When Emily Martin was a freshman in high school, a popular senior slammed into her as she carried her books to class. She yelled at him to watch where he was going. After that, she couldn’t get rid of him. Over the next few months, despite her venom, they grew to be close friends and started dating. Grant becomes her first and greatest love. Then, without a word, when they return from winter break, he ghosts her and starts to date someone else, breaking her heart.
Sixteen years later, after leaving for college and never coming back to Cherry Grove, Grant Thompson finally returns home to visit his mother. While in his hometown, he decides to stay, open a new business, and put down some roots after bouncing around for so long. When the first day of training arrives, Emily is sitting among the group of new employees. Upon seeing her, he knows he’s going to do everything he can to win her back. He’ll ruin his entire life if he has to.
Has time softened the blow Emily felt back then? When Grant tells her what actually happened, will she believe him? Or will the very thing that ripped them apart back then end things before they can get their second chance?
Tropes: small town romance, second chance romance, he’s her boss, she hates him, he’ll ruin his life to get her back, poor girl/rich guy, he ruined her when he ended things, sixteen years later he returns
Available: Kindle – Kindle Unlimited – Paperback
Content Warnings:
Sex as a Self-Destructive Behavior – The FMC has some self-destructive behaviors when she gets stressed out. Primarily, she seeks out sex. She has a pair of guys, who are roommates, that she hooks up with. They give her a safer situation to work out those behaviors than finding random people to have sex with. It is destructive in the respect that, rather than trying to fix what is stressing her out, she tries to distract herself.
Sex With Someone Who’s Not the MMC – The FMC has sex with two men, who are her close friends, as she works through the stress of seeing the man she used to love—who is now her boss—and her car breaking down. Once things begin to start happening with the MMC, it stops.
Addiction – The FMC’s parents were abusive addicts for most of her life before they left town. She has a very low opinion of them, as their reputation continues to taint her life.
Abandonment – The FMC was abandoned by her parents when she was seventeen. They left her with no money, barely any food, and the rent due in two weeks.
Threatened into Compliance – When they were in high school, the MMC’s father threatened to call Child Protective Services on the FMC’s parents, well-known abusive drug addicts. He told the MMC that there would be no shortage of pedophile foster fathers who would love to receive a fifteen-year-old girl once she was put into the system. The father told the MMC that unless he ended things with the FMC and dated someone his parents wanted him to, he would do it. To protect her, the MMC ends the relationship.
Alcohol – The FMC is a bartender, and the MMC owns the restaurant/nightclub where she works. Alcohol is frequently mentioned, and both the MCs consume alcohol often.
Wealth Disparity – The FMC comes from a very poor family, and that lack of wealth continues into adulthood. The MMC comes from wealth and makes his own throughout his life. At times, money becomes a point of contention.
Bribery – When they dated in high school, the MMC’s mother tried to bribe the FMC to leave the MMC.
Explicit Sex
Shonna Preston 