Page 35 of Stupid Matchmaking Love

“That’s three couples so far,” the reporter says to Mina. “Do you think there will be any more?”

“Fingers crossed we get a fourth. Four couples would be a perfect competition. Oh! Here comes another name.”

I hold my breath, a little piece of me hoping I made it in. I know it’s silly, stupid, completely preposterous.

But part of me wants to be paired with someone.

So I cross my fingers behind my back.

“Come on, fourth couple,” the reporter says.

Murmurs wash over the bar. Will there be another pair? Or is three all that the quilt found?

Dark swirls appear again. “There is one more pair,” Mina announces, “and it’s Maya Patel and Logan Holt.”

My chest falls. Not me. Not even close. Well, sort of close, because I work with Maya.

“Looks like we weren’t in the cards after all,” Rhett murmurs.

“Yeah.” I scoff. “Some silly old quilt can’t predict who you’ll end up with. Besides, this probably just means my soulmate hasn’t entered Mystic Meadows yet.”

“Right,” Rhett replies, shadows crossing his face. “It doesn’t mean anything. Well, thanks for keeping me company during tha—”

“Wait a minute.” Mina’s voice cuts through the low lull of conversations. “There’s one more couple.”

The bar goes quiet.

Mina stares at the quilt as two more names slowly surface. “I didn’t think it was possible for there to be another pair, but there is.”

“I hope the quilt doesn’t leave us in suspense,” the reporter chastises. “I must know. Who’s the fifth couple?”

Mina moves so that she’s standing in front of the quilt, blocking the names from view. When she finally turns around, after what feels like forever, her mouth is curled into a sly smile.

My pulse trips. Why does she look like that?

“The final couple is . . .” Mina steps to the side, revealing two names. “. . . Rhett Maddox and Cristina Palmer.”

The world tilts. My stomach drops, and somewhere across the room, I hear Clarice Sinclair whistle.

Just my luck. Apparently the quilt doesn’t match soulmates—it matches chaos makers.

And I’m one of them.

Chapter 12

Rhett

Well, I’ll be damned. Half-pint’s supposed to be my soulmate. Too bad she looks one heartbeat away from bolting.

“You okay? Do you need to sit?” I pull a barstool out and push it toward her.

“No, I’m okay.”

“Couples are to report to the resort tomorrow at six p.m. sharp,” Mina says into the camera. “Congratulations to everyone who made it—and don’t forget, if you weren’t picked this year, there’s still a shot next year.”

Cristina goes pale.

“Here,” I say, patting the stool. “Sit before you pass out.”