Collin I’m not a fan of change. So, when I hear the old bar I work at a couple of nights a week has sold, I wonder if it’s time for me to give up that side gig. It’s not like I need the cash. My job as a full-time firefighter is more than enough to keep me comfortable and plenty busy. Then I meet the new owner, my new boss, Lizzie Meyer. She makes me a deal: give her thirty days. If I don’t like the direction she takes the place, I can quit. Simple, right? But nothing feels simple once I’m around her. I try to ignore the pull, but her easy smile, hypnotic green eyes, and that stubborn streak wrapped in determination makes it impossible. The line between professional and personal is clear…until it isn’t. Just when something real starts to take shape between us, my past stirs—ready to drag its way back into the light and threaten everything we’re beginning to build together. Lizzie I’ve spent years dreaming of a place to call my own. Growing up inside the biggest bar and restaurant in my hometown, I learned early on what my calling was. But lately, I’ve wanted something more. Something that isn’t tied to my family’s legacy. I want to build my own. That dream leads me to Cooper Town, Ohio, a quaint small town with an old bar for sale and enough possibility to make me pack up my life and take a chance. I know it will take hard work to bring the place back to life, and I’ve got the drive, the grit, and a modest savings account to get started. What I’m not prepared for is Collin Miller, the brooding bartender with a rare, disarming smile and a work ethic that mirrors my own. He’s impossible to ignore, even harder to resist. I try to keep things strictly professional, really, I do, but being around him feels like standing too close to a flame. My simple request is that he doesn’t break my heart along the way.

Cade When it comes to women, keeping things casual is my forte. What can I say, I like to live life to its fullest. Then I spot the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen at The Tipsy Lizard, and I know I need to get to know her. Like a moth to a flame, I’m drawn. The only issue is, she’s dating someone else. So, the only choice I have is to give Oaklee my number and tell her to use it when she’s single. To my surprise, that phone call came sooner than I expected. She’s just getting out of a relationship and isn’t looking for anything serious, which is right up my alley. Spending time with her isn’t a hardship, and sending little gifts to her office to say hello is a lot more fun than I would have imagined. The problem is, I’m not sure I can keep her safely in the friend zone much longer. Oaklee Relocating to a small town was exactly what I needed. However, from the moment I arrived in Cooper Town, everything seemed to snowball. The jerk I was dating decided to cheat, leaving me in a new place with a new job and a support system of one to lean on. Meeting Cade at a bar turned out to be more than just a casual happenstance. Being around him is easy. He’s gorgeous, charismatic, fun, and always sends me little things to let me know he’s thinking of me. When I have to start working beside my ex, Cade kicks it into overdrive, showing me exactly how easy it could be to fall for a guy like him. Too bad he’s not looking for forever. Cade only wants right now. Suddenly, my easiest hello might be my hardest goodbye.