Page 21 of Matched with the Hollywood Heartthrob (Matched for Love #4)

MIA

I watch Jack leave, the door swinging closed behind him with a soft chime. For a moment, I just stand there, my hand still resting on the back of the chair, trying to shake off the strange heaviness that follows him out the door.

A part of me is disappointed—curious even—about how his date went and whether he actually enjoyed it. But I can’t let myself think about that too much. I’ve got enough to deal with already.

Ryan’s voice cuts through the silence, bringing me back to the present.

“So, what’s this about?” he asks, his tone casual, but there’s an edge to it that I can’t ignore. I turn to face him, my thoughts already heavy with the mess of emotions swirling inside me.

“What do you mean?” I ask, trying to play it cool, but inside, I’m not sure how to handle him being here. Again.

“Him.” He nods at the door where Jack just disappeared. “He was at dinner, too. What’s up?”

My body tightens with irritation, and I struggle to keep my voice light. “Do you know you have five minutes? And that time is already ticking.”

He came in here only minutes ago, begging for an audience. When it became obvious he wouldn’t leave if I didn’t listen, I gave him five minutes to talk.

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s talk about us.”

Us. There’s no us. But instead of arguing, I sit back down.

“I’m listening.”

He leans forward slightly, his eyes never leaving mine, and for the first time in a long time, I see a flicker of something I haven’t seen in him for years—vulnerability. The kind of vulnerability he never showed when we were together.

“I came back for you, Mia,” he says, his voice softer now. “I want us to get back together.”

I blink, stunned. “What?” I say, as though the word is all I can manage.

Ryan sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I know I messed things up, but I thought… I thought all I needed was to be successful in my career. I thought I could just move on, but I was wrong. I’ve realized that none of that matters without you. You’re the one I want. You always have been.”

His words hang in the air between us, and for a split second, my heart flutters, but then the reality of what he’s saying sinks in. He’s back in town, making all these promises and declarations like nothing’s changed. But it has. We’ve changed. I’ve changed. And this—this is too much, too soon.

I swallow hard, trying to process what he’s saying. “Ryan…” I begin, but my voice falters as I search for the right words. “You can’t just spring this on me.”

“I know, but?—”

“No buts. You told me to move on. You made it seem like I was the only thing holding you back. It’s been years, and I’ve moved on, Ryan. Getting back together is not happening.”

“I’m not expecting you to just take me back,” he says, reaching out like he wants to hold my hand but stops short when he sees me pull away.

“I know it’s not that simple. But I need you to understand that I’ve made a mistake.

And I want to make it right. We’ve always been good together, Mia.

I know we can be again. I can prove myself. I can prove it.”

I rise and step back, trying to create space between us, even though my emotions are in chaos. “I don’t know what to say, Ryan. You left me. You chose something else, and now you’re back saying this after all this time?”

“I know,” he says, his voice low. “I wasn’t ready then, but I am now. I’ve spent the last few years building a career, thinking it would be enough. But it wasn’t. I want to build a life with you, Mia.”

“Things aren’t the same anymore, Ryan. We aren’t the same.”

Ryan’s eyes soften, and I see the familiar hint of desperation there—the part of him that never really changed. But I can’t let myself get caught up in that again. Not now. Not after everything.

“You don’t have to decide right now,” he says, almost pleading. “I’m just asking for a chance. To show you I’ve changed.”

I take a deep breath, my mind racing with all the old memories of us, but I keep them locked away. “Please leave, Ryan.”

He nods, understanding, but the sadness in his eyes doesn’t go unnoticed. “I get it, Mia. I’ll give you space. I just wanted you to know I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

I don’t respond right away. I can’t. I need to figure out what I want, and right now, I’m not sure of anything. Not with Ryan. Not with Jack. Not with anything.

Ryan lingers for a moment longer, then turns to leave. “I’ll see you around, Mia. Take care of yourself.”

I nod, watching him walk out of the shop, my heart heavy with a mixture of emotions. He’s back, but I don’t know if I’m ready for him to be.

I lean against the counter, my thoughts spinning, and the sound of the shop’s quiet hum fills the space. It feels like the calm before the storm, but I’m not sure how long I can keep pretending everything is fine when it’s not.

And then there’s Jack. We really need to talk. After our parting at my parents’ dinner, I didn’t expect to see him walk into my store. But he left so abruptly, I don’t understand why.

“Don’t worry. I’m not planning to come in between you and your high school sweetheart.”

Ugh! This is all driving me insane.

The door chimes as Emma walks in, her presence like a breath of fresh air compared to the heavy silence that had settled in my chest.

“I saw Ryan driving off,” she says, eyes scanning the room as if trying to piece together the puzzle. “Was he here?”

I nod, leaning against the counter. “Yeah, he was.”

Emma wiggles her brows, but there’s a mix of curiosity and concern in her gaze. “So… do you think you’ll date him again? Are you guys trying to rekindle?”

I hesitate, the thought of Ryan still lingering in my mind. But I shake my head. “No. I can’t.”

Emma tilts her head, eyes softening as if she’s trying to read between the lines. “I mean, I know things were complicated with you two, but… You guys were high school sweethearts. You’ve known each other forever. It’s hard to just forget about that, right?”

I feel a tightness in my chest, and I can’t hold it in anymore.

“That’s not true,” I say, my voice catching for a moment.

“He broke my heart. It wasn’t just about us realizing it was better to let each other go.

He strung me along for months before he finally cut things off, and it wasn’t because we both wanted different things.

