Turns out Cupid’s arrow will indeed puncture Meredith Grey’s battered heart this season. Grey’s Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff reveals to TVLine that the ABC drama’s titular MD “will very much be part of our ‘Season of Love.'” TV's Big Cast Changes (2018-2019)

Clarifying remarks made Tuesday by ABC’s spoiler-avoidant president Channing Dungey, who downplayed buzz that that Season 15 would find Meredith re-entering the dating scene for the first time since the death of her beloved McDreamy nearly four years ago, Vernoff shares, “Channing was keeping it mellow and trying to avoid spoilers because Shondaland is secrecy land. But as the showrunner, I can confirm for you that Meredith Grey is very much a part of our Season of Love.”

As Vernoff explains, “Yes, [Mer]’s a single mom, and that complicates a dating life. And yes, she’s a surgical marvel with new, game changing medical ideas she’ll be pursuing. But she also hasn’t dated at all since [Martin Henderson’s] Nathan Riggs left [in Season 13]. And the one-two punch of meeting [Scott Speedman’s] Nick Marsh awoke a desire in her that she can’t put back to sleep.

“The question this season,” Vernoff adds, “is not ‘Will Meredith Grey find love again,’ but ‘With whom will she find love?'”

Speaking of Speedman’s fan-favorite character, Vernoff divulges the real reason the show didn’t pursue a romance between Nick and a clearly smitten Meredith. “We all loved him, but Nick was designed as a one episode guest star,” the EP notes, “which is the whole reason Scott agreed to come play him!”