Page 19 of The Matchmaker's Cottage

“No, I think it’s pretty straightforward.” If he was at all nonplussed with her interruption, he didn’t show it. “They’re coming here alone, but together, if that makes sense.”

It didn’t. At her confused look, he barreled on.

“Usually these celebrities travel with an entourage—friends, manager, stylist, et cetera. I convinced Katy and Noah to come, just the two of them, to get a truly authentic picture of their”—he used air quotes to emphasize his next words—“ ‘budding romance,’ vis-à-vis the romantic settings and scenarios we cook up. We take a few pictures of them enjoying the scenery and each other’s company, send them to the appropriate agencies, and boom, a manufactured romance.”

Julia regarded him in silence, long enough that she noticed him shifting uncomfortably under her scrutiny. She thought of the boy she’d known who’d loved taking pictures, who’d wanted to be a photographer.Thiswas where his talents lay now?

Maybe she was a judgmental bitch, but she had always expected so muchbetterfrom him.

And for him.

He cleared his throat, breaking her out of her reverie.

“Okay,” she said after a beat. “Make it look like they’re in love. Got it.” She regarded him skeptically. “And why here? Whydays? We could make this happen in two hours all over this property, making it look like ten different places. What’s the point in dragging it out?”

Ethan sighed, looking skyward. She saw his jaw clench and unclench, but waited patiently for him to speak.

Eventually, he said, “We need this to work. I don’t wantshallow set-up photos of them holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes. I want genuine affection. I want this to look as real as possible. And in order to do that, we have to get them out of the public eye for a few days. We have to isolate them, in a sense. Make people wonder where they are before we reveal them again.Andwe have to convincethemthat they really do like each other—a lot.”

“You realize how psychotic this sounds, right? Like, you’re not playing with Barbies here and making them bump plastic bulges with each other. These are real human beings. You can’t ‘isolate’ them and cast a love spell.”

Ethan groaned, rubbing his hand up and down his face briefly. “ ‘Isolate’ wasn’t the right word. I promise I’m not trying to be a creep.”

“You aren’t doing a good job with that,” Julia drawled, arms crossed. “Hate to break it to you.”

“I know it sounds insane, but this is how it works—like, really works. This is how we convince the general audience that this is the real deal. Most people out there don’t think twice about celebrity couples and whether or not they’re actually together—those two were seen at Target together? Great. Those two are on a Dunkin’ run? Sublime. Must be true love. But there is a subset of people who see through those sorts of stunts and call them out for what they are—PR romances. It’s all well and good—the speculation doesn’t hurt us, either—but when things go sour, like they did with my last couple, and you start getting accused of manipulation and exploitation and people losing agency for the benefit of the firm or the public eye, that’s when things get ugly.”

“But, Ethan,” she interjected, “that’s literally what you’re doing here.”

“Yes, but this time it’llwork!” He groaned again. “I know how deluded I sound, but you just have to trust me.”

Trust him? Never again.But Icouldpotentially work with him.

“I’ll take your word for it,” she said eventually. “But I’ll have to uphold my own moral code. I don’t agree with tricking or manipulating anyone into doing what you think they should be doing. Let them come and have a break and have some fun. I’m assuming it’s been a long time since they were out of the public eye. Let’s show them a relaxing few days and see what happens.”

Ethan beamed at her, holding his arms out wide. “Yes! Exactly! That’s what I want. That’s just what we’ll do. I knew you’d get it.”

Taking a step back from his exuberance, Julia regarded him warily. “Last question. Why here?”

That was the final question she’d had. The last one she needed the answer to.

She watched as all his excitement drained, arms dropping as he appeared to wilt before her eyes. Suddenly he looked tired.

“Because,” he said quietly, avoiding her gaze, jaw clenching again. “Because I realized you’re the only person I can really trust. It wasn’t just Katy and Noah who needed to get away.Ineeded to get away. My reputation is in shambles. Everyone who’s in the knowknowsthat I fucked up. I need to remove my face from all the familiar places and take a step back. The only place I could think of, the only place that remotely made sense”—he looked up and caught her gaze, the blue in his eyes electric as she felt the shock of their intensity go through her whole body—“was here. With you.”

8

He’d said toomuch.

He felt it in his bones. The stunned look she’d given him, the way the silence had turned leaden and awkward as they continued to tour the house.

He didn’t know why he had made that comment about trusting her, why he had admitted to her the truth about his presence now, the feelings he still had inside him that he couldn’t shake.

Ethan knew that he’d been the one to fuck up all those years ago. She had been vulnerable and had given him a part of herself, and he’d all but thrown it away. Dismissed it.

And then run.

It was unforgivable. It was something he couldn’t even dwell on in therapy, his last-ditch attempt to foil the intrusive thoughts and feelings of spiraling anxiety that seemed to have consumed him the last few years. And sure, maybe talking to someone had helped him sleep better at night, but it hadn’t addressed the core issue that was plaguing him.