Page 28 of Matched with the Hollywood Heartthrob (Matched for Love #4)

JACK

I ’m rarely ever upset to the point where I’m literally seeing red. Growing up, after my mom left, I used to be an angry child, but Dad taught me that control is one of the best traits a man could have. He would say, “You can be angry, kid, but you don’t have to lash out and be mean.”

This is the only reason why I’m able to sit at this table with the perfect level of composure necessary to move this date along. Beside me, Mirta is seated in a pretty red dress and a gorgeous face, only paying attention to me.

Across the table are Mia and Ryan, and I can’t stop looking at her.

I’m distracted, and I’m not sure why Mirta hasn’t realized that yet.

I notice every time Ryan touches Mia and pretends he doesn’t know what he’s doing.

I notice every time he leans in to whisper in her ear, like the eatery is too loud for normal conversation.

There’s a table between us, but it feels like a whole sea with how much they’re in their own little world.

Isn’t this a double date? Aren’t we supposed to interact with each other? But Ryan is hogging all of Mia’s attention, and Mirta and I could have as well been on a single date.

“What’s the problem, Jack?” Mirta leans in, and I catch a whiff of her vanilla scent. “You don’t like the food?”

“Oh, it’s perfect.” I stare down at my half-eaten plate of steak. “I just don’t like to rush food.”

“Oh,” she giggles. “So, Mia told me you’re new in town. What is it that you love the most about Bardstown? What do you find so special here?”

“She did?” I glance at her again, and this time I see Ryan leaning in toward Mia, whispering something, and Mia laughing so hard that her eyes wrinkle in the corners. What is so funny? Why does Ryan have to whisper it? I can’t stand him.

“Jack?” Mirta touches my arm, soft and pleasant. “You okay?”

“Oh, yes, sorry.” I try to tune back in, forcing a smile, and turn toward her. “Uh, Bardstown…” I mumble, struggling to form words. “It’s peaceful. Yeah, I guess that’s the best part about it. Peaceful, calm. No rush.”

Mirta tilts her head slightly, clearly sensing that something’s off. “Peaceful?” she repeats, raising an eyebrow. “Is that all? You sure that’s your favorite thing about the place?”

I nod too quickly, suddenly feeling defensive. “Yeah, I mean, it’s… nice. The quiet. It’s good for thinking, you know?”

Mirta nods slowly. “I guess you can say that. It really is peaceful here.”

I force myself to focus, but the whole time, I can hear Ryan’s voice, low and smooth, making Mia laugh again. God, it’s making my blood boil.

“What about you?” I turn to Mirta, noting for the first time that night how gorgeous her eyes are. “What do you love most about the town?”

She smiles warmly. “Everything. But I love the people the most. They’re charming, welcoming. You could literally knock on anyone’s door and they’ll take you in, feed you, and let you spend the night.”

I laugh with her. “Well, I haven’t experimented with that. But I promise I’ll try and give you feedback.”

Mirta giggles and is about to respond when Ryan’s voice interrupts us. I wonder why that is, since he’s been talking in whispers since this date started.

“You look gorgeous tonight, Mia,” Ryan says, his voice smooth. “I swear, you get more beautiful every time I see you.”

Mia laughs softly. “Thank you, Ryan.”

“He’s right,” Mirta adds. “You really are beautiful.”

“And you, too, Mirta.”

Ryan is about to say something else, probably throw one more compliment in there, but before he can, someone from across the restaurant shouts loudly, “The fireworks are already starting!”

Ryan’s face lights up immediately, and Mirta follows suit, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She grabs my arm, and across the table, I see Ryan turn to Mia, too.

“Do you want to go watch the fireworks?” Mirta asks. “It’ll be fun.”

“No. I’m fine. Really.” I shake my head. “I’ll just finish my food.”

“Seems it’s just us two,” Ryan says to Mirta, rising from his seat. “Mia isn’t interested in the fireworks, either.”

“We’d better go then.” Mirta pats my arm gently before standing. “We’ll be back soon.”

As Ryan and Mirta leave, the noise of the restaurant feels like it fades away, leaving just the quiet hum of the ambiance and the soft clink of silverware on plates.

I sit back in my chair, suddenly hyper-aware of the empty space across from me.

Mia is sitting there, and I can feel every inch of distance between us.

She’s quietly sipping her wine, her eyes looking out the window for a moment before she turns her gaze back to her plate.

I don’t know why I thought I could handle this—handle her with someone else.

Handle pretending like everything was fine, like this whole arrangement, this whole mess, wasn’t tearing at me.

