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I shake my head, feeling that old ache stir in my chest. “Ryan and I didn’t part on good terms, Em. He broke my heart.”

Her face falls. “That bad, huh?”

“In college, everything just… fell apart. I kept calling. Texting. Trying to make plans to visit. He just stopped responding. No explanation. Nothing. He was done with me but didn’t have the decency to say it.”

Emma stares at me like I’ve just told her the sky is green. “Are you serious?”

I nod, jaw tight. “It got so bad I actually went to his school just to figure out what was going on. That’s when I realized. He’d moved on. New life. New people. And I was just this girl from a small town he didn’t want anymore.”

“Oh, Mia…”

“He told me he always wanted to live in the city. That I should move on. Find my own way.” I shrug, but the memory still stings. “So I did.”

Emma puts a hand over her heart. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“What was the point?” I ask softly. “Back then, it hurt too much to talk about. And later? I just didn’t want to dig it back up. I was over it.”

She sighs, shaking her head. “Wow. Look who’s regretting that decision now.”

“Well, too late. And not just because of my feelings for Jack, because even before Jack’s situation, I was well over Ryan.”

The bell above the door jingles again and I turn, extremely excited about how fast business is this morning. My smile widens when I see Riley walk in.

“Hi, Riley,” Emma and I chorus.

“Hello, ladies.” She waves, looking cute in her usual jeans, flannel, and boot combo. “I haven’t seen you in ages, Mia.”

“I know. Just been out and about,” I answer. “I’m fully back now. So be prepared to be sick of me.”

Riley laughs. “Can I get… ten bouquets of calla lilies?”

I blink. “What? No!”

Riley blinks right back at me, deadpan. “What?”

Emma laughs under her breath as I stare at Riley like she just asked me to hand over my kidney. “Someone has to tell me what’s going on with calla lilies today. Why is everyone orderinglilies? Is it National Calla Lily Day or something? What’s happening?”

Riley chuckles—a rare sound, soft and surprising. “There’s a big art festival happening today. Here. In Bardstown.”

I frown. “What? How did I not hear anything about it?”

She shrugs. “I dunno. People have been buzzing about it for like a week.”

Emma grins and nudges me with her elbow. “You didn’t hear because you’ve been moping around and missing someone. You weren’t paying attention.”

I let out a breath and shake my head. “You’re right. I’ve been so caught up in my head, I forgot the town even existed.”

Riley doesn’t comment—just watches me with that calm, unreadable expression of hers while I gather the bouquets.

“You really want all ten?” I ask, double-checking.

She nods. “Yeah. I told them I’d help with setup.”

I box the last bouquet and follow her to the door, arms full. “Since when did you become interested in art anyway?”

She shrugs again. “I’m not. But this is one event I don’t want to miss.”

I squint at her, suspicious. “That’s vague.”