Chapter 1: Blind Date, Broken Hearts

Blind date day. Yay me.

It was one of those sticky, suffocating Thursday nights where the city air felt thick enough to chew. Of course I was early—couldn’t help it. My nerves were jangling like loose change in my pocket.

Didn’t even have the guy’s number. Not a single photo. Honestly, probably not someone I’d swipe right on. All I knew: he was a cop, Mason Grant, thirty-one. My mom’s friend set us up, swearing up and down that he was just the guy to “straighten out a firecracker like you, Mariah.” Please. Like I’d ever let anyone put me in a box. Yeah, right. Not happening.

My mom’s dream? That a police officer could somehow keep me in line—her wild child. But really, give up my whole dating scene and just march straight into the so-called grave of marriage? Seriously? The thought made me want to laugh, then roll my eyes so hard I’d see my own brain. Come on—settling down just because Mom thinks a badge is stronger than my urge for midnight tacos?

Meanwhile, I kept texting the golden retriever of my dating roster. The guy who always made me grin, even if he was all sunshine and zero mystery. “Hurry up! Crash this blind date and I’ll make you my boyfriend on the spot.”

“Okay, babe, don’t stress. Your blind date’s getting wrecked today.”

But, wow, did I regret it…

Who would’ve guessed Mason Grant would be drop-dead gorgeous? The guy strolled in wearing a black suit, tall and straight-backed. Broad shoulders, slim waist, long legs—like he’d just walked off the cover of GQ. Every girl in the restaurant was sneaking glances. Two even got up to ask for his number, but he turned them down, polite as ever. And get this—hot and has manners! The kind of guy you see in a cop drama and think, “No way real cops look like that.” Turns out, sometimes they do.

Why can’t I ever land someone like that…?

He started scanning the room. When his lashes flickered, it was like—click—gun cocking in my head. My heart just about jumped out of my chest. Then he stood a little awkwardly in front of me. “Excuse me, are you Miss Reed?”

He smiled and blinked. Those eyes were like sniper rifles—took my heart out, one shot, game over! Seriously. If he’d handed me a speeding ticket, I’d have framed it. My stomach did a full somersault. Game. Over. I mean, what was I supposed to do with that?

Help!

So this is Mason Grant!

My future husband!

I mean, come on—today’s blind date is a win!

Sometimes, people really are just shallow. Surrendering to a pretty face is basically my fate, and honestly, I’m not even mad about it. I mean, who am I to fight fate—especially when fate shows up with a jawline that sharp? Seriously, what chance do I have?

"Yes, I’m Mariah Reed. So, you’re Officer Grant?"

I stared at him a little too long. Maybe I was too obvious—his eyes darted away, and the tips of his ears turned red. The kind of blush you only see on guys who still call their moms every Sunday. It was beyond adorable.

Oh my god! He’s even got that innocent vibe. So rare these days! You’d expect a cop to be all gruff and jaded, but he was rocking that boy-next-door thing hard. Unbelievable.

I’ve never dated anyone like this! Seriously, what is happening?

“Just call me Mason.” He gave a nervous little laugh and sat down.

He sat down. Even his posture was straight as a flagpole—like he’d gone to Posture School for overachievers. I could practically hear my mom’s voice in my head: “See? Good posture means good character.”

He was probably new to blind dates—open, but a little stiff. Didn’t say much at first, so I broke the ice: “What do you like to do? Work out? Play video games? Maybe we could do that together sometime?”

Working out together means getting close. Gaming together builds chemistry. I tossed him the lifeline—hoping he’d grab it.

But he shook his head, looking a little shy. “I like reading… but the books I read probably aren’t your thing, kind of…” He trailed off, rubbing his thumb over his napkin.

Now I was intrigued. Could it be what I’m thinking? I leaned in, grinning, “You mean, like, guys and girls studying… extracurricular anatomy together?”

Aka, ‘Fifty Shades of Literature’…

He looked surprised. “You know?” He actually stammered a little, eyes wide.

Whoa, secretly spicy! Fine by me. Ha!

I immediately followed up, “Uh, want to swap recommendations?”

Officer cutie looked genuinely excited! We both whipped out our phones. The way he fumbled for his, like he was about to share a secret family recipe, made me want to pinch his cheeks. Seriously, too cute.

I opened Kindle: ‘The Affairs of the Little Stepmom 1v3.’

He opened iBooks: ‘Atlas of Forensic Pathology.’

My smile froze. I stared at the cover. Was this… a textbook? A crime scene manual? For real?

He was stunned too—his eyebrows shot up, mouth open.