just her space anymore.

It felt like theirs.

---

Hours later, they were curled up on the couch, Ava wrapped in Ryan’s sweatshirt, her head resting against his chest.

A soft movie played in the background, but neither of them were really watching.

Ryan’s fingers traced lazy circles on Ava’s arm. "You ever think about how we got here?"

Ava hummed. "You mean the part where I was your rival and wanted to destroy you?"

Ryan chuckled. "That part was fun."

Ava tilted her head up to look at him. "And now you’re practically my live-in barista."

Ryan smirked. "Upgrade, if you ask me."

Ava pretended to think. "Jury’s still out."

Ryan’s hand slid to the small of her back, pulling her closer. "Well, let me know when you reach a verdict."

Ava smiled. "I’ll need more evidence."

Ryan leaned in, his lips hovering over hers. "Guess I’ll just have to keep proving it, then."

Ava’s fingers curled into his shirt. "Mhm."

Ryan finally kissed her—slow, deep, unrushed.

Ava sighed against his lips. "Fine."

Ryan pulled back slightly, his grin lazy and smug. "Fine?"

Ava rolled her eyes, but her heart was pounding. "Fine, you can stay."

Ryan chuckled, kissing her again. "I wasn’t asking."

Ava pretended to be annoyed. But the truth?

She didn’t mind at all.