I can’t take my eyes off her. But I don’t say anything.

What’s the point? What am I supposed to say?

The words feel stuck in my throat, and every time I think about the night, about how she smiled and laughed with Ryan, my chest tightens.

She should be laughing with me. She should be here with me. But she’s not, and it kills me.

It dawns on me that I’m never going to find my perfect match. It’s never going to be Denise, or Ashley, or Mirta, or whoever else she has on her little list. It’s her . Mia.

What am I doing here, sitting with these other women, going through the motions when all I really want is her? When I realize this, when it hits me all at once, it’s like a punch to the gut.

My feelings for her are deeper than I ever anticipated. I can’t pretend it’s all just about finding the right match anymore. It’s never been about that. It’s always been about her.

Mia suddenly meets my gaze, her eyes flicking between me and my untouched food. She furrows her brow. “Why aren’t you eating?”

I roll my eyes, letting the frustration I’ve been holding in all evening finally escape. “So now you want to speak to me? You’ve been ignoring me all evening,” I snap, my voice sharper than I intended.

She blinks, clearly taken aback. “What are you talking about? This is your date. I’m just giving you enough space with Mirta.” She pauses, then adds, her tone a little more pointed, “About that, how’s it going? Are you having fun?”

I scoff, unable to hold back. “The worst date I’ve ever been on,” I mutter bitterly, my jaw tight.

Mia’s eyes flare up with annoyance, and she leans forward slightly, her hands clutching her glass of wine tightly.

“Well, finding you a perfect match is the worst thing I’ve ever agreed to,” she spits out.

“You’ve made it impossible, Jack. You’re frustrating all my efforts. And you don’t even seem to care.”

Her words sting, but they also strike a nerve I didn’t realize was so raw.

I let out a frustrated breath, slamming my fork down on the table.

“It’s not my fault you haven’t found anyone I actually truly connect with,” I snap back, the words escaping before I can stop them.

“This is your fault. You’re the expert here. The matchmaker.”

Mia’s face reddens, her lips pressing into a tight line. “I’m trying, Jack. But it’s hard when you keep pushing every woman I set you up with away. I’m trying to give you a chance at something real, but you keep making it impossible.”

I feel the weight of her words, but the anger bubbling in my chest forces its way out. “Maybe if you stop pretending like you don’t know what’s going on, we can actually find a way around it.”

Mia frowns, and in that moment, I realize it’s actually in my head. She doesn’t know what’s going on. She’s oblivious to how my feelings have changed. She doesn’t care about me like that. The realization hurts more than seeing her with Ryan.

“What exactly are you talking about?” she asks.

“You know what, never mind.” I wave her off, ready to leave. “I—um, I don’t even know what I’m talking about. I?—”

Thankfully, Mirta and Ryan return, their voices filled with excitement, gushing about how beautiful the fireworks were.

I can barely bring myself to react. My mind is so consumed by Mia, and I’m so wrapped up in everything that’s just transpired, I realized I didn’t even hear the fireworks go off. My stomach churns.

Mirta leans in, her smile bright and eager. “The fireworks were incredible, Jack! Did you see them?”

I glance at her, but my thoughts are elsewhere. “Yeah, they looked amazing,” I reply, hoping I sound excited enough.

I smile at Mirta, trying to shift the focus. “You ready to get out of here?” I ask, my tone casual but with a hidden urgency. “We can go somewhere else, just the two of us.”

Mirta’s face lights up immediately, her eyes sparkling. “Yes! I’d love that!” she responds, practically bouncing in her seat.

Without a second glance at Mia or Ryan, I push back my chair and stand up. “Goodnight,” I say, not looking at either of them. My words are sharp, probably more than they should be, but right now I don’t care. I’m too preoccupied with the mess I just made.

Mirta waves at them as I lead her out of the restaurant, eager to put some distance between me and the tension I’ve just created.

As we step outside, I can feel the weight of everything—everything between me and Mia—still hanging in the air.

It’s high time I put actual effort and leave Mia alone.

She’s clearly not interested, and since Ryan continues to hover around her, maybe they’re looking to rekindle their love.

As much as it hurts to think about, I have my career to figure out, make my dad proud, and get back in the good books of my fans all over the world. Plus, the sooner I find myself a woman, the sooner I can return to L.A. and leave everything here behind.

“So, where should we go?” Mirta asks, wrapping an arm around mine.

“You tell me.”

“An ice cream shop?” she suggests. “After a meal, I love to eat something sweet.”

I wink. “A sweet tooth, just like me. An ice cream shop it is.”