It was because he decided to stay in the city and build his career. ”

Emma looks taken aback, her eyes widening in surprise. “Mia… why didn’t you tell me all this?”

I bite my lip, looking down at the counter for a moment.

I’ve never really talked about it, even though I’ve carried it with me for so long.

“Because Ryan was your friend, too. He was a good friend, Emma, and I didn’t want you to hate him.

And I didn’t want to talk about it at the time.

I was hurting, and by the time I healed enough, the pain wasn’t so raw anymore.

It didn’t seem necessary to dig it up again. ”

Emma’s face softens, and she steps forward, pulling me into a tight hug. “Oh, Mia… I’m so sorry I’ve been so welcoming to him. I had no idea he did that to you. I should’ve known better.”

I rest my head on her shoulder, letting the comfort of her embrace soothe me. “It’s not your fault, Em. You didn’t know.”

She pulls away slightly, holding me at arm’s length, and looks me in the eye with concern and sympathy. “I just… I hate that you had to go through that alone. I always want to be there for you.”

“I know. I just didn’t want to drag anyone else into it, especially not you. You had enough on your plate with school and exams, and I wasn’t ready to burden anyone with my own pain.”

Emma just nods, her expression softening. “Well, now you don’t have to. I’m here, Mia. Always.”

I nod, grateful for her friendship. For her support. “Thanks, Em. I really needed to hear that.”

She smiles and squeezes my hands. “You deserve the best. You always have. And whatever happens with Ryan, just know that you’ve got me. You always will.”

I smile at her, feeling a sense of calm wash over me. “Thanks. I just don’t know what to do about Ryan now.”

She looks thoughtful for a moment before speaking again.

“It’s been years. And while I won’t underestimate your pain, I’d like you to consider that he may have changed,” she says wisely.

“He has a successful career, but obviously that isn’t enough to keep him happy.

That’s why he’s back. If you can, maybe just let him try.

You don’t have to do anything. Let him work hard and prove himself to you.

Just take it one step at a time. You don’t have to decide anything right now. Just… give yourself time.”

I nod, the weight of her words settling over me. Time. That’s all I really need. Time to figure out what I want, and if Ryan’s presence in my life is part of the plan moving forward.

We used to love each other genuinely and honestly. I know Ryan loved me so much at one point. If we can build it back, maybe it’ll make sense. I shake my head again. Time. No need to rush into anything.

“Ryan aside,” Emma chirps, “I came to ask how Jack’s date went. Are you keeping tabs on him?”

I decide not to tell Emma about Jack coming here because I don’t understand it myself. It’s just part of the many things I need to figure out on my own.

“Last I heard, he’s back from the date,” I answer. “I should go see him and ask about it.”

Emma raises an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “Do you think it went well?”

I hesitate for a moment, not sure how to answer. “I hope it went well,” I say, though my tone betrays a hint of doubt. “For his sake. And for Nova’s sake. They’re all counting on it.”

Emma watches me carefully, her expression softening. “What about Jack himself? What do you think about him?”

I give a half-hearted shrug, brushing the question off like it doesn’t matter. “What do you mean? You know what I think about him.”

Emma shrugs in return, a playful glint in her eyes. “That hasn’t changed?”

“How’s it supposed to change?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady but feeling the heat rise in my cheeks as I remember the fiery kiss we shared.

I force a scoff, rolling my eyes as I place the last of the flowers in their vases. “He’s Jack Calloway. He’ll always be the guy who does whatever he wants, whenever he wants, without a care about who he hurts along the way. Nothing about that’s changed.”

Emma gives me a knowing look, the kind that says she knows there’s more to this than I am letting on, but thankfully, she doesn’t prod. “All right, all right. If you say so.”

I shoot her a quick glance, a wave of frustration bubbling inside me. “I just don’t care about him. He’s not my problem.”

Emma smiles softly but says nothing more. I know her well enough to know that she won’t push it, but the question hangs in the air— What’s going on with you and Jack?

I’ve always been a confident and sure person, but these days, confusion seems to be the only thing I’m sure about.

“All right, lock up,” Emma says, heading back to the door. “It’s getting late. You don’t want to have to spend the night at Jack’s place, do you?”

She exits before I can bite back.

I quickly lock up the flower shop, a knot forming in my stomach as I make my way to the car. Emma is waiting for me, already standing by her car, her arms crossed and a slight smile on her face. I walk over to her, trying to push aside the thoughts of Ryan and Jack swirling in my head.

“Ready to go?” she asks, her voice light but with a hint of concern that I know all too well.

“Yeah,” I say, forcing a smile as I slide my arms around her for a quick hug. The familiar comfort of her embrace calms me, even if only for a second. I pull back and meet her gaze.

“Thanks for your advice. It’s nice to know you still got it.”

She laughs for a while, but her eyes linger on me for a moment too long, like she knows there’s more I’m not saying.

“Take care of yourself, Mia,” she says softly, her hand brushing my arm before she opens her car door.

“I will,” I reply, taking a deep breath.

With one last smile, we both get into our cars.

I turn the key in the ignition, the hum of the engine grounding me for a moment.

My fingers tighten around the steering wheel as I drive off.

I can’t shake the feeling that something has changed within me when it comes to Jack, but I don’t know what it is yet.

Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s just the tension from the kiss still lingering in my chest.

As I drive, I focus on the road ahead, trying to push away the uncertainty clawing at me. One thing’s for sure—I need to find Jack a forever partner and get him out of my town as quickly as possible.