Chapter 134

*MARY’S POV*

My heart raced as I grabbed my bag, checking myself one last time in the mirror. ‘You’ve got this, Mary,’ I whispered to myself. ‘It’s just Josh. No big deal.’

But even as I said it, I knew it wasn’t true. It was a big deal. And maybe, just maybe, that was okay.

With a deep breath, I headed downstairs and opened the front door. And there he was, leaning casually against his car, hands in his pockets, looking way too good for someone who was supposedly just picking me up for a casual hangout. His eyes lit up when he saw me, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.

“Hey,” he said, flashing me that lopsided grin that always made my heart skip.

“Hey,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “So, what’s this all about?”

He raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. “You’ll see. Come on.”

With a playful roll of my eyes, I followed him to the car, feeling that familiar buzz of excitement—like something big was about to happen.

And maybe it was.

***

I sat on the couch, my eyes f