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He tilts his head, thinking a moment, and it really looks like he’s giving the idea serious thought.

“I think your biggest hurdle will be permits. The applications for summer permits are put in months in advance. You could try reaching out to the city councillor and have her fast-track the application. You’d need a proposal for why the community needs the festival and how it can help the whole ward, not just Love Street.

” He pauses, his eyes unfocused. “Su Lin Tran is the councillor for this ward. She’s big into progress.

She’d want to see how a festival like this could impact the area economically as well as culturally.

She’s also a huge diversity advocate—so I’d highlight the diversity of the businesses on the street and how the event would be inclusive to all. ”

This information is golden. Cara and I have no idea about any of this stuff. I feel like I should be taking notes.

An idea comes to me. I move my legs so my feet are next to his. “You should join our festival committee. You’re all strategy, and Cara and I are all ideas. We’re like yin and yang.”

He raises a brow. “Seriously? You want to work with me?”

I grin, nodding vigorously. “Yes! C’mon. Planning a neighborhood festival would be perfect for your résumé! The city councillor will see our kick-ass proposal and bam . Now you have connections in city government.”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know.” With the sun setting, his face is defined in light and shadow. The thought pops into my head that I would love to sketch his face one day, but I shove it back down.

“Is it because you don’t like the love theme?” I ask. He doesn’t answer the question. “Wait, are you aromantic or asexual? I’m pansexual… but I get that not everyone is interested in romance for themselves.” I probably should have asked him before. I hope I haven’t said anything offensive to him.

He shakes his head and looks down. “No. I’m straight. Not… asexual, either. I’ve just seen too many so-called perfect relationships go up in flames, causing destruction for everyone in their wake.”

I recoil at that. Flames and destruction ? What happened to this guy? “Are you talking about your parents’ split?”

“Partially.” He looks at me. “Why are you obsessed with romance if your parents had a messy divorce too?”

I shrug. “My parents never had… I don’t know… a loving relationship. Maybe if they did, they would’ve been able to make it work. But they’re not romantic people. I mean, my mom went to her prom with a guy only because she liked his dog.”

Miles shrugs. “Prom’s just a dance. I don’t get why society tells us it should be as important as our wedding.”

I shake my head. “Prom is important. It’s like the…

symbolic end to your high school years. I’m the chair of my prom committee, so I know.

And anyway, a few relationships not working out doesn’t mean love isn’t the best thing in the entire universe.

There’s a reason ballads are written about love! All those songwriters can’t be wrong.”

Miles snorts, rolls his eyes, and shakes his head at me.

A full trifecta of disdain. “My parents did have the hearts and flowers kind of romance, and the end is ugly . That’s the thing.

Love changes people—and not for the better.

It’s destructive more often than it’s not.

I don’t see why our society puts so much importance on something that inevitably causes pain, not just to the couple but to everyone around them too. ”

I blink. Did he basically say that there’s no point to falling in love because love always ends?

I give him a sympathetic smile. “Your parents shouldn’t be letting their ugly split affect you .

I’m sorry you’re going through that. But society says love is important because falling in love is the best feeling in the world!

My parents didn’t prioritize their relationship, and it ended, but that’s their issue, not mine.

And it makes me even more sure that true love—real, actual love with the right person—is magical .

” I don’t want to end up like my parents—alone or with a wife who doesn’t care about hurting people to get the “perfect” family she thinks she deserves.

Miles shakes his head. “You’re too influenced by the commercialization of romance. Romance is a billion-dollar industry. Movies, books, music, weddings, and even Valentine’s Day have convinced you that ‘true love is real, and it beats all.’ It’s to get you to spend more money.”

Wow . This guy was clearly messed up by his parents’ split. My heart kind of breaks for him. Maybe he had a breakup of his own too? “Have you ever even been in love?” I ask.

Miles doesn’t say anything, but the look on his face tells me the answer.

Yes, he has. And it also ended in disaster.

Which is probably further contributing to his cynicism now.

But Miles is wrong. True love is real, and it’s as wonderful and important as I’ve always believed it to be.

I may not have experienced it, but I have felt it while reading books, listening to songs, and watching movies.

Love isn’t commercialized ; it’s magic .

I grin, an idea striking me.

“So you never said,” I say, still smiling. “Are you going to help us with the festival?”

“Are you sure you want to work with me?”

I laugh. “Yes! We need your knowledge on this permit and bureaucracy stuff! We may have… opposing ideas, but our goal is the same—we both want Love Street to thrive!”

“Are you always so… positive ?”

“Yes.” I wave my hands at my bright smile.

“It’s like my whole thing, and I’m not ashamed of it.

” I kick the side of his sneaker with my shoe.

“Come on, Miles. I want to prove you wrong. Love is real, and it’s the best thing in the world.

Once you see how much everyone loves the love festival, you’ll see I’m right. ”

“Hardly. If the festival’s a success, all it would prove is that everyone else in the city has been indoctrinated like you.”

“Maybe so,” I say, keeping my tone light because I’m about to suggest the second-best idea I’ve had today, after the festival idea. “Or maybe you’ll let me change your mind about love.”

He raises a brow. “How?”

“Let me set you up with someone.” I managed to find someone for Priya to fall in love with. I know I can do it for Miles, too.

His eyes go so wide that he looks like Zuri when she hears the can opener. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously! I’m an excellent matchmaker—I always set up my friends! You’re only skeptical because you haven’t met the right person yet! I know I can find you someone who will make you fall head over heels.”

A little voice in my head tells me that this idea could backfire on me, I mean, I’m now dateless for my own prom because I set Priya up with Amber. But I shush the voice.

Miles shakes his head, eyes still enormous. “I don’t know about this. I don’t want to go out with randoms I’ve never met before.”

“I’ll come along if you want. They don’t have to be formal dates, just a bunch of friends going out.”

Miles is silent for a while, clearly thinking. I know this idea is perfect, and I really hope he sees it too. Miles isn’t actually a bad guy, just a guy going through a rough time who needs to be knocked off his feet in love. And also? He’s much, much too cute to be single.

I scoot forward onto my knees and put my hand out to shake on the deal. He stares at me for several long seconds before finally exhaling and shaking my hand.

“Fine. Go ahead and fix me up with someone,” he says.

I beam, our hands still touching. “And we’ll work on the festival together too?”

He nods, taking his hand back and rubbing it on his jeans. “Yes, I’ll work on the festival proposal with you, too.”

This is going to be so much fun. I love a summer project. Two in fact. Planning this festival to save Love Street, and make Miles Desai fall stupidly in love. I can’t wait.