For Love & Invisible String
Matchmakers' Book Club - Book 5

Chapter One
Carly

I take my place at the front of the room and open our Matchmaker’s Book Club meeting at the Hagen residence. They have a beautiful home with access to a large private yard on the outskirts of town. 

“I would like to call this group to order. Welcome, ladies.” I have been pondering my opinion and what to say since they attempted to set me up after our last meeting. The matchmakers are fun, but I don’t want to be fixed up. Ironic, I know.

A slew of replies echo around the room. Eva Hagen, Maggie Washington, and Kelsey Ramirez are sitting in a tight circle off to my right with wine in hand. Lina Gugliotti and her sister, Lia, are huddled together on the white couch in the rustic living room. 
Scarlett Smithson, one of my besties, barrels through the front door and takes a seat in the armchair to my left. She mouths an apology for her tardiness. “Sorry.”

“Before we get started, I want to address your attempt at fixing me up.” I look pointedly at Maggie. “I don’t want to be the subject of your matchmaking. I will rebuff any attempt to find a suitable partner for me by this group. I love you all, but I don’t want to find my better half due to your meddling.” I hear the hypocrisy in my words. I want to find a man to spend my life with. I wouldn’t mind if my group mates conjured the meet cute. It simply doesn’t seem like the right man is out there for me, at least not in York Beach.

Maggie sits up straighter. “Each woman here is a testament to said interference. Our success rate is impeccable.”

Undaunted, I reply, “That may be true, but pairing me with Séamus wasn’t a match. The idea of a stranger photo shoot was interesting, but the subject should be exactly that… a stranger.”

Kelsey is shaking her head. “We can’t agree to taking you off the list of eligible women.

You’re a catch and deserve to be happy like the rest of us.”

Technically, I’m not an honoree. I don’t meet the eligibility criteria since we halted adding people to the list. At one point, we discussed including doctors and nurses but tabled it until we exhaust our current candidates. Kelsey means they could pair me with someone on the list. I want nothing more than to find a man for myself like these women have. I’m disappointed I haven’t yet, quite honestly.  

“I’m confident none of the nominees are going to work for me. I’m removing myself until we reach a point where we are adding to the pool again. Can we at least agree on that?” That is a lie. One of the men intrigues me, but history ruins any chance we may have as a couple.

Looking around the room, I see my book club buddies reluctantly conceding. 

Maggie huffs, “Fine. We’ll refrain from attempting to set you up until the list is reopened to new candidates.”

“Thank you.” Turning to my right, I say, “I would like to welcome Tatum Percy to our meeting.”

She smiles. “I’m happy to be here. How does this work?” Tatum stepped into my shoes at the stranger photo shoot. She stole Séamus’s heart between shutter clicks. 

The other members laugh.

I share the origins of our group. “Initially, we started as a gaggle of nurses and EMTs to de-stress from the rigors of our profession with a book club and a girls’ night in. There were four women at the beginning. Now, we have a membership of more than twice that. Over the years, this book club evolved into a girl gang of epic proportions. Not only do we host events for the local children’s charities, but we keep tabs on the most eligible singles in our community. Our matchmaking book club was created in good fun, and the tradition has continued for the last seven years. 

Along with the purpose of our group, the rules for inclusion on the list have evolved. Inclusion requires a few factors balanced against one another. First, an attractive package is a must. Candidates and admitted bachelors or bachelorettes must be a member of our first responder community, including police officers, firefighters, and EMTs. Most importantly, we attempt to maintain secrecy until after he or she has been legally wed. Now, I open the floor to all members to raise a motion.”

Slowly, Kelsey Ramirez raises her hand. “I wouldn’t call it a motion exactly. I have been approached by a few members of the community inquiring about the group. Two specifically asked if they were on the list as potential subjects of our… dating experiment. Their preference would be removal as an honoree.”

Ouch! 

Lina Gugliotti adds, “I had a similar experience. I won’t name the person, but she wanted to be taken off the list. Her words were something like ‘I have enough trouble with my family members trying to find me a husband. I don’t want a group of women I barely know attempting it as well.’”

