Making It Real

Coming home was never part of the plan.Twelve years ago, I left my hometownand Deacon Langfordbehind. I had my reasons, and I told myself they were good ones. But now? Let's just say life didn't exactly go the way I thought it would. My shiny New York career crashed and burned, and now I'm back at Kensington House, my family's crumbling estate, trying to figure out what comes next.Spoiler alert: I have no idea.What I do know is that Deacon, who lives next door, still has every reason to hate me. He's built a life herehis farm, his friends, everything I left behind. But then my mother, ever the schemer, starts dropping not-so-subtle hints about "reconnecting." And when my nosy uncle mistakes us for a couple, the next thing I know, I'm begging Deacon to fake it with me.It's just a way to help Mom. A few shared smiles, and a little PDA and we both get what we want. That's the plan.Except being near Deacon again feels like coming home in a way I wasn't ready for. And the more time we spend together, the more I realize this might be my last chance to fix what I broke.I just have to convince Deacon to take a second chance on meand hope I don't screw it up all over again.Making It Real is part of the Making It series and can be read as a standalone story.