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I let out a breath, trying to shake off the thought. “Calm your horses. I’ll go through with it.”

For the plan. For my father.

Brody claps me on the back. “That’s the spirit. But just remember—if it’s not the right fit, you don’t have to keep pretending. There are still plenty of options.”

I nod, not really listening. I’m already back to thinking about Mia. Again. She’s avoiding me. It’s obvious now. I wonder why. She’s already made it clear that the kiss is not happening again—not like I plan for it to. But she’s made it very clear.

As I’m still staring at the envelope, trying to make sense of the whole situation, my phone rings. It’s Harry. I almost don’t want to pick up because, honestly, the last thing I need right now is to deal with him. Or to deal with anyone, for that matter.

But he’s my best friend, so I answer anyway. “Yeah?”

Harry’s voice is cheerful, almost too cheerful for my mood. “Hey, man! How’s the dating thing going? Have you found anyone yet?”

I roll my eyes. “Like it’s that easy. The first one’s soon. Her name’s Denise.” I try to make it sound casual, but Harry isn’t buying it.

“Ooh, Denise?” Harry sounds intrigued. “Is she pretty?”

I glance at the picture of her again, trying to remember what I saw. “Yeah, she’s pretty,” I say, my voice flat.

“Hmm…” Harry drawls, as if he can hear the lack of enthusiasm in my voice. “So why do you sound like someone just asked you to go to the dentist?”

I suck in a breath, my jaw clenching before I realize it. The mention of “dentist” sets me on a treacherous path to thinking about Ryan. The jerk! He likes Mia. I know he does.

I run my hand through my hair again, frustrated with myself. “I don’t know, man. I just… I’m not feeling it. I’m trying to find it, but I’m not there yet.”

Harry laughs, and I can practically hear the grin on his face. “Come on, Jack. You’ve been a professional flirt for years. You’re telling me you can’t drum up some excitement for this?”

“I can’t force it,” I mutter, still unsure why I’m having such a hard time with this. He’s right. When it comes to women, I’m a natural flirt. It doesn’t matter if I find a woman attractive; I can make her feel like the prettiest girl in the world with just a smile. But right now, I’m not so sure about this.

“Maybe you’re just not into the whole ‘matchmaking’ thing,” Harry suggests. “What do you think?”

“You’re probably right. It’s just… weird. I’ve been on dates before, but this whole ‘setup’ thing is different. But I promised my father I’ll behave.”

“All right, man,” Harry finally says, his tone shifting to playful. “I’ll let you figure it out. But hey, I’m sure you’ll find your groove.”

I snort, trying to laugh it off. “I’ll try.”

“Well, while you’re sweating it out with Denise, I’m going golfing with your dad,” he says. “We still have the bet going on. He thinks he can beat me. He never learns.”

Now this makes me laugh. My dad and Harry have been betting on golf for as long as they’ve known each other, and Harry beats him every time. My dad can’t fathom that he just sucks at it. Just because he’s in a golf club doesn’t mean anything. And the best part about my relationship with Harry is how much he loves my dad. He knows how much my dad means to me and doesn’t joke with our relationship.

“You’re not going to let him win, are you?”

“What?” Harry scoffs. “His son is a millionaire. He can afford a thousand-dollar bet.”

“Harry!” I swallow another laugh.

“What?” Harry chuckles. “Talk later.”

He hangs up, leaving me with a smile on my face. Left to the silence of my thoughts, I pick up Denise’s photo again. Maybe if I stare at it long enough, I’ll convince myself that this is what I really want.

“Ugh, there are no good songs on this radio,” I mutter, reaching over to switch it off. Silence fills the car, and now it’s just me and my thoughts.

It’s finally the day of the date, and I’m on my way to meet Denise. I’ve been texting her, letting her know I’m almost there, but I can’t seem to shake the nerves. I should be excited. I mean, thisis what I agreed to—what I promised. A simple date, no strings, no complications. Just two people getting to know each other.

But I can’t stop thinking about… her. Mia. It’s been lingering in my head, the way her lips felt against mine. That kiss. God, I still can’t shake it. I still haven’t seen her since that dinner at her parents’ house, and you know what? It’s fine. It’s not like I want her around. I don’t like how she makes me feel.

I shake my head, trying to focus on the road ahead. The art exhibition isn’t far from Bardstown, just an hour’s drive. But this drive feels endless. Every mile feels like a reminder that I’m about to step into a world where every decision matters, and I don’t enjoy it.