Matchmaker Mayhem

The late afternoon sun cast golden rays through Ava's office window, illuminating the chaos that had become her desk. Papers were strewn everywhere: profiles of clients, compatibility reports, and a glossy brochure for a dating app Ava had reluctantly downloaded for research. Her laptop hummed faintly, displaying a spreadsheet she had spent hours creating a detailed algorithm designed to streamline Mei's matchmaking process.

"This," Ava muttered, gesturing to the laptop as if it could hear her, "is what efficiency looks like."

Across the desk, Mei sat sipping tea, her expression one of amused skepticism. She had insisted on stopping by "just to check in," which Ava knew was code for "to meddle."

"You really think a computer can do my job?" Mei asked, setting her teacup down with a delicate clink.

"It's not just a computer," Ava said, adjusting her glasses and pointing to the screen. "It's an advanced algorithm that cross-references personality traits, shared interests, and compatibility factors. It's data-driven matchmaking."

Mei raised an eyebrow. "And where does the heart fit into all that data?"

Ava sighed. "Grandma, we live in the twenty-first century. People trust technology. This will make the process faster and more reliable."

"Faster, maybe," Mei conceded, a twinkle in her eye. "But reliable? We'll see."

Ava ignored her and clicked a button on her laptop. The algorithm whirred to life, generating a list of potential matches for her current clients. She scanned the results, her confidence growing.

"There!" she said, pointing to the screen. "Look at this. The algorithm matched Mr. Kim with Ms. Liang, a florist who loves baking and gardening. They're perfect for each other."

Mei leaned over to peer at the screen, her brow furrowing. "Ms. Liang is lovely, but she has three cats. Arthur's allergic."

Ava froze. "He didn't mention that."

"Because you didn't ask," Mei said with a smirk. "That's the problem with relying on machines. They don't see the whole picture."

Ava groaned and rubbed her temples. "Fine. I'll take that into account. But I'm not giving up on this."

Mei shrugged. "Suit yourself. But don't come crying to me when your algorithm crashes and burns."

---

Two days later, Ava found herself at a cozy café, nervously watching as Mr. Kim and his algorithm-selected match, Ms. Liang, sat across from each other. The café, with its warm wooden tables and soft jazz playing in the background, was the perfect setting for a romantic first meeting. Ava had taken care to choose a table near the window, where sunlight filtered through sheer curtains, casting a soft glow on the couple.

"This is going to work," Ava whispered to herself, clutching her clipboard like a security blanket.

From her vantage point, Ava could see that the conversation between Arthur and Ms. Liang was... stilted, at best. Arthur, ever the gentleman, was doing his best to engage, but Ms. Liang seemed more interested in showing him pictures of her cats.

"This is fine," Ava muttered, watching as Arthur sneezed discreetly into his napkin. "They just need time to warm up to each other."

The tinkling of the café doorbell drew her attention, and she turned to see Ryan strolling in, his sharp suit replaced by a casual blazer and jeans. He spotted her instantly and sauntered over, his grin as infuriating as ever.

"Fancy meeting you here," Ryan said, sliding into the seat across from her without waiting for an invitation.

"What are you doing here?" Ava hissed, glancing nervously at the couple. "This is a private meeting."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "In a public café?"

Ava glared at him. "Go away."

"Not a chance," Ryan said, leaning back in his chair. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Ava was about to argue when a loud sneeze from Arthur made her wince. She turned to see Ms. Liang pulling a lint roller from her purse and handing it to him, oblivious to his watery eyes.

Ryan followed her gaze and smirked. "Let me guess—your fancy algorithm matched him with a cat lady."

"Not just a cat lady," Ava snapped. "She's also a florist. They have shared interests."

Ryan chuckled. "Yeah, like sneezing."

Ava clenched her teeth and turned back to her clipboard. "It's not over yet. They just need time."

But as the minutes ticked by, it became increasingly clear that the date was a disaster. Arthur's polite smiles grew more strained, and Ms. Liang began talking about her cats' astrological signs. By the time Arthur excused himself to "get some fresh air," Ava was ready to crawl under the table.

Ryan, of course, was thoroughly enjoying himself. "Well, that was painful to watch."

Ava glared at him. "Do you ever get tired of being a nuisance?"

"Never," Ryan said with a grin. "But if it's any consolation, I've seen worse."

"Really?" Ava asked, doubtful.

"Once had a client who brought their parrot to a first date," Ryan said, his grin widening. "The parrot spent the entire evening insulting the other person."

Despite herself, Ava snorted. "That's... horrible."

Ryan leaned closer, his voice low and conspiratorial. "But not as bad as this. Admit it! Your algorithm flopped."

Ava sighed, slumping back in her chair. "Okay, fine. It wasn't perfect. But it's a work in progress."

Ryan's smile softened slightly. "Maybe you should try trusting your instincts."

Ava raised an eyebrow. "You're giving me advice on matchmaking now?"

"Hey, I've seen my fair share of relationships," Ryan said. "Mostly ones that fell apart, but still."

Ava rolled her eyes but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Thanks, I guess."

"Don't mention it," Ryan said, standing up. "And for what it's worth, I think you're better at this than you give yourself credit for."

Ava blinked, surprised by the unexpected compliment. But before she could respond, Ryan winked and walked away, leaving her alone with her thoughts and the undeniable feeling that he might be right.