A slow burn romance standalone My gran used to say, “If I didn’t have bad luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all.” The words have followed me all my life. They couldn’t be any truer than the situation I find myself in. Within twenty-four hours, I lost both my apartment and job. With no one else to turn to, I reached out to my brother, who lives on the opposite side of the state. Due to a situation in his home, he sends me to Hudson Henderson, a complete stranger, until his giant dog jumps on me in his driveway. I intend to crash under his roof for a week, just until my brother’s houseguest leaves. Plans can be tricky, though, and often never go as arranged, especially for me. Hudson is cranky and handsome, and I’m positive he loathes that I’m in his home. Yet, despite the exasperated sighs that frequently escape his lips, he chooses to help me when I’m in need. His brows pinch together and his forehead crinkles when I trip over my own feet, but… He’s always there to extend a hand and lift me up. One week stretches into two months. I never leave, and I believe the jerk is my best friend, but he gets that look in his eyes sometimes. I feel it all over me, and when it happens, nothing we do seems like friendship.