A/N: Hmmm… I think this story is starting to shift slightly more towards drama and angst than humour LOLOL Should I change the genre?

Thank you for your kind words everyone! I appreciate all the support and I thank you for being so sweet! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own GMW, but Cynical!Maya is my heart and soul ❀(*´◡`*)❀

Contrary to what Maya had believed, Pappy Joe's ranch was not a dusty dry desert with buffaloes and cacti and tumbleweeds bouncing around. It was actually a rich plot of acres and acres of land surrounding a large town home sitting atop a small hill, flanked by gorgeous trees and a spacious, lush green lawn that Maya could see a large family having barbecues on. She and Missy had set an official tour of the premises for the next week when Pappy Joe was back from out of town, but since Riley had been there before, she'd gotten permission to show them the exteriour at least so that Maya could get started formulating her wedding vision.

Though Maya wasn't interested in ever getting married, she couldn't lie. This seemed like the perfect place to get married. She liked it. It was quaint and homey, and it had that kind of big family feel to it that Maya had always wished she could experience since it had always just been her mother and her.

"This is the backyard?" Maya asked, pensively rubbing her chin as she sketched the wide open space in her sketchbook.

"Maya has this superpower, Riley." Missy chattered excitedly to Riley, as they walked a little behind her. "She can look at a place and easily figure out the perfect arrangement, colours, decorations, everything for the wedding. It's absolutely incredible."

"Yeah, I bet. Maya has always been incredible at anything having to do with art or the creation of art." Riley said proudly, "In high school, she won a highly coveted MOMA internship, even beating out a bunch of seasoned college artists!"

"So why aren't you painting freelance, Maya?" Missy asked her in confusion.

"You can't make a living out of painting…" Maya murmured, squinting her eyes as she observed the space around them. "And I had loans to pay."

It was a dream lost. But at least the wedding venues, to her, were like canvases though. Blank slates that she would fill with tables and chairs and flowers and lace and décor and all sorts of other little things like fountains and ice sculptures and whatever was aesthetically pleasing to the eye until she thought it was perfect. It was like creating 3D art. She supposed—in this somewhat loathsome job having to deal with people in "love"—getting to utilize her love of art was a great payoff.

"I kept telling her she could make a living out of it, especially with her skill." Riley whined to Missy. "But you know Maya."

"Always the cynic." Missy sighed.

"Right? She didn't believe it would ever happen. And she said it wasn't worth being a struggling artist juggling twenty jobs to pay her rent."

"It's not cynicism." Maya countered, shooting Riley and Missy pointed glares over her shoulder, "It's realism. I had enough common sense to get a business and econ degree along with the art. And here I am. Successful and doing well for myself without having to work multiple jobs like in college and high school."

Riley pouted. "Tomato, to-mah-to."

Maya snorted and turned around, facing them and lifting her hands up as if they were a camera in order to capture the image of people with the house in the background. It looked nice. The sun was bright and high up in the sky, but she knew that at sunset, the potential pictures the photographer could capture would be phenomenal. And she knew just which photographer to ask.

She knew he wouldn't agree unless she bribed him, but she did have his TV, and she was sure he would agree to the bribe to get it back. Maya figured he could take a break from photographing all of his models to take pictures for their best friend's wedding.

"Got a good idea of how to transform this place, Maya?" Missy asked as Maya flipped a page in her sketchbook and started sketching some more.

"Sort of. I just need a few more images." Maya glanced up, smiling at Riley. "But don't worry, Honey. I'll make sure to give you the fairy tale wedding of your dreams."

"…And speaking of dreams…" Missy said, a mischievous smirk growing on her face, "Maya met the most dreamy guy today."

Riley gasped in excitement, squealing slightly as she hopped up and down. "Maya met a guy?!"

Missy nodded as Maya groaned. "Technically, it was the second time she met him."

"Wait." Riley said, looking way too giddy than Maya felt comfortable with, "Was it bash-your-nose-in-with-his-skull guy you told me about last night?"

"Yeah." Maya rolled her eyes. "Please don't make a big deal out of it."

"Is he attractive?!" Riley exclaimed, completely ignoring her request.

Yes he was. Very much so.

"He's okay looking."

Missy scoffed, "She's lying, Riley. This guy was a babe."

"Why didn't you tell me he was attractive?" Riley said with a frown, "You're supposed to tell me how attractive someone you meet is on the scale of hotness so I can freak out over it for you!"

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you…" Maya muttered, trying to ignore her tittering friend and finish up her drawing.

"Well, what's his name?" Riley asked.

Maya frowned, realizing she'd never actually gotten it and that the guy had run with his tail between his legs before she'd even had a chance to ask.

"I don't know… And I don't want to know his name."

"Why not? You should definitely get his name and number. I'm sure you two could have a lot of fun." Missy winked, "You should have seen them, Riley. They were flirting so hard."

Riley's eyes widened as she beamed, open mouthed in that super giddy, excited way that told Maya she wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight because Riley would try to wrangle as many details as she possibly could about the Huckleberry.

"This guy was literally so close to you Maya, at first I thought he was trying to look down your dress." Missy laughed as Maya's lip curled. "I have a great eye for these things. I'm so sure he was attracted to you."

"I highly doubt it." Maya snapped, "And we weren't flirting. He was flirting with me."

"I know what I saw."

Maya flipped Missy off who only laughed. Riley giggled, looking like she was gushing.

"Maya, this is perfect! What if you found your Prince Charming too?! You need to get his number next time."

"Riley, for the last time, I am not interested in being with anyone. Especially not that Huckleberry idiot."

"Can you imagine the stories you could tell your children about how you met?! What if this was fate, Maya? You couldn't find anyone in NYC, but fate brought you here and you finally met your One!"

Maya groaned, knowing it was too late. Riley had already gotten into her matchmaker zone, and Maya knew she wasn't going to leave the whole thing alone.

"Is he single?" Riley asked.

"Well, I guess? He didn't have a ring on his finger…"

"If you ever find out his name, you should totally tell me! Lucas knows a lot of people in the city, so maybe if he knows your Prince Charming, I can get him to formally introduce the two of you or something. And then we can have double dates!"

"Riley, I'm not interested." Maya said, shutting her sketchbook, "I'm here to do a job, not hook up with idiots who knock over my stuff, nearly break my nose, insult my height, and then run away after they start flirting."

"But Maya—"

"No buts." She cut Riley off. "We're here to focus on planning your wedding. So let's focus on figuring out what to do with all this land."

Riley's eyes narrowed. "Fine. But we're talking about this tonight, got it? No negotiation."

"This is all your fault, Missy." Maya growled.

Missy laughed and the three women continued on their way towards the small body of water near the stables.