She was my first love. He was my first everything Circumstances stole her from me. Circumstances made him abandon me. But the past is the past. And we are no longer kids. Cora Davies is the one that got away. The one I wanted to keep forever. Life threw a wrench in our plan. Tore us apart. Shattered our hearts. Gavin Hunt is the one I handed my heart to. The one person I saw a future with. Until it was ripped away. Crushed. Scattered in the wind. Now... fate is giving us another chance. To live the life we once dreamt of. Unfortunately, not everyone believes our reunion is for the best.

Thirteen years ago, I abandoned the love of my life. Thirteen years ago, the love of my life vanished without a word. Fate has given us another chance. Jealousy is trying to rip us apart. I refuse to lose her again. Will he actually come back to me? Cora said words mean nothing. Not unless I back them with actions. I will flip my world upside down. Relinquish everything. All for her. Gavin said he will fix everything. Fix us. His promises are unreliable. Until I see it with my own eyes, hope is not an option. My heart can’t handle it. Fate brought us back together, but time and distance change people. Can we overcome our obstacles? Will our love stand the test of time?

Jonas My heart shattered the day my best friend married her soulmate. A man I will always envy. Cora was never meant to be mine. But I never understood the reason why. Until now. Until Autumn. When I enter the tattoo shop, Autumn is the last person I expect. A woman who garners my attention. A beaming star in my dark sky. A woman who soothes my soul and glues my broken pieces back together. For the first time in years, I picture no one except Autumn in my arms. And I plan to make it a reality. Autumn My heart learned envy on my friend’s wedding day. She married her soulmate, but also enraptured another man. Not getting romantically involved with anyone is my fate. The hand life dealt me. A notion I came to terms with years ago. But all that gets thrown to the wayside the day I meet him. Jonas. The night Jonas sits in my chair, I forget how to breathe. Forget how to do anything except smile. He kickstarts my heart and teaches it a new rhythm. A rhythm I memorize and play on repeat. For the first time in years, I throw all my reasons for staying single out the window. For once, I trust life has given me another chance at love. …until the past comes knocking on my door.

Love is most glorious. Love also rips you apart. Jonas When I woke this morning, I didn’t expect this. For Autumn’s past to step in and rip away everything I love. Autumn asks for patience, but with each passing day, she slips farther from my grasp. I refuse to lose Autumn or Clementine. Not to him. Not to anyone. They are my girls. Always. As the picture perfect life I envision with them slowly fades, the pain beneath my sternum grows more powerful. Each passing day, my chest tightens at the loss of them. I never imagined I would discover the love of my life, only to lose her. Autumn When I woke this morning, I never saw this coming. My ex storming back into my life and threatening to steal everything I hold precious. Not just my daughter, but also my livelihood. And I refuse to let him do either. Until this ends, I must let go of my newfound selfishness and focus solely on Clementine. Until this ends, I must forget about love. Temporarily. When I memorized Jonas’s heartbeat, I had no idea I would need to recall it in my lonely bed so soon. I had no idea my heart would ache so profusely in his absence. I have never known pain like this. And I have never been so torn. …hopefully, our love will survive the storm.

I loathe Micah Reed. Yet, I can’t keep my eyes off him. Years ago, he opened his mouth in a room full of our peers. Said nine words and ruined my life. My high school crush did exactly that… crushed me. But I am no longer the quiet, loner girl from high school. The girl who let others trample her spirit. Now, I take charge. Stand tall. Bend to no one. Never again. Especially Micah Reed. Peyton Alexander makes me question my sanity. Yet, I refuse to stop antagonizing her. Since her first day at work, she has given me the death glare. Lipped off and verbally slapped me. And every night, I go back for another round. Not sure what I did to deserve her animosity, but I plan to find out. Plan to fix whatever mistake I made. Although I live for her banter, I want more with Peyton. The attention she gives other men, I want it for myself. Call me presumptuous, but Peyton Alexander will be mine. Micah wants me because I don’t fall for his charms. Peyton resists to deny herself the truth. Will he figure out who I am? Will she ever let me in?

One word can hold tremendous power. One word can change everything. I never imagined it would come to this. That I would fall for Micah Reed. That I would open my heart once more. And get it crushed. Again. The moment I let him in, the second our relationship evolved, fate threw an epic curve ball. One we can’t ignore. One I don’t know I can endure. But call me a glutton for punishment. One word stole my breath. One word had my knees ready to buckle. I refuse to believe anything without proof. Refuse to let someone ruin my life. Call me a d-bag, I don’t care. Deep down, I know the truth. Now, if only Peyton would believe it, too. My relationship with Peyton is headed in the right direction. Her fire is no longer fueled by hate. Now, I know the taste of her lips. The softness of her skin. The warmth of her touch. And no one will steal her from me. No one. I fell for Micah Reed. I fell for Peyton Alexander. Was it all for nothing? Will she abandon me when I need her most?

Never thought I’d settle down. Not until her walked into my life. Trent Callahan. One of the most affluent people in the area with a self-built empire. The man with my heart in his hands. The night he followed me home, I never expected more than a one-night stand. A year later, I still call him mine. Well, mostly mine. I want more than just someone to warm my sheets. For once, I want to be put first. But I fear that’s not possible. Because he loves his job more than anything. Including me. But I sense change in the air. Feel life shifting for us both. All I hope is it’s for the better. Because Trent is someone I don’t want to live without.

All it takes is four words and my life is forever changed. When Oscar calls a staff meeting, no one anticipates the news. The sale of the tattoo shop. Our second home, second family, will be broken. Sold to the highest bidder. But the biggest shock is yet to come. The bell over the door jingles and I smooth my hands over my shorts, chastising my attire. Black leather boots step into view. As my eyes drift north, I log each delicious muscle and tattoo. Our eyes lock and I stop breathing. Jameson Kingsley. My brother’s best friend. The guy I crushed on most of my adolescence. The guy I fantasized about occasionally in adulthood. And now… my new boss. Fuck.