Authors: Sally Clements
“Hello?”
“We’re in the
lobby. Can we come up?” It was a relief to hear Maeve’s voice. Annie’d been so
alone over the past couple of days. Up to her elbows in chocolate. So busy
she’d not had time to brood over Jack.
“Come on up.” She
gave up on the hair chopsticks and opened the door, gazing down the corridor to
the lift. Mum could do her hair when she arrived. Tonight, Annie was all
thumbs.
The last thing
she expected when she walked down into the lobby was the small throng of
supporters from Durna. They’d staked out the bar and broke into spontaneous
applause when they saw her.
“Surprise,”
Maeve said quietly. She patted her daughter’s arm. “We all came down together.
Dad and I are staying the night, but the rest are flying back after the
presentation.”
“Flying?” How
could they afford that?
“Jack
chartered a plane from Galway. He rang and told us to bring everyone.” Maeve’s
face lit up. “It was wonderful, Annie. He organized a coach to bring us all
here from the airport.”
Annie couldn’t
believe it. So many people. Here. For her. Jack had known how important it was
to share all this with her friends. Even when she hadn’t. She sank into the
throng and accepted congratulations from everyone. This evening would be
everything she’d dreamed of and more. There was only one person missing. Jack.
She straightened her spine and gratefully accepted a glass of champagne. This
evening was about fulfilling old dreams. When Jack came back at the end of
festival for the party, she’d fulfill her new ones.
****
The last night
of the festival was always the best, and this year was no exception. Early
evening sunlight was still bouncing off the rocks outside the pub, and Niall
had strung lanterns from the trees to bring the festival ambience outside.
Inside the pub, a makeshift stage had been rigged up. A local band played
enthusiastically to the growing crowd, many of whom were dancing on the space
cleared in the center for exactly that purpose. A great cheer went up as Annie
and Bull walked to the open doorway. When they reached the matchmaker’s table a
couple of drinks arrived in front of them instantly.
“On the
house.” Niall grinned. “With my compliments. You’ve brought enough business my
way over the past couple of weeks.”
“Thanks,
Niall.” Annie’s eyes searched the crowd for Jack. There was no sign of him, but
she knew he’d be there, he’d promised. Jack wasn’t one for reneging on a deal.
Bull was deep
in conversation with a group of his old friends, completely in his element. She
felt a familiar tingle of watching eyes, and glanced at the doorway. Her cousin
Michael stood there, unsure.
“Michael!”
He tentatively
crossed the room toward her. “Hi Annie.” He eyed her carefully.
“We need to
talk, Michael.” He pulled up a chair. “Da says you’re interested in matchmaking
and you’ve helped him while I was down in Dublin.”
“I don’t want
you to think I was muscling in.” Michael’s eyes skittered away. He looked like
he wanted to avoid this conversation more than
anything
.
She pulled in
a breath,
here goes
. “To be honest, it would mean the world to me if you
were.”
He stared at
her, as if unable to believe what he was hearing.
“I’ve always
known there has to be a Devine matchmaker for the festival, and as I haven’t
any brothers or sisters I’ve always felt it should be me.” Michael started to
interrupt but she held up her hand to stop him. “Hear me out, Michael, please.
Our grandfather was the matchmaker. Matchmaking is in your blood as well as
mine, and you have both a liking and an aptitude for it. I’d consider it an
honor if you were to become the next matchmaker instead of me. You’re a Devine,
after all.”
Michael
grinned. “Do you really mean that, Annie?”
“More than
you’ll ever know, I’d be so delighted if you wanted to do it. Do you?”
“I’ve always
wanted to, ever since I was a kid,” Michael confessed. “But I knew you were
next in line, so I put it out of my mind. When Bull asked me to help out
yesterday I loved it.” He smiled shyly, color flooding his face. “Who knew I
was such a romantic, huh?”
“Who indeed,”
she teased. “Will you take it on?”
Michael stood
up and leant over to kiss her cheek. “I’d be honored.”
“Let’s tell
Da. He can announce it in his speech.” She tapped her father’s shoulder to
quietly get his attention. Smiled apologetically at his audience. “Excuse me
everyone, I just need to talk to my father for a minute.” Her heart soared. At
last, she was rid of her unwanted inheritance.
