Chapter 10 #3
“Amazing,” Trista says, looking over everything.
“I want to eventually open up for visitors on Sundays,” I say, spreading out my business plan for Trista on the wooden workbench that was covered in corn scoops and buckets just moments ago.
“We can invite local vendors up here and allow them to set up booths and sell their products. Thinking ice-cream trucks, jewelry stands, local honey, that kind of thing. I talked to Judy on Saturday, and she’s on board for doing a food truck as well.
Basically, Sundays are going to be like a bougie farmer’s market up in here.
We’ll do live music anytime I can get a guitarist or someone to do it for free .
. . and don’t worry, I’ll be able to find someone to do it for free. ”
I exhale heavily as I continue thumbing through my notes, excited by all my ideas. This is like matchmaking for a business
in many ways. Only instead of obsessing about finding the perfect two types to go together, I get to obsess over graphics
and slogans, vibes and outreach ideas. Something that makes Mount Millie tangible and long-lasting, not a place someone posts
a one-star review on social media about after one bad experience. This kind of helping fills my cup almost as much as matchmaking,
and it’s high time I find my identity outside of that skill.
“And I’m going to work on your website and take that binder of yours and add all that animal info to the site. It’ll be like
a cute Meet the Residents of Mount Millie page where we share the backstory of how each animal came to live with us. But the
stories will be works of art. Stuff that can go viral because it’s so cute and wholesome you can’t help but share it.
“Also, I’m thinking eventually we could launch a Patreon account for you where we make exclusive video content to our subscribers,
which will be a new income source. Match that with extra foot traffic up here and donation stations all over this facility,
and hopefully, you’ll soon have the funds to hire actual staff and not just delinquent rugby players.”
“Breathe, Everly,” Trista says, touching my arm with a worried expression.
“I haven’t even got to my big launch idea!
” I exclaim and flip to another section of my notebook.
“I want to do a matchmaking auction to introduce Mount Millie to society. Basically, win a day with a mountain man. Obviously, all my uncles are romantically taken, but it doesn’t have to be a romantic sort of date.
You’re bidding on a day of free labor. I mean, Fletcher Brothers Construction is well-known.
The community would be crazy to not jump at the chance to have them for a day to do some handyman work. ”
“Holy shit, Wyatt will hate that idea,” Trista replies, her eyes twinkling with mirth. “So of course we have to do it.”
I bite my lip and wrinkle my nose. “They’ll do it for a good cause, don’t you think?”
“They’ll do it because their favorite niece asks them to.” She winks knowingly at me.
“I can’t wait to get started.” I beam as I drum my fingers on the desk. “I also have some ideas around the facility to make
them more visitor-friendly. Adding a couple benches, things like that. I’ll see if Calder has any reject pieces lying around.”
“Sounds amazing.” She sighs and smiles as she glances around the enclosed space. “This place needs to thrive. We’ve invested
so much money into the sustainability. It can’t fail now.”
“It won’t,” I state firmly, gripping my aunt’s arm. “We won’t let it. It just needs publicity to become an institution everyone
wants to help with. This is just the beginning, Trista. Once they see the magic up here, they’ll be so inspired to come back
and help out. I have a meeting later this week with Dakota to discuss merch. Selling T-shirts is a no-brainer.”
“You’re a wonder, Everly Fletcher. A true wonder.” She smiles at me. “To think none of this would have been possible if I
hadn’t smacked you in the face with a surrogacy clinic door.”
I burst out laughing and shake my head. “You would have found a way, I’m sure of it.”
“Naw. Strong women build up strong women.” She pins me with a meaningful look. “I’m excited to get to spend some time with
you this summer.”
“Ditto.” I push my hair out of my face to jot down a few notes, fighting the niggling words from Wolf on the plane and how I’m just working for my family, using my connections because it’s safe and easy.
It’s not safe or easy. This is work. Will it be my forever future?
No. But it feels right, and I’m not going to let that Irish rugby player get in my head.
I can feel Trista watching me curiously.
“So did you enjoy seeing Hilow Saturday night?” she asks, her voice pitched in a funny sort of way.
