I’ve hated this town for as long as I can remember. Coming back feels like chewing on glass—every corner, every face, a reminder that I was never enough for them. My parents cut me off because I wouldn’t chain myself to the family diner the way my father wanted. I wanted more, and for that, they tossed me out—out of the family, out of this place, like I didn’t matter. Coming back now that they’re both gone… it’s just some sick joke. I should sell the diner, burn every trace of it down, and never look back. But then there’s Hailey Archer. She’s… everything I’ve been craving. The sharp ache dulls when she’s around. She’s the kind of beautiful that doesn’t fade, the kind of company that makes the world feel lighter. With her, this miserable town almost feels bearable. She won’t leave this place. And I can’t seem to stay away from her. So here I am—torn between running like hell and losing the only woman who’s ever felt like home… or staying, and giving my father the last laugh from the grave.