Playing Cupid for Parents [A POLIN ff]

Agatha stood with Austin near the shoreline, her sandals dangling from one hand and the sand cool beneath her feet. "So," Agatha began, offering him a small smile. "This is it... my holiday ends now."

Austin nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts. "Yeah, it went by fast, huh?" He glanced at her, the corners of his mouth twitching into a grin. "But it's been fun. You're not half-bad at keeping up with me, Aggie."

She rolled her eyes but laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment. And hey, thanks for... being a good friend. These past two weeks have been pretty crazy."

His grin softened into something more sincere. "Well, it's easy when you're around. You're... different, in a good way."

Agatha raised an eyebrow, teasing, "Different? That's so specific."

"If you had more time here, I would've taken you on a second date. You know, something better than cakes."

She tilted her head, giving him a playful nudge. "Who needs dates when we've hung out almost every day? Anyway," she continued, her tone light, "It's not like we're saying goodbye forever. We can still keep in touch—texts, calls, maybe a video chat or two, even if we're time zones apart."

"Yeah, we can. And next time you're here, you better be ready to surf. No excuses."

"I promise to work on my swimming skills. Next time, I'll be catching waves with the best of them."

A brief silence fell between them before Austin asked, "So, can I get a goodbye kiss? Just on the cheek?"

Agatha pulled him into a warm hug instead. "Nice try. You're sweet, Austin. Take care of yourself, okay?"

Austin smiled, though his cheeks were pinkish. "You too, Aggie." From the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar car in the parking lot. Colin and Penelope were sitting inside, their eyes unmistakably on them. He laughed softly, nudging Agatha's arm. "I was kidding. I knew your parents have been watching us this whole time." He raised a hand and waved at them. Colin leaned slightly out of the car window, offering a polite but scrutinizing nod, while Penelope gave a small wave back.

"Well, that's my cue," Agatha said, rolling her eyes but smiling. "Goodbye, Austin Harris."

"Goodbye, Agatha Bridgerton. Don't forget your promise."

~

Agatha sat in the backseat, arms crossed, brows furrowed as she stared out the window. Colin hummed to himself at the wheel, completely at ease, while Penelope scrolled through her phone, checking last-minute travel updates.

"So," Agatha began, breaking the comfortable silence, "I was just thinking... we land in London, then what?"

Colin glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "Then we clear immigration, get our bags, and—"

"You know what I mean." She shot him a look. "Where are we going? Where are we sleeping? Do I need to pack my things from one house and move them to another? Because if I do, I'd rather know now than be blindsided when we get there."

Penelope turned in her seat, hiding a small smile behind her hand.

"Mum!" Agatha groaned.

"Aggie, can't we at least get on the plane first? We're still ten minutes from the airport."

"No, dad," Agatha said flatly. "Because if I don't ask now, I'll be stuck wondering through Sydney Airport, then Dubai, then Heathrow with no idea if I'm heading to Mayfair or the townhouse."

Penelope finally looked up. "She does have a point."

Colin said something about overthinkers taking over his life before sighing. "Alright. Fine. We're not living separately anymore. It doesn't make sense. Plus, living together is so much fun, right?"