“Um . . . not really,” I reply with a cringe and look up to see her face fall. “Sorry, he’s fine. I’m just really and truly
over him.”
“Oh, that’s a shame because he’s totally still hung up on you. Asks about you every time he’s here. I felt sorry for the poor
guy. He’s really very sweet.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I know what she was trying to do, hooking me up with my ex. And even though Hilow is a
nice guy . . . that’s all he is. I’ve barely thought of him over the last four years. And seeing him next to Wolf, who makes
my body feel all sorts of things I barely understand . . . made me realize I’m not even attracted to him anymore. I wonder
if I ever was.
“I know, he’s great. But I’m not looking to date anyone right now.”
Trista chuckles. “Why not? I’m no matchmaker, but even I know you’re in the prime of your life. Surely you met some cute guys
in Ireland?”
I groan and cover my eyes with my hand as I wonder if I should confess my woes to my aunt. She’s only been in our family for
four years, and I lived in Dublin a lot of that time. We haven’t had a ton of quality time together. But there’s something
about Trista that feels safer than even my stepmom, Cozy. Like she’s unbiased Switzerland.
“Can I do some real talk with you, Trista?”
“Of course! I’m a sealed vault over here.”
My jaw tenses as I glance at the door, ensuring it’s still closed.
“I thought I would have so much fun in Ireland. Like somehow, Irish guys would be cool with my oversharing awkwardness that I can’t seem to stop myself from doing.
I’d be the quirky American girl or something.
But that never happened. I tried dating and was a disaster over there.
One guy literally gave me a one-star review on Instagram for being so awful right before I graduated. ”
“What a fucker,” Trista snaps back with zero humor on her face.
“I know. So, I’m not going to worry about my dating life. I had so much fun traveling with Cliona. She’s a great friend. That
was really the best gift I could have ever found at university, and I’m good with that. Who cares about dating?”
Her brows furrow intently. “But you were with Hilow for two years, right? How bad at dating can you really be?”
I tsk knowingly. “I’m afraid Hilow was like a platonic buddy that I felt comfortable with. Maybe too comfortable. And sadly,
we were never very romantic.” I lean in close and whisper, “And that was painfully clear in the bedroom, if you know what
I mean.” I can’t hold back the way my face scrunches and body shudders in revolt at the memory. Fuck, it was bad. So bad.
“Shit.” Trista winces, and that reaction only confirms how destitute I must be.
I growl and scrub my hands over my face. “And it sucks because I’d hoped Ireland would change all that. I thought broadening
my horizons would help shake things up. But it’s not just that I’m awkward. It’s that I don’t ever seem to find that perfect
spark—that spark that I look for when I matchmake. Like when I matchmake . . .” I pause and look Trista deep in the eye. “I’ve
never told anybody this before . . .” She nods and leans in close, propping her chin on her hands as she stares back at me
with eager interest. “I get like . . . reverse anxiety.”
Trista frowns. “What does that mean?”
I inhale deeply through my nose and move my hands around my head to try to illustrate.
“Like when I know two people belong together, it’s like my brain finally calms down.
It goes still. No buzzing, no overthinking.
It’s like ninety percent of the time, my head is a snow globe being shaken all day long until I find a match for someone.
Until I see a little glimpse of a perfect pair who I just know could work together.
Like when I saw you and Wyatt together for the first time .
. . I knew it was endgame. Same thing for Dakota and Calder and Addison and Luke.
When two people are meant to be together, the snowstorm in my head just magically stops.
” I hold my hands out still for effect. “And I’m left with this amazing sense of calm. ”
“My goodness,” Trista says, her eyes glossy. “And all this time, I thought you were just concussed when you said it’d be a
good idea for me to carry your uncle’s baby.”
I giggle and shrug. “It goes deep. And man, do I love that feeling. It’s better than any drug out there.”
“Then you can’t give up on finding it for yourself,” Trista replies, slapping her hand on the counter. “You’re way too young
to be done with dating.”
“I know, I know,” I groan haphazardly.
