One I Pushed Away

Some love never fades. It waits. It transforms. And sometimes, it finds you again - right when you finally become the person who can hold it. Skylar walked away from the only man she ever loved. She was afraid that loving her meant he'd eventually drown with her, so leaving felt like the kindest thing she could do. Rylan broke in quieter ways. He didn't cross oceans - he retreated inward. Into routine, predictability, and emotional stillness. He built a life safe enough to avoid damage… but numb enough to avoid truly living. They survived without each other. They grew. They worked on themselves.But even healing couldn't silence the echo of their connection. And then fate slams them together on a pier thousands of miles from home - where one look detonates everything they buried.The gravity between them is undeniable.The timing feels terrifyingly perfect.And the past is anything but dead. But their reconnection requires more than longing. The universe never gives you the same love twice without asking for something deeper in return. Skylar must face the fear that ended them the first time.Rylan must stop retreating into the safe quiet of his own mind and hold his ground beside her-steadily, bravely, and fully.And together, they must learn to love without running - from each other or themselves. A raw, emotional, psychological second-chance romance about healing old wounds, rewriting old stories, and the kind of connection that keeps pulling you back-no matter how far you run. Perfect for readers who love slow-burn intensity, deep character development, and romances that feel like fate. With a background in trauma-informed coaching and a lifelong study of psychology, Kelly Gifford writes stories that explore identity, fear, and connection through deeply human characters. Her work is rooted in the belief that healing is the heart of love - and love is the most powerful form of healing we have. As an Enneagram 4, she has a natural tendency to transform pain and emotion into art – turning life's most complex inner struggles into stories that resonate. She has guided others through personalgrowth, self-discovery, and healing, but her favourite way of exploring the human experience is throughstorytelling. Her work delves into the raw, messy, and deeply psychological aspects of love, healing, and identity. In The One I Pushed Away, she brings to life a gripping second-chance romance that explores attachment wounds, emotional trauma, and the question: Can love ever truly override fear?