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“Well, that’s no excuse. Insane times call for insane measures.” Nova presses a button on her intercom. “Send Mia in, please.”

I shoot up from my seat. “You brought her here? Now?”

“Timing is everything.”

“You ambushed me.”

“No. I’m managing you. Like I should.”

I start pacing. “I don’t want to be managed like this. I don’t want some random woman picking out who I fake-love like it’s a dating app with a budget.”

Nova shrugs. “Too late.”

A knock.

I whip around just in time to see the door open.

She steps inside.

She’s shorter than I expected and more polished than I thought a small-town woman would be. Brown hair perfectly swept into a low twist, a tailored dress that hugs just enough to say she means business, and wedge heels that show off pretty manicured toes. She’s not loud, not overdone, but somehow… she commands the room.

And her eyes—green, sharp, scanning the room like she’s walking into enemy territory—land on me.

I can feel the moment recognition clicks.

Her jaw drops.

I smirk. “So, you’re the one who’s gonna play Cupid for me?”

She recoils like I’ve offered to sell her a used mattress on Craigslist.

“No way!”

MIA

All weekend, I’ve been wondering what Nova could possibly want from me. I assumed it had to be about flowers—maybe an event or some big PR gala. But the second I walk into her sleek Beverly Hills office and see him, my entire brain short-circuits.

Jack Calloway.

Jack-freaking-Calloway is standing in front of me, arms crossed over his chest like he owns the building, wearing this cocky half-smile that makes me want to throw something at him.

I don’t react this way because he’s famous—though, sure, that is jarring—but because he is… stunning. In a maddening, unfair, tall-dark-and-everything-wrong kind of way. Pictures don’t do him justice. Is he some kind of god or something? It’s so unfair that one man is this… fine.

Then he opens his mouth.

“So,” he says, eyes flicking over me like he’s already bored, “you’re the one who’s gonna play Cupid for me?”

“No way!”

The words leave my mouth before I can stop them. Louder than I mean. But I don’t take them back. I mean every word.

His brows lift like I’ve personally offended him. Which—fine. I probably have. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” I spin toward Nova. “Please tell me you didn’t fly me out here just to matchmake him.”

Nova’s expression remains stoic, while Jack frowns, glancing between me and Nova. “Let’s back up a bit, ladies. Um, Nova?” His frown deepens. “What’s with her reaction? Didn’t you say you’ve hired her? We paid a huge amount, your words. A huge amount of my money, if I may graciously add.”

“Hired me?” I scowl at Nova, too. “Am I misunderstanding something here?”