My boss, Mr. Chen... sucks. He’s the biggest grinch that’s ever plagued the earth, and not even his pretty face or his Black card can make up for his crap personality. I can write a book about all the ways I hate him and his alluring dominance that somehow attracts everyone, including me. But instead, I’ll settle for being a pain and continuing to defy him in any way possible while still keeping my job. The only problem is that he likes to ruffle my feathers as much as I do his, so he’s forcing me to attend the annual Christmas party. It was on the tip of my tongue to deny his demands, but instead, I found myself enjoying his order. I also like the way his eyes lock on me, following my every move. They say it’s the season of giving… perhaps I should see what my boss has to offer.

Two best friends grow up together, fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after. But what about the one where the girl gets friend-zoned after an awkward attempt at making a move on her best friend? That’s my story. More than a decade has passed, and while our platonic relationship somehow survived, I still cringe when I think about it. Like now. I’m supposed to be getting my hotel ready for all the guests from the St.Patrick's Day parades, but instead, I’m staring at my best friend while he repairs one of my sinks. The memory and sting of his polite rejection years ago usually helps get my head on straight, but it’s not working this time. Not when there’s been an obvious shift in the air. And definitely not when he just grabbed onto my hips, growled in my ear, and told me to run.

Kameron Ford can lick the bottom of my shoe. No, really, I’d pay almost anything to see my childhood rival on his knees, ankle in hand, with my foot dangling in his smug little face. And I’m pretty sure if you asked him, he wouldn’t mind me tasting his boots. Sounds a little much, but it’s been like this since we were old enough to talk, and even then I’m sure it was a race as to who spoke first. I’m pretty sure we were born to be this way, and in the three decades since, nothing has changed. For those reasons alone it shouldn’t surprise me when Kam pulls one of his classic moves and forces us to compete in yet another bet. Only this time, the winner isn’t subjected to something like our usual Designated Driver duty or eating a lime off the floor. This time, it’s for each other. It’s to end the undertones of tension that neither of us can deny, and put the neverending torment to rest. But in the end, the real question still remains… Is this just another bet, or are we playing for keeps?

Hermit, introvert, homebody. All are adjectives that can be used to describe me, and that’s how I like it. I’m content within the four walls of my home, safe from all the work one has to put in just to walk outside. But solitary life also means the only real romance I get to experience is from my holiday movie marathons and watching my old high school crush play for the NHL. My extroverted twin sister, however, doesn’t like my plans and sets me up on a date. A blind date. On Valentine's Day. At a five-star resort. She somehow gets me to agree despite my very real aversion to being in public places. Only, when I arrive, I couldn’t care less about anyone else in the room because the very man I cheer for through my tv is sitting across from me. Not only that, he's challenging everything I thought I knew with one simple question: Truth or Dare?

I had everything under control until I met Theo. My life was simple, straightforward, and clean. I thrived in my career, improved daily at being a single parent, and disguised any not-so-ideal parts of my life pretty well. Like the fact I carried more than a few insecurities my ex-husband left me with. The biggest being the simple notion that I was one of many options, and my idea of love was ridiculous. I knew it only existed on the big screen or in the pages of books, but I still wanted it. Still yearned for it. Still hoped that maybe, somehow, I’d find it. Never once did I think I’d find it in the lifeguard nearly ten years my junior. Theo plans to dismantle everything I thought I knew. He wants to rip down every wall I have and rebuild it with just four words.