****
“Jack! You’re
here!” Noel thumped Jack heartily on the back.
“Meet
Annabel.” He introduced a small, pretty blonde who smiled shyly next to him,
his arm draped over her shoulders. “You haven’t met yet, but you organized our
first date.”
“Hi, Annabel.”
He put out his hand but she ignored it, stepping closer and leaning up to plant
a kiss on his cheek.
“We’re better
friends that that, Jack.” A smile lit up her face. “You helped us find each
other. Like Cupid. You’re a friend for life.”
She snaked her
arm around Noel again, smiling up into his face with a look of such devotion
and love an ache tore at Jack’s chest.
“It worked,
then,” he forced out.
“It certainly
did.” Noel held up his girlfriend’s hand, revealing a diamond solitaire.
“Annabel and I are getting married.”
“That’s
great!” Jack shook Noel’s hand, genuinely glad someone, at least, had managed
to find their happy ending.
“Everyone has
been saying it’s too quick,” Noel confessed. “But you know what it’s like when
you find the woman you want to spend your entire life with, you just know, so
what’s the point in waiting? Sure, we don’t know everything there is to know
about each other, it’s only been a few days after all, but we know what
matters.”
“We know we
love each other.” Annabel flushed red. “We have all the time in the world to
find out the rest.”
“I’m glad for
you.” Was it that simple? Jack’s eyes searched for Annie in the crowd.
Noel leant
forward and whispered in Jack’s ear. “Annie’s in the back, at the matchmaking
table with her father, she’s been checking out the door for the past hour.”
“Thanks,
Noel.” Jack patted him on the back and strode to the table, unable to see Annie
or her father through the crowd of people. Determination gave his steps
purpose.
She might not
know it. She might not even agree, but before the night was out, she was going
to admit she loved him. And more, if he had his way. He was halfway there when
Bull stood up, with Niall beside him, holding a microphone.
“Ladies and
gentlemen, I give you our matchmakers, Bull Devine!” There was a deafening roar
of approval followed by clapping. Jack edged closer. “And this year, helping
Bull out because of illness, we had Annie Devine.” Annie stood, as the crowd
continued to cheer, “Michael Devine,” Michael stood, waving to the crowd and
hamming it up for all he was worth, “and Jack Miller. Is Jack in here
somewhere?”
Jack raised
his arm high, catching Niall’s eye. “There he is! Let Jack through to the
matchmaking table, everyone!”
The crowd
parted obediently. Jack made it to Annie’s side. She had done something
different with her hair, pinned it up. She smiled up at him radiantly.
Of
course.
They were pretending to be in love until after the festival. He
braced himself for a chaste kiss.
She reached
out to him wordlessly, and, heaven help him, he forgot about the pretence of
being her boyfriend, and kissed her hard, reaching for the nape of her neck and
pulling her close. Her mouth opened under his and she kissed him passionately,
to the delight of the crowd.
“Love is in
the air this year folks.” Niall laughed as they eased reluctantly apart. Jack
slid an arm around her waist and held on for dear life. She might not want to
spend the rest of her life with him, but he wouldn’t give up without a fight.
Not after she’d kissed him like that.
“Speech!” the
crowd roared.
Bull accepted
the microphone. “I missed being here with you on the first couple of days. The
first time I’ve missed any part of the festival in the forty years I’ve been
your matchmaker. Thank God, I was lucky enough to have some excellent helpers.
They went through the book with me. Together we made some excellent matches.”
“So, I’d like
to thank them. Firstly, my daughter, Annie, who left Dublin and came back the
moment I needed her.” Annie bowed. “If there’s anyone left who hasn’t heard the
news, Annie has won the Chocolate Oscar competition. Now she can open her
chocolate shop in Dublin.” The crowd erupted, many people working their way
directly to Annie to congratulate her.
“I’d also like
to thank Jack Miller,” he continued once the excitement had died down a little.
“Lightning diverted Jack from his route, and brought him here to us. I like to
think Durna was really his intended target, even though he didn’t know it. He’s
shown himself to be a wonderful matchmaker, full of understanding and
compassion.”
