Chloe Maxwell loves her small town existence, where life is predictable and safe. A one-night stand with a broody stranger was supposed to leave her only with good memories. He definitely wasn’t supposed to return as the new fire chief. He wasn’t supposed to be the hot, single father of her new student. And he certainly wasn’t supposed to swoop in and offer her a place to stay when she became homeless. For someone comfortable with status-quo, why did taking a risk suddenly seem appealing?
Willow Valley is the last place Everett Lawson wants to be. But with a sick grandmother to care for and a young daughter to raise, he’s looking to put down roots. He’s not interested in anything else and is definitely too busy for relationships. Staying away from the sunshine teacher his daughter loves should be easy. If only he could forget the night they shared. If only she wasn’t so incredible with his family. If only she didn’t make him feel like he’s finally found someone to belong to.
Letting each other see past the walls they put up was never part of the plan. But when new desires fight old fears, Chloe and Everett must decide what they want more: safety, or a shot at finding home.
Discussions of cancer and cancer treatment of a family member, discussions of death of a parent, discussions of parental abandonment, explicit sexual scenes