Career-ending injury. The most dream-crushing words I’ve ever heard. Goodbye NFL’s Rookie of the Year title I fought for since I was a kid, hello return to my small-town origins and wallow in unrequited love. Seeing my best friend Chaz married and trying for a baby will hurt worse than any torn ACL. But things have changed since I escaped Pippen Creek—Chaz flounders beneath financial burdens and emotional turmoil instead of living his happily ever after. Friendship takes precedence over longing, and I gladly take on the roles of comforter and supporter since those who have the right to love him out loud only see his failures. However, the more time I spend with Chaz, the harder it is to hide my feelings. In a moment of mutual weakness, unexpected passion ignites. Secret betrayal is a poisonous infection, but a twist of fate uncovers even more truths that further wound us both. Will forgiveness allow us to survive traumatic grief and overcome guilt? Or will too much honesty end the other dream of always that has owned my heart since childhood?

A Small-Town Age-Gap Gay Romance by USA Today Bestselling Author Lynn Burke When my ex-wife left me financially ruined a decade ago, I became suspicious of everyone and swore off relationships. But pure temptation in skin-tight jeans, a crop top, and lip gloss has shown up in our small town, making me question that commitment. Jimmy Riley was always getting into trouble as a teenager, and as Pippen Creek's chief of police, it was my responsibility to step in when his need for attention spiraled out of control. And now? Behind his façade, he is still broken, starved for connection, and desperate for praise, calling out to my desire to nurture. But he is also dead set on getting into my bed, raising red flags by using every manipulative tactic in his arsenal. I can't deny the attraction I feel for him, but he has lied too many times for me to trust him with my jaded heart. Will my walls hold firm against the tide of his insecurities that threaten to overwhelm me? Or will he find the courage to be honest and give us both the chance for fulfillment we both crave?