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My reaction to this kiss scares me. It’s like I’ve never been kissed in my life. I want it to go on and on, and at the same time, I want to run away from Mia, scared of what she’ll do to me if I continue to stay.

“Both of you, come in for coffee. Dinner is almost ready.” The back door swings open, and Brody peeks out, his gaze narrowing on us. “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” we chorus quickly. “We’re coming.”

Mia turns toward the house. She doesn’t look at me as she walks inside, but there’s something different now. The air between us has changed, and I can’t decide if it’s a good change… or a bad one.

I follow them inside, trying to act like nothing happened, even though everything feels different. Mia sits at the kitchen table,pulling out the list of women she’s supposedly vetted for me. She opens it, her fingers brushing over the paper before she looks up at me with a detached sort of professionalism.

“There are four women on the list,” she says, her voice calm, too calm. “Denise, Ashley, Mirta, and Hayley. They’re all pretty normal women with their own lives, but they’ve got a few things in common—interests in arts, gardening, and they all have vibrant personalities.”

I try to focus on her words, but my mind keeps going back to the kiss. I can’t seem to stop thinking about how she felt against me, how her body reacted when I kissed her.

“Denise is a painter, just like you,” she continues, her gaze never leaving the list. “I’ve already organized your first date. You’ll both attend the art exhibition next week in the next town.”

“What? Next week? That’s so soon.” I scratch my hair, confused about how she can actively plan my date with some other woman after she just kissed me so thoroughly.

“It’s not so soon; I want you on this date as soon as possible,” she answers. “I’m here to match you with someone who’ll make you happy. That’s it.”

She says it like it’s simple, but the words sting more than I expect. The kiss doesn’t even faze her. She just slides right back into professional mode, and I can’t decide if I’m relieved or frustrated by it.

Brody, ever the oblivious one, grins at Mia. “How about dinner, then?” he asks, completely unaware of the tension in the room.

Mia shakes her head quickly. “No, thanks,” she says, standing up. “I’ve got to get going. I’ll return your shirt later, Jack.”

I watch her go, feeling a sharp tug in my chest. I don’t want her to leave, not yet. But I don’t know how to fix whatever is between us now.

Brody watches her leave and then turns to me with a raised brow. “Did I do something to upset her?”

“No,” I say, but my voice is thick with something I don’t want to name.

“Sure? She seemed very eager to leave,” Brody said. “Even more so than usual.”

“Brody, I don’t know, okay?” I head to my room, my mind still reeling from the kiss, from the way Mia looked at me like she wasn’t sure what to do with me. She’s cold one second, warm the next—like she can’t make up her mind about me. And I get it. I’m not sure about me, either.

I barely have time to close the door before my phone rings. It’s Nova.

“Jack,” she says, her voice clipped, businesslike. “Did Mia tell you about the list of women she picked out for you?”

“Yeah,” I reply, sitting on the edge of the bed. “She gave me the rundown. I’m trying to summon interest in the date, but it’s harder than I thought.”

Nova doesn’t sound pleased. “Jack, you can’t mess this up. Denise is first on the list. She’s the most promising one. You need to charm her. Make sure she sees the real you.”

I lean back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. “I’ll try,” I mutter, not really believing my own words. The truth is, I’m not sure I’m ready for this. I’m not sure Iwantto be ready.

Nova sighs on the other end. “You will charm her, Jack. This isn’t a game. If you want this long-term relationship to work, you need to put the effort in.”

I run a hand through my hair, feeling the familiar frustration bubble up. “I’ll do my best. It’s not like I can force myself to care about something I don’t.”

There’s a pause, and then Nova softens just a little. “Are you okay, Jack?”

I hesitate, unsure how to answer that. “I’m fine,” I finally say, trying to push the thoughts of Mia, of the kiss, away. “I’ll try to be. I’ve been… painting, gardening.”

Nova doesn’t miss a beat. “Gardening? Really? That’s not exactly the Jack I know.” She laughs lightly, but it doesn’t quite reach me. “Well, if it helps you relax, then keep at it.”

I smile at the thought. Relaxing. Me? Sure, gardening and painting are a change of pace, but that doesn’t mean they’re solving anything.

“I’m making sure things run smoothly over here,” Nova continues, her tone shifting back to all business. “I’ve been in meetings with executives and producers all day. Everything’s moving along, so you don’t have to worry about the career side of things.”