Warmth flooded
Jack’s face. He looked out at the nodding faces of the crowd. Many of the
familiar faces raised their glasses. He’d never been at the receiving end of
such warm praise before.
“He might have
been born far away, but he belongs here. I reckon he’s an honorary Durnaman.”
The crowd obviously agreed, clapping and shouting their approval.
“Finally I’d
like to thank my nephew, Michael. He volunteered his help for the last few
days. I know all of you who know Michael were delighted to see him in the
matchmaking booth.” He grinned at Michael’s embarrassment. “As you know, I
matched Michael nine years ago with his lovely wife, Grainne.”
Grainne blew
Michael a kiss. He theatrically blew it back, to the crowd’s delight.
“Michael found
love for himself. This year he’s helped find it for others. I’d like to thank
him, and I know all of you would like to thank him, too.” Bull turned to Annie,
Jack, and Michael in turn. “Would any of you like to say something?”
“I would.”
Annie voice was clear and strong. She accepted the microphone from her father and
brought it to her mouth. Jack was loosening his grip. She held on tightly.
“It’s great to be here everyone,” she started, smiling around the room. “And
I’m so glad my father is better and taking the reins again. Being the
matchmaker is a difficult job!”
“You’re going
to have to get used to it, honey!” a woman called from the back of the room,
and Annie shook her head grinning widely. “Hi, Carly.” She greeted her friend
with a wave. “That’s one of the things I wanted to talk about.” She glanced at
her cousin before continuing. “One day my father will decide it’s time for him
to step down. Hopefully not for many years.”
She took a
deep breath, and squeezed Jack’s hand harder. “But when he does, I’d like to
let you all know he has a very worthy successor. My cousin Michael is going to
be the next Devine matchmaker.”
There was a
stunned silence at her bombshell. Everyone stared. A muscle worked in the
corner of her jaw, and she swallowed. “I know it was expected I’d take on the
job when my father retires. I’ve thought about it a lot over the years. This
festival has really brought home to me how important it is that the matchmaker
has a talent for it. I did my best, but without my father, I would have been terrible
at it.” She grinned.
“Michael is an
heir to the matchmaking legacy, too. He’s also passionate about it, with a
natural aptitude. Michael and I have discussed it, and I’m pleased to announce
he would love the role.”
A murmur of
conversation started up. People were nodding. Understanding
. How could she
have thought they wouldn’t?
“I’d like to
thank you all for your support over the past few years. I know you’ve all been
looking out for me.” She glanced down, overcome with emotion.
“Good on ya,
Annie!” someone shouted. The room burst into applause again.
Jack squeezed
her hand tightly. “You don’t need to say any more,” he whispered, and somehow
she made out his words in the din.
“Oh, I’m not
finished yet.” She brought the microphone up to her lips again. “I just have
one other thing to say.” The crowd quieted, every eye in the place glued to her
face. “Two years ago I stood up in the church to tell you all my wedding was
off. It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do. I felt I was
different from everyone else, marked out. I didn’t handle the aftermath well. I
told myself I was unlucky in love. In my embarrassment, I felt everyone must
see me as a failure. Now, with different eyes,” she slanted a look Jack’s
direction. “I know I was wrong. You’ve all shown me that.”
She turned to
Jack, facing him bravely while her fingers squeezed his painfully. “Now, here,
in the presence of my family and this bar room congregation, I’d like to
declare publicly I’ve fallen in love with Jack Miller. I hope to hell he loves
me back, or I’m going to die with embarrassment.” Her entire body was so tense
vibrations of her shivers telegraphed through their entwined hands.
Jack took the microphone,
his eyes never leaving hers. “You couldn’t pull me aside and tell me this
privately?”
Annie shook
her head.
Jack pulled a
small box out of his pocket. “I had a plan for this evening.” He turned and
spoke the room. “Something important to tell Annie. And something important to
ask her.” He held up the box and the room erupted. He held his hands up, there
was more. “But I guess, as we’re among friends.” He sank down onto one knee.
The crowd hushed in expectation.
“I love you,
Annie. I don’t care where I live, as long as it’s with you.” Her eyes glistened
with unshed tears, her dimples telegraphing to all and sundry that they were
happy ones. “Well? Are you going to marry me or what?”