Page 24 of The Matchmaker
Jack raises a brow, and I swallow, almost hearing Nush’s voice in my ear as I straighten my shoulders.Chin up, Katie. Chin up, gaze straight, boobs out.
“Because of the wishing well.”
“The…” He falters in a way that tells me he definitely wasn’t expecting me to come out withthat, and glances at his team. “What?”
I gesture to the structure beside him, the one so small, so unimportant that none of them seem to realize it’s there until I point it out to them.
“The well?” he repeats.
“Wishingwell. You make wishes.”
“I’m familiar with the concept.” His eyes flick over my head and, a second later, Callum moves past me to stand by him.
“That well has been there since before this village was even founded,” I continue. “It’s a historic structure. Afamedstructure. My parents met at that well.”
“How nice for them.”
“They’re dead now.”
Adam gives me ayou did notlook as Jack’s eyes narrow.
“Did you know we hold a matchmaking festival here?” I continue as my boss sighs. “Every summer. People come, and they make a wish—”
“Katie—”
“And they find their match,” I finish. “Their soulmates. They find them here. In Kelly’s.”
“How magical,” Jack says flatly, and I pin him with a stare.
“You don’t believe in magic, Mr. Doyle?”
“Do you?” he counters. He’s getting annoyed now. A vein has appeared on his forehead, like a little blue worm. It gives me all the confidence I need.
“You try and tear down this pub, and I will make sure everyone in the country knows exactly what you’re doing. They might not care about some fields in the middle of nowhere, but they’ll care about their heritage. About their folklore. I know people who still avoid fairy bushes,” I add, thinking of Granny. “Do you think they’ll be happy once they hear what you want to do? Destroy a part of our culture just so you can have a nice view of the lake? A few dozen people protesting might not bother you, but what about a few thousand? How’s that going to look in every Google search of your company?”
“I…” He turns to his lawyer, who gives him a blank look before scrambling for his phone. “Look, Kerry—”
“Katie,” I correct. “Katie Collins.”
“Miss Collins,” he begins. “I understand that this has come as a surprise, but as your boss here has no doubt explained, this land is as good as ours. So, unless you have another card up your sleeve, which I must admit, I’d be fascinated to hear, none of this is exactly going to hold up in court.”
“Not a legal one, but what about the court of public opinion? This pub is of huge cultural significance to this town and to tear it down would mean trouble. You think we don’t know how to spin a story around here? You think we won’t try?”
“I think you’ll find we…” He trails off as he looks over my shoulder and I turn to see the marketing people filming our every word. “What are you doing?”
The woman shrugs. “B-roll.”
“I’m sure you have enough.”
“Sunlight’s better now.”
“The sunlight’s—” He breaks off with a little laugh, like we’re all testing him.
I grow nervous when he doesn’t say anything more, but the fact that Jack hasn’t immediately dismissed me keeps me standing there until Peter clears his throat, his gaze darting between his boss and his phone.
“They moved a road.”
“What?”
