I take the perfumed bouquet from her hands.
‘Also, for what it’s worth. I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted. The things I’ve done. I’m a work in progress and I still mess up more often than not. I’ve got a lot to learn and I hope you’ll forgive me.’
‘Okayyy… What’s brought all this on?’
‘A little birdie had a chat with me, made me see your side of things.Au revoir!’ She dashes off, before Guillaume takes her place.
‘Guillaume, what areyoudoing here?’
He hands me a pretty box full of chocolate-covered strawberries. ‘A delivery from your secret admirer, who is not me before you get your hopes up. I’m sorry, Lilou, but I’m already accounted for.’
I try my best not to laugh. ‘So why are you here?’
‘A friend had a quiet word. Explained things are not always as they seem. Mostly because of the internet and mainstream media, but I already knew that. What I didn’t know, Lilou, is that you are responsible for Paris Cupid. Thank you for making an old man happy in his twilight years. I hope you find love. You deserve it.’
Clementine stands beside him holding a picnic basket. ‘Dear Lilou, I always knew it would be someone charming and whimsical behind the matchmaking site. And I wasn’t wrong. Your secret admirer arranged this basket of fromage for you to enjoy together. Thank you for matching me with Guillaume. You have a gift and I only hope your efforts return tenfold.’
I’m almost in tears with the outpouring of love and support from my friends and matches. Just when I think the show is over, I’m blown away when Émilienne steps up. I hold my breath, wondering what’s happened between her and Emmanuel.
‘Darling, what a surprise this was!’
‘You were the first match, Em.’
‘You did it for me?’
I lift a shoulder. ‘For you and others just like you.’
Émilienne gives me a tight hug. ‘Well, I’m pleased to say you’ve changed my life for the better. Without you, I’d have given up on love completely, and I really mean that. I was so sick of being too much or not enough.’
I’m about to ask Émilienne where she stands with Emmanuel when he taps me on the shoulder.
‘Thank you for connecting me with Émilienne. I’m learning how to give her space, and learning how to enjoy time alone too. Without you, I’d have been lonely for the rest of my life. I didn’t know the true meaning of love until I had to earn it. Writing love letters opened up a romantic side to me I didn’t even know I had. When I shouted to the world about Paris Cupid, I meant you no harm. I’m sorry if it threatened your anonymity and your ability to cope with the site.’
‘Merci, Emmanuel. I know your heart was in the right place.’
Who organised all these people? Who knew enough to do so? Really, only Geneviève is privy to behind the scenes. Unless… And there he is. My heart pounds in my chest. He’s changed into a white linen shirt and jeans. He walks towards me with all the confidence in the world, but I know that’s just for show. Really, he’s just like me, unsure and wary in the pursuit of love, while outwardly scowling to keep people at bay. We clashed since we first met because of that frisson between us, a spark, fireworks, thecoup de foudre,the thunderbolt that rocked my world and showed me he was the one I’ve been searching for.
‘Li.’
I grin at the shortening of my name that used to irk me so. ‘Pascale.’
He takes my hand and kisses the top of it. ‘I’m not one for grand gestures…’
‘You’re not?’
He grins. ‘I’m not. And then you came along.’ The crowd grows silent. Everyone’s gazes are riveted to us but I only have eyes for him.
‘And then what happened?’ I ask.
‘I couldn’t focus, I couldn’t sleep. If I did, my dreams were full of you. The only slight hiccup I had was… I couldn’t form coherent sentences in front of you. I’d freeze up, lose my train of thought, say the opposite to what I was thinking. It was love,love at first sight, a notion I’d laughed at before, so many times. I had to act, and I wanted it to be special. I asked Benoit to write a love letter in calligraphy, Pierre to hide it, Felix to make a hand-pressed card.’
I turn to the group and see Felix and Benoit who give me a wave, then hold hands. Ah! Now all those long looks across at each other make sense! All those times Benoit blushed in front of Felix. And the question Benoit wanted to ask me… Was it some advice about his feelings for the ginger-haired printer?
I smile at them before I turn back to Pascale and say, ‘You went to such great lengths. For me.’ I still can’t believe it. As I gaze at him, I find myself woozy, weak. He’s everything I ever wanted in a man. Sweet, passionate, with that intensity that stops me in my tracks. A fierce protector who is really a teddy bear underneath but will rise in my defence if ever I need him to. The heart and soul of a poet with a romantic streak that is worthy of all those love letters from the past combined.
He smiles and it lights up his whole face. ‘I wanted to show you – via every medium you love – what I felt for you since I couldn’t do it in person.’
‘But… your handwriting sample didn’t match.’