“And not for nothing, but have you laid eyes on that Irish boy you brought back home with you? Good Lord, if that’s how the
guys in Ireland look, no wonder you struggled . . . I’d struggle too!”
My body inwardly buzzes at just the thought of Wolf. “Yeah, he’s something, alright.”
She licks her lips and nods. “No calm snow feelings around him, I take it?”
“Absolutely not,” I bite back seriously. “Wolf is like a blizzard.”
She giggles naughtily. “I thought so.”
“Not that it even matters,” I reply, steeling myself to come off a bit more aloof. “He’s my best friend’s brother, and he
barely tolerates me.”
“Um . . . I beg to differ,” Trista says, lifting a finger. “He marched over to that bar within seconds of you leaving the table on Saturday with Hilow. Everyone noticed.”
“They did?” I ask, my chest contracting with anxiety over that thought. I try to think back to everything that happened. But
all I can recall is trying to be nice to Hilow while mentally trying to figure out how I’d have to squirm out of his touch
if it happened. Then Wolf was there, likely doing that overprotective, big-brother thing that was honestly kind of helpful.
“Well, it was no big deal.”
“Are you sure about that?” Trista asks knowingly.
I shake my head, refusing to believe whatever she’s implying. If she thinks Wolf was jealous of Hilow, her head is a snow
globe too. If anything, Wolf was just trying to irritate me. Or maybe he was just trying to get away from my family. They
can be a lot. Maybe he’d been poked in the thigh one too many times by Stevie. My cousin is a cutie, but given Wolf isn’t
really a people person, a little person might have tested his limits too far.
But romantically? Me and Wolf? Never in a million years.
“For the past four years on campus, he ignored me, even when we were regularly in each other’s orbit. The FESS program isn’t
that big at Trinity. We had some classes together, and he was always at the pub I hosted my dating clinics at. Like, clearly,
if he wanted to, he would, y’know? He was only forced to acknowledge my existence when I randomly became roommates with his
sister, and even then, he acted like we were strangers.”
“Huh, that’s weird,” Trista replies and taps her fingers on the table. “I thought I was picking something up Saturday night.”
I shake my head. “He’s just being decent to me because he’s alone in a new country and his sister probably told him to be
nice.”
Trista gets a defeated look on her face. “Well, hopefully you two become friends at the very least.”
“It’s possible,” I reply with a smile. “I mean, I love his sister, and she loves him, so he must have a nice side to him somewhere in that gruff rugby exterior. I just hope no one gets the wrong idea about us because, well . . . you know my uncles.”
“Yes, I do. They’re animals. Fucking animals,” Trista replies with an exasperated sigh. “But you gotta not worry about what
they think. They’re living their lives. You need to live yours. If they get in your way, you let me know. I can handle them.
Or Dakota. Or Addison. Or Cozy. Or your grandmother! Especially your grandmother.” Trista laughs and shakes her head. “My
point is, you cannot let some pushy Fletcher brothers make you feel like you have to be celibate all summer just because you’re
living on the same compound as them. You deserve to find your calm snow globe, Everly. And the ladies of Fletcher Mountain
got your back always.”
The warmth that spreads in my chest over that sense of solidarity feels incredible. This is what I’ve been missing. That deep
sense of family. Of belonging. Of loving someone despite their flaws and trusting that love is true and won’t turn on you
when you least expect it.
It may not calm my snow globe, but it warms my heart.
“Thank you, Trista. I love seeing you all together,” I say, pressing my hand to my chest. “So much has changed, and yet . . .
it feels like this was always how Fletcher Mountain was supposed to be. A real family unit.”
“Don’t get all mushy on me,” Trista snaps, waving a hand in front of her face. “Your grandma Johanna already makes me cry
every time she hugs me. I’ve gone soft now that I’m a mother and am seriously always a hair trigger away from blubbering.”
We smile quietly at one another before she adds, “You know, you little mastermind, Fletcher Mountain feels complete now that
you’re here. Like a little missing puzzle piece your uncles needed.”
I nod and smile. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”