Page 14 of Matched with the Grumpy Secret Prince

“Here we are!” Mia says cheerfully, stepping out from the driver’s side. She waves a hand toward the mansion like she’s presenting a prize. “Welcome home, baby.”

“Mia,” I say, blinking up at the towering building. “When you said you had a place for me to stay, you didn’t mention it was the Taj Mahal of Bardstown.”

She laughs, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Oh, please. It’s just a little place I picked up. You know, as an investment.”

“A little place?” I raise an eyebrow, gesturing toward the grand double doors.

Mia grins unapologetically. “What can I say? I have good taste.”

She grabs my suitcase from the trunk before I can protest, leading me up the broad stone steps and through the front doors. The interior is just as grand as the exterior—high ceilings, polished wooden floors, and chandeliers that sparkle like they belong in a magazine spread.

I let out a low whistle, following her through the foyer. “This is amazing. It’s giving fairy tale wedding.”

“And you, my dear sister, are still a hopeless romantic.” Mia laughs.

“What can I say? I love love and happy endings,” I say with a wink.

“Come on, I’ll show you your room.”

The guest suite she leads me to is massive—easily twice the size of my apartment bedroom back in Manhattan. The bed is draped in soft linens, and the tall windows overlook a garden blooming with lavender and roses. It’s beautiful, but what strikes me most is the quiet.

No honking taxis. No buzz in the city. Just birds chirping and the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze.

I set my carry-on by the closet and sink onto the bed, taking it all in. Being back in Bardstown feels surreal, like stepping into a memory I wasn’t sure I’d ever revisit.

“How does it feel?” Mia asks, leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed.

I glance around the room again, smiling softly. “It feels… good. Really good.”

“Good,” she says with a nod. “Because I have plans for you already.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Plans? Oh, Mia, please. I just got in.”

“Yes, plans, and you cannot say no. It’s been seven years!” she says, her grin widening. “We’re having a family dinner tomorrow night. Just something small—me, you, Ethan, Riley, and Aunt Dotty.”

I laugh lightly, shaking my head. “You’re not wasting any time, are you?”

“Of course not,” she says. “You’re back in Bardstown, Soph. We’re celebrating.”

“Celebrating what?”

“You, obviously,” she says like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “And also Ethan and Riley’s wedding. And maybe just an excuse to have Aunt Dotty’s famous apple pie.”

I smile, the warmth in her voice wrapping around me like a blanket. “All right,” I say. “Family dinner it is.”

Mia claps her hands together. “Perfect. Now, unpack, relax, and get some rest. You’re home, Soph. Enjoy it.”

“Mia?” I call as she turns around with a bright smile

“Yes?”

“Do you think I should have ever left? I mean, you stayed and built something amazing for yourself here.”

“We have talked about this a dozen times, Soph. You left because you wanted more. You knew you could do more, and there was nothing wrong with that. What you did was commendable, andI’m so proud of you.” She reaches me and wraps her arms around me. I hug her back, inhaling her sweet scent of roses.

“I missed you so much, Mia. I missed home,” I say.

“And we missed you right back. Now, please, stop thinking about the past, face the present, and embrace the future.” She smiles, pulling away from the hug.

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