I can surmise it’s likely a member of the YPD for Lina as her husband, Tino, serves as our community resource officer with Callan Craven.

“Yikes! I move to delete those three potential honorees?” My question is posed to the membership.

The ladies vote, and the motion to remove those who are disinterested is carried. 

“Kelsey and Lina, please let me know who has requested to be taken off the list. We certainly don’t want to force the issue.”

Maggie Washington speaks up next with sadness laced in her words. “Are we looking at the end of our matchmaking endeavors?”

I frown. “I hope not, but if our friends and coworkers are completely against our efforts then… perhaps we should consider stopping that portion of our group.” The matchmaking part of the group is fun but it wasn’t the original intent. Our track record is exceptional, but if the community is against it, ending that endeavor makes sense. 

A low hum of chatter begins. 

“Why don’t you talk amongst yourselves to come up with our next honoree? Until everyone begs off, I think we should continue.”

Rather than wait for the end of the meeting, Kelsey and Lina join me near the front of the room.

“If we scratch those who don’t want to be matched…,” Lina looks directly at me, “then what is the point?”

“I understand your frustration. Which woman asked to be removed?”

“Piper Montgomery,” Lina replies.

Kelsey adds, “Lacey Ransom and Callum Foster.”

A sliver of hope passes through me. My brother is still an option. If we’re nearing the end of our tenure, ideally, we can find him a partner first. The vote was close when Landry was suggested last time. “Very well. I’ll strike those three. I don’t love where this is going though.”

Kelsey purses her lips. “Me neither. I’ll share this disheartening news with Gladys and Lois.” They were the founding members of our book club.

I walk around and hear names like Aidan Madden, Landry Reed, and Mia Arden. I gaze out the large window in the direction of the shore. After about ten minutes, I meander through the chatting ladies and retake my spot at the front of the room.

“I open the floor to suggestions.”

Eva Hagen raises her hand. “Have we paired two people from the list to each other?”

I tap my lip with my finger. “No, I don’t think so. Anyone recall?”

The consensus is we haven’t.

“Who are you suggesting?” I ask her.

“Landry and Mia. Both are YFD. Mia is a little younger, but given your overshare about his social life, her age could be a benefit,” she replies. Eva’s right. Chances are Mia isn’t up on the town rumor mill and it could be a blessing for my big brother. 

“You have a point. Any objections or additional recommendations?”

I pause to give them a chance to voice concerns. Hearing nothing, I state, “I’ll reach out to anyone uniquely situated to assist in matching Landry and Mia. Before we get to this month’s book, I want to remind everyone about the softball tournament preparations. Our group is the main organizer this year. We need to secure at least two fields and set up merchandise, as well as snacks. YPD has offered Hagen to assist. The EMT liaison is Lacey Ransom. I’m waiting on the YFD helper.”

“Don’t forget shirts and trophies,” Lia Blake adds. She joined our group after falling for Finn, a newer member of the YPD. 

“The trophy is currently housed at the police department. It goes to the winner of our events each year. We do need shirts though,” I reply.

“I’ll share the current honoree list. How it may change is yet to be determined. Please vote on your way out if you want to continue with our matchmaking endeavors or focus more on the book club and philanthropy aspects. Currently our list of potential honorees includes the following from the York Police Department: Donovan Davis, Xander Greyson, and Esmeralda Garcia. York Fire Department includes Bradford Collings, Alden Rhodes, Aidan Madden, Landry Reed, Kellen McCormick, and Mia Arden. Lastly, the EMTs in York County include Jude Pascal, Hollis Booker, Marcello Auberon, and Tobin Vaughn.”

The ladies start clamoring over this month’s book. The 24th Hour was written by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. The novel features a Women’s Murder Club. Scarlett thought it would be a fitting read and departure from our usual romance picks.

As much as I would like to continue our group, perhaps it’s time to cease meddling in the affairs of others. Our level of success is unheard of. I see all sides, but stopping means no more happy couples and that’s disheartening. I refuse to tally the vote to end our search of happily ever afters for our first responder community, at least for now. If we stop matchmaking, it might save me from my friends meddling in my love life again.
 

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