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“That makes her a good matchmaker,” Mom adds.

“About that…” Ryan suddenly speaks up. He’s been quietly grinning all the while and I’m not sure which one upsets me more—grinning or speaking.

“Mia is doing really well as a matchmaker,” he says. “Her video went viral. It’s beautiful to see what she’s doing here in Bardstown. She’s always been selfless.”

“My daughter is always putting people first.” Mom glances affectionately at me. “I can only hope that one day she puts herself first. Her matchmaking business is really going global.”

“Mom,” I groan, deciding to clear the air now that everyone is here. “I’m a florist. We’ve discussed that.”

“Even your flower shop is successful,” Ryan says.

“How would you know that?” There’s more bite in my tone than I intend.

“I’ve been keeping up with you, Mia.” His voice dips low. “I’m proud of you, really.”

I abruptly leave the table, taking my plates into the kitchen, unable to stand one more second under Ryan’s gaze. Why’s he staring at me like that? Like he wants me? He can’t be serious.

I hear footsteps and turn to see my mom.

“Are you okay, darling?”

“What do you think?” I roll my eyes. “I can’t believe you actually invited him here, Mom.”

She scoffs. “He’s like a son, Mia. Ryan spent most of his younger days in this house. It’s only natural to invite him for dinner.”

I don’t even have the energy to argue, so I stay silent.

She takes my arm. “I’m not asking you to get back with him, dear. You can be friends again, right?”

I don’t respond to her as we return to the dining table, where my dad is already championing the conversation between Jack and Ryan, telling them about the sports team in Bardstown. When Mom arrives, she takes over.

“Ryan, I heard you already moved your dental practice to Bardstown. That’s a huge shift, isn’t it?”

Ryan sets down his spoon, like he’s been waiting for this moment. “It’s a gradual process,” he says. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while, but the city life got to be too much. The pace, the noise—everything felt a bit… overwhelming.”

He looks at me. From the corner of my eye, I see Jack looking at us, his brows drawn.

“So, I decided to bring my practice here, a place where I can really settle down. You know, get back to basics.”

My mom nods along, clearly interested. “And how do you plan on setting it up here?”

Ryan grins, clearly excited to share the details. “I’ve been working with a few local contractors to build a small office on Main Street. Nothing too big, just enough to take on a small group of patients who need a dentist they can trust. I’ve got a couple of experienced hygienists on board already, and I’m planning to start with just a few days a week, see how it goes.”

He pauses, glancing around at the group. “My goal is to make it a part of the community, not just another business in town. I want people to feel comfortable, like they’re coming to see a friend, not just a dentist.”

“Beautiful.” Dad nods. “Everyone in town knows you. Settling in will be a piece of cake.”

“I really hope so.” He turns to Jack, who’s been very silent, flashing him a smile. “What about you, Jack? What do you do?”

Mom, as usual, jumps in before Jack has a chance to respond. “Oh, Jack’s a movie star,” she says with a smile, the kind of proud expression a mother wears when talking about someone she admires. She practically beams as she shares this little tidbit, clearly enjoying the fact that she knows someone famous.

Ryan’s eyebrows furrow, his expression flickering with confusion for a moment. It’s subtle, but noticeable. “A movie star?” he repeats, his voice tinged with a hint of disbelief, as if the concept doesn’t quite match with the person sitting right in front of him.

I can see Jack’s face stiffen instantly, his jaw tightening in that way he does when he’s trying to suppress something—like irritation or, maybe, annoyance. Again, I hate that I notice. I hate that I’m learning him.

“I’m surprised you don’t know Jack,” Mom says. “You must not watch TV or have a phone, which isn’t surprising because you’re a doctor,” she laughs. “Jack is very famous.”

“Oh. Wow.” Ryan shrugs. “Don’t know him.”