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I shrug, leaning against the pillows, doing my best to keep the irritation from lashing out. “It was fine, I guess.”

I don’t know why she’s asking. She already knows the answer. I don’t even care about the date.

Mia doesn’t miss a beat. “I need to know what went wrong. What you didn’t like. How can I improve on the other dates?”

The other dates.

Her words hit me like a reminder of the whole situation. I force myself not to roll my eyes. “Mia, I’m not remotely interested in Denise. And I think we can cut her out of the race right now. There’s no connection there, and I don’t need to waste anyone’s time.” My tone is sharper than I intend, but I can’t help it. “I’m so done with this whole matchmaking thing.”

She crosses her arms, her eyes narrowing as if she’s trying to decipher me. “You can’t decide that quickly, Jack. You have to meet the other women. Maybe you’ll have more of a connection with one of them. Maybe you’ll see something different.”

I let out a frustrated sigh, pushing off the bed and swinging my legs to the floor. “I don’t care about any of them, Mia. I don’t want some random woman shoved in my face just because it’s part of some grand plan. I’m not looking for some fairytale ending.”

Mia’s expression softens, but only for a moment. She doesn’t back down, though. “You can’t decide like this. You have to give them a chance. Meet the others. Don’t make up your mind so quickly. You might find something you’re not expecting. Remember, we had an agreement. You promised Nova you would give this a try.”

I shake my head. “I already know I don’t have a connection with Denise. She’s nice enough, but I don’t think it’s going to magically develop.”

Mia holds my gaze for a moment, and I can’t tell what she’s thinking. It’s like she’s measuring me, trying to figure out if I’m being genuine or just being stubborn.

“Okay,” she finally says, an edge in her voice. “I’ll take that into consideration.” She pauses, then adds, “But you should meet Ashley. At least give her a shot. Maybe you’ll find a connection with her. A picnic might be a good start. It’ll be casual. No pressure.”

“Who is Ashley?”

She steps into the room and sits on the chair across from me, whipping out a tablet and scrolling through it. It makes everything seem more professional, and then she wonders why I can’t seem to get into it.

“Your next date is Ashley Benson,” she says, reading the screen. “She’s an event planner and has worked on some amazing weddings and ceremonies. I’ll leave you both to discuss that. She studied business in NYU and moved back home last year to live a softer, slow-paced life.”

“Okay.” I nod, not sure I remember anything Mia just said. I’m too distracted by her lips, her hands as they mirror her words, I’m too distracted byher.

She closes the tablet and leans forward. “Let me tell you a bit about how I found these women.”

I stifle a sigh. “Mia?—”

“Just because you said ordinary doesn’t mean these ladies are unremarkable.” Her voice is stern enough to grab my attention, and my eyes rise to meet hers.

“I don’t expect you to look down on them. They’re only single because they’re looking for something meaningful. I deliberately chose ladies from outside town so you won’t have to run into them or risk them fan-girling you, but I assure you that these are mature, beautiful women with brains.”

“Okay.”

She frowns. “Really, Jack? That’s all you’ll say?”

Why does she think I’m interested in whatever she has to say? She hasn’t explained why I walked into her shop and saw her cozy with her ex-boyfriend. If she wants to get back with him, she should. I don’t care.

“Yeah, whatever,” I mutter. “Is that all?”

“You need to be more involved in this, Jack,” she says, crossing her arms again, this time with more authority. “Stop acting so unbothered. Everyone involved here is trying their best to make things work out for you, and it’s frustrating to watch you act like you’re above it all.”

Her words hit harder than I expected. I know she’s right, and I hate that she’s calling me out. But I can’t help it. I’m not interested in any of these women, especially when my mind is stuck on one person. Still, I can’t say that to her.

I let out a sarcastic laugh. “Oh, I’m sorry for taking your time, Mia. I’m sure you’d rather be cozied up with your high school sweetheart, right?”

She gasps. “Jack! Stop being so childish. I don’t see how what I do with Ryan is any of your business.”

You know what? She’s right. It’s a tough wake-up call. I am being childish. And I hate myself for it. Why can’t I just accept that this whole thing isn’t about me and her? It’s about restoring my reputation and helping me get back to my job. That’s all that matters.

I take a deep breath, my shoulders slumping in defeat. “You’re right,” I admit quietly. “Sorry for acting like an idiot.”

“I never said you were an idiot,” she answers. “You’re not.”