Wyatt Cassidy Halliday knows exactly what desire costs. At thirty-five, the high-end escort has built a life beneath the neon lights of Las Vegas—one she’s sure is running out of ways to love her back. Survival has become performance, routine, armor. But even armor wears thin. Julian Silver was supposed to have it all. Fame, fortune, and a career most athletes only dream of. Instead, at thirty-four, the star winger for the Las Vegas Desert Coyotes is falling apart in real time—injuries, pressure, and the quiet fear that he’s already seen his last great moment. They meet on a night meant to mean nothing. A transaction. A temporary escape. But connection has a way of slipping in sideways, and what should have been one night becomes something neither of them planned for—and neither quite knows how to hold. As the life Wyatt has built collides with the future Julian is fighting for, both are forced to confront the same wanting more is terrifying when you’ve convinced yourself you don’t deserve it. Love doesn’t come without sacrifice…and some sacrifices change everything. Gritty, tender, and deeply human, How We End is an emotional, character-driven romance about two people in their mid-thirties learning to trust the kind of love that doesn’t rush, doesn’t pretend, and doesn’t let them hide. What you’ll find - emotional, character-driven romance - age-gap (35/34) - hockey player MMC - high-end escort FMC - strangers-to-something-more - slow-burn intensity - spice that’s intimate, not explicit - real-life stakes + zero melodrama - Las Vegas at its most beautifully gritty For readers who – quiet, heavy, hopeful romance – flawed characters finding their way – “sad but hot” chemistry – mature love stories – realistic emotional stakes set against a vivid city backdrop Content guidance available on the author's website.