Page 36 of Matched with the Playboy Next Door

“I know you are,” she says, her voice gentle. “But love is worth the risk, Riley. Your parents knew that. They lived it every day. And they would want you to have that, too.”

I close my eyes, letting her words sink in. The thought of letting Ethan in, of giving him the chance to hurt me, terrifies me. But the thought of shutting him out forever, of missing what might be…

I don’t know if I can live with that either.

Aunt Dotty squeezes my shoulder, her smile soft and understanding. “You’ve got a good heart, Riley. Don’t letfear keep you from sharing it with someone who’s willing to fight for it.”

I nod slowly, the lump in my throat making it hard to speak.

“Take a chance,” she says simply. “He’s worth it.”

As we walk back to the car, her words echo in my mind, weaving into the quiet resolve that’s slowly building in my chest. The fear doesn’t disappear. But Aunt Dotty’s words settle something else in me, something quieter.

Maybe love isn’t about not being afraid. Maybe it’s about choosing to try anyway. I don’t know if I can do that yet. But for the first time, I don’t feel like I have to figure it out alone.

CHAPTER 13

ETHAN

Mia’s sitting at my kitchen counter, scrolling on her phone and occasionally glancing at me. I’ve been pacing for the last twenty minutes but I can’t stop. My chest feels like it’s caving in, the weight of everything with Riley pressing down harder and harder.

“All right, enough,” Mia says finally, setting her phone down with a loud clatter. “Ethan, you’re going to wear a hole in the floor. What’s going on?”

I stop mid-step and look at her, the words caught in my throat. She raises an eyebrow, crossing her arms like she’s not letting me out of this.

“It’s Riley,” I say finally, sinking into the chair across from her.

“Of course, it’s Riley,” Mia replies, her tone knowing. “What happened this time?”

“I ruined everything,” I admit, running a hand through my hair. “She won’t talk to me. Won’t even look at me. And I don’t blame her.”

Mia tilts her head, her expression softening slightly. “What did you do?”

I let out a long breath, staring at the table. “It’s not what I did—it’s what shethinksI did. She saw Georgia when she was in town, and now she thinks I’m not serious about staying here. That I’m just playing around.”

Mia’s silent for a moment, her eyes narrowing thoughtfully. “Did you explain it to her? Did you let her know you and Georgia have been friends for years and there’s nothing going on there?”

“I tried,” I say, shaking my head. “She doesn’t believe me. And honestly, I don’t think words are going to fix this.”

I thought giving her some space could make the situation better but it seems like I just made things worse.

Mia leans forward, resting her chin on her hands. “Okay, so what’s your plan?”

“I don’t have one,” I admit, my voice sharper than I intend. “And it’s driving me insane. I can’t just sit here and wait for her to forgive me. I need to do something. Something big. Something that shows her I’m not going anywhere.”

Mia studies me for a moment, then smirks. “All right, let’s think. What’s important to Riley? What’s something that would meanthe world to her?”

I pause, my mind racing through every conversation I’ve had with Riley, trying to find the answer. And then it hits me.

“The hardware store,” I say slowly.

Mia’s eyebrows lift. “The store?”

“Yeah,” I reply, sitting up straighter. “She’s always working on it, always trying to improve it. It’s her whole life—her parents left it to her, and she’s been running it ever since.”

Mia nods, her smirk widening. “Okay, go on.”

“It’s not just a store for her,” I say, leaning forward, my hands gripping the edge of the table. “It’s her connection to her parents, to this town, to everything she’s worked for. It’s like every nail, every board in that place holds a piece of her.”

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