Page 6 of Matched with the Grumpy Secret Prince

“Forget something?” she asks, holding a box cutter in one hand.

“Yeah,” I say quickly, ducking behind a display of garden hoses. “Thought I needed more nails.”

Riley blinks. “You just bought a whole box.”

“Well, another box won’t hurt,” I mumble, peering around the edge of the shelf just as Mia steps into the store.

She’s dressed in a sharp blazer and dark jeans, her curls bouncing as she walks toward the counter. Sunglasses are perched on her head, and her heels click confidently on the floor.

“Mia!” Riley greets her, her tone bright.

I duck down lower, clutching the hardware bag to my chest.Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me.

“Hey, Riley,” Mia says, leaning casually against the counter. “How’s it going? Wedding plans driving you crazy yet?”

“Not too bad,” Riley replies with a laugh. “Ethan’s been a big help. He’s even more detail-oriented than I am.”

Mia smirks, crossing her arms. “That’s surprising. I thought he’d be the type to show up and hope for the best.”

“Oh, he has his moments,” Riley teases. “But he’s been great with keeping everything organized. We’ve even got the venue booked already.”

I inch toward the side door as they talk, keeping my head low. My heart pounds as I hear Mia laugh—a warm, familiar sound that somehow manages to set off every alarm in my brain.

“Good,” Mia says. “Because if the wedding is happening in three months, you’ll need all the help you can get. Let me know if you need me to wrangle Ethan’s side of the family.”

Riley chuckles. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

I make it to the side door and slip out as quietly as possible, and I almost drop the bag I’m carrying in the process because my shoes hit one of the shelves.

“Is there anyone there?” I hear Mia’s voice ask, and I sprint without looking back. As soon as I’m outside, the cool air hits my face like a blessing. I sprint toward my truck, gripping the hardware bag like it might save my life.

Once inside, I duck below the dashboard, holding my breath as I glance toward the store. Mia is still inside, chatting animatedly with Riley, gesturing as she talks.

“Safe,” I whisper to myself, releasing a long breath. “Thank goodness.”

It’s not that I don’t like Mia. She’s smart, funny, and genuinely cares about her family. But the thing about Mia is that she has this… gift—or curse, depending on who you ask. She seesthrough people, straight to the parts they don’t want anyone else to know about.

I learned that the hard way the first time we met.

It was five years ago, not long after I moved to Bardstown. I was sitting in the café, minding my own business, when she slid into the chair across from me, her smile disarming but sharp.

“Graham, right? How are you doing?” she asked, wearing a bright smile on her face.

“Yeah,” I said cautiously, setting my coffee down.

“It’s not every day we see new people move to Bardstown. How are you enjoying it so far?” Her tone was casual.

“The first thing I’ve noticed is how close-knit everyone is. I guess that’s one of the perks of a small town,” I replied with a shrug, keeping my face neutral. Mia grinned as she nodded her head. I still haven’t completely let my guard down around her, but the conversation wasn’t so bad. It’s just that I would rather just be alone.

“You’re absolutely right. By the way, your accent…” she said, leaning in slightly.

This is precisely why I preferred to keep to myself—because she had noticed the accent already. My parents, the king and queen, made sure my brother and I sounded like royalty from the day we were born. And I always knew it would be the first thing to give me away, and that’s why I had subconsciously toned it down since I got here.

“What’s wrong with it?” I ask.

“Oh, nothing! It’s just not what we are used to over here, but it’s so nice to meet you, Graham. I have a feeling we could be good friends.” She smiled. “Are you here with your family?” She continued

Her last words were like a scalpel, even though she doesn’t know what I’ve left behind. The mention of me being here without my family opens old wounds.

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