Lake Starlight

He's the father of my child and my best friend. When Hudson and I met, somehow things just clicked between us. We had the same sense of humor and the same carefree attitude about our lives and goals. Neither of us wanted to lay down roots, we wanted to explore the world. Then one night, too much alcohol and uncontrolled hormones led to the line blurring, and we fell into bed together only to discover a month later that we were more careless than we thought. Like the upstanding guy he is, Hudson followed me back to my hometown of Lake Starlight, Alaska, where you can't throw a penny and not hit one of my family members. We gave them the news that yes, we were having a baby but there would be no wedding. We loved each other but we weren't in love. Fast forward three years and we live side by side to make co-parenting our daughter easy. I'm a writer, and he's a ski instructor. We've worked out all the rough edges. Life is good. Until out of nowhere, things start to change. He has a girlfriend, we're arguing more than ever, and it feels as if someone has come along and popped our perfect bubble. I'm not sure we're ever going to fit back inside it now because things are developing. Things like feelings.

I was only looking for a roommate… I'm the town widow. Not the only one, but the youngest by far. My husband died one year after our wedding, casting me as the charity case in my small Alaskan town. Since then, everyone-including my big family-try to keep me busy as if that will stop the haunting memories from resurfacing. Do I know it's time to move on? Of course, but that's easier said than done. Then Van Adler rides into town. His bad boy vibe complete with his motorcycle and tattoos causes my body to fill with need for the first time since my husband's death. To make matters worse, he's the one who answered my ad for a roommate. Sharing the close quarters of our two-bedroom apartment means I have to set some ground rules like keeping his rippled abs covered. Soon we become friends, he's making me dinners, and we're binge-watching television shows all night. The more our lives intertwine, the more I start to fall for him. Leaving me wondering, can you find the love of your life twice in one lifetime?

For Rylan Greene and me, it was simple. Love only got us so far. I've known him since we were six, long before he became the professional soccer star he is now. We've weaved in and out of one another's lives as rivals, teammates, friends, and lovers. Until three years ago, when my life took a hit and I ran back to my small Alaskan town, Lake Starlight, away from anything or anyone that could hurt me. He's never far from my mind, a constant pining ache in my heart, but I've convinced myself I'm better off. But now, my best friend announces her engagement and that means Rylan will return home to stand as best man to her fiancé. He'll be back in my orbit for three whole weeks… but I can easily keep my distance. Sure, we'll have to walk arm in arm down the aisle together, he'll hold me close during the bridal party dance and we'll stand for pictures next to each other. Nothing I can't handle. I'm so naïve though because he's not in town for more than twenty-four hours before he knocks on my door. I should know by now, that the two of us will never be finished business. This second chance romance spans sixteen years of a true love match that proves these two will only ever belong to one another.

I should not still be hung up on my high school girlfriend. I'm a billionaire, with a penthouse in New York City, a private plane, and was recently crowned one of Manhattan's most eligible bachelors. She's engaged to my rival. A real prick of a guy whose family is about as famous as mine. So, pictures of the happy couple are plastered everywhere, and it's driving me insane. The last time I spoke to her was my freshman year of college, and I never imagined I'd bump into her at a crowded restaurant in the busiest city in the world. But fate had other plans, and when I innocently suggest that the press wouldn't bother with her wedding plans if she held it in our small Alaskan town where we grew up, I had no idea she'd take me seriously. Now, I find myself helping her plan the wedding at my dad's luxury resort while the town's gossip app follows our every move, afraid that their golden boy will get his heart broken twice by the same girl. But that's impossible because she stole my heart when we were fifteen, and never gave it back.