Some people think love should happen naturally. I think those people have never met a stubborn fool who can’t see what’s right in front of them.
Love doesn’t always arrive wrapped in a neat little bow.
Sometimes, it needs a push. A nudge. A full-blown strategy if necessary.
And if you think that sounds manipulative, you clearly haven’t lived in a small town, where everyone knows your business and half of them are personally invested in your love life.
Take Nick and Cerys, for example.
Nick was my son’s best friend. Cerys was my son’s girlfriend. The three of them were inseparable — until Gareth died, and everything fell apart.
Nick ran. Cerys stayed. They both pretended like the past didn’t matter, like they weren’t walking around half-empty without each other. And when Nick finally came back to town? He was ready to keep dodging her forever.
Not on my watch.
If you, too, have two people in your life who are meant to be together but too thick-headed to admit it, allow me to share some proven techniques for fixing the mess they’ve made.
1. Control the Setting (Or: Make Escape Impossible)
If left to their own devices, people will run from their feelings. Best friends turned lovers? Exes who still have unresolved tension? They’d rather flee than face it. That’s where you come in.
The trick is to choose the right setting — one that encourages talking, forces them into proximity, and, if you’re lucky, has a bit of nostalgia attached.
- A small family gathering? Works every time. They can’t make a scene in front of Mam.
- A “surprise” dinner? Excellent for polite, forced conversation.
- A storm that develops into a flash flood and traps them together? Unbeatable. (Fine, I can’t control the weather, but if I could, I would.)
Make it easy for them to accidentally reconnect and impossible for them to leave without at least a conversation.
2. Guilt Is a Powerful Tool (Use It Wisely)
Listen, I’m not saying you should emotionally manipulate people into falling in love. What I am saying is that sometimes, people need a reminder of what they’re about to lose.
Nick spent eight years avoiding Cerys. And what did it get him? Nothing but regret. So when he showed up for lunch, looking at her like she was still the best thing in his world, I made sure to press on the bruise a little.
A well-timed “Gareth would have wanted this” or a pointed sigh about how they used to be so close? Just enough to make them think. To make them hesitate before running away again.
And hesitation is all you need. Doubt their stubbornness, and they’ll start seeing what’s in front of them.
3. Keep Their Hands Busy, So Their Mouths Start Working
If you sit two emotionally constipated people at a table and expect them to suddenly open up, you’ll be waiting until you’re in the grave.
Give them something to do.
- Cooking together? Perfect.
- Fixing something? Works like a charm.
- Taking care of an animal? Unbeatable.
People talk when they’re distracted. They let their guard down when they think they’re focused on something else. Before they know it, they’re arguing, teasing, or remembering why they used to love each other.
And once that door opens, it’s much harder to slam shut again.
4. Public Pressure Can Be… Useful
Is it a little cruel to get the whole town involved? Maybe. But do you want results or not?
In a small town, people love a love story. And if you casually plant a few ideas, they’ll run with it.
- “I always thought they’d end up together.”
- “You two make such a great couple.”
- “Look at them, like an old married pair.”
The key is repetition. The more they hear it, the harder it is to ignore.
Because no matter how much people protest, they hate being the last ones to figure things out.
5. Let Them Think It Was Their Idea
This is the most important step. If they know they’ve been set up, they’ll dig their heels in out of sheer spite. So, you have to make it seem like fate.
- Let them run into each other “by chance.”
- Act surprised when they finally get together.
- Look completely innocent when someone accuses you of meddling.
Then sit back, pour yourself a cup of tea, and enjoy your victory.
The Final Step: Let Them Think They Won
They’ll fight you. They’ll swear they’re over each other. They’ll roll their eyes and complain about your meddling.
Ignore them.
Because once they’re finally together, once they realise you were right all along, they’ll still never admit it.
And you know what? That’s fine. Because they’ll be happy.
And at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.
Even if you are the one who made it happen.
Speaking of Stubborn People Who Needed a Push…
Cerys Evans and Nick Davies took far too long to figure things out, but you can watch it all unfold in Rockstar Regret.
A rockstar. A cheesemaker. A flood. And one very determined mother figure.
Rockstar Regret releases February 20th. Read it now and watch these two fools finally, finally get it right.
