Greatest Love

I'm the