Page 152 of Match Me if You Can

And it’s why I did something completely out of character—or really, now I know it was just a new Violet I was still getting to know.

Anyway, I shared.

About me. My past. The video Lex took. And, most importantly, how I fell for Ace—and I did it getting a little choked up talking up ice and fire and how Ace made me understand that I didn’t need to guard my heart so closely.

Because he was keeping it safe.

And he shared too—about his family’s jealousy and his past relationships and how I made him see the weight of them didn’t sit wholly on his shoulders, that he could be just him too.

Which was the point I started crying.

And then so did Evelyn.

Luckily, we had Ace and Hugo to hug us tight and wipe our tears away.

And then we all ate huge portions of Evelyn’s specialty—cacio e pepe (something that had Ace and me having a moment, considering our conversation on that plane ride just two weeks before).

Thankfully—because I was seriously cried out—no further tears were shed.

It was just a great meal, great company, and then…a great contract.

Something Ace signed that night.

Ally was…

Pissed.

Then thrilled.

So, I took it as a victory.

Something that’s been less successful?

Me returning Ace’s money and refusing to accept the second half of his payment.

I moved the office—and Josie and Nate—to Harrisburg. Rent is cheaper. Nate is more settled being away from a town full of people who know everything that happened to him and his parents. And I’m still close to the mountains.

Plus, I’m living in Ace’s house, so I don’t have rent there either (despite me offering to pay).

So, I really don’t need two million dollars.

And I don’t want it.

I just want him.

My man is stubborn, though, so we’ve been passing the check I wrote for him back and forth for months now.

It’s kind of become our thing—me sticking it in his suitcase before he leaves for a road trip, him sneaking it into a file or one of my books.

Time will tell, which of us is more stubborn.

(I have my money on Ace.)

Still, now that Holiday Matchmaking Season is fully upon me, I definitely don’t need the money.

I have more work than I can handle, even with Josie learning the matching ropes.

But that’s a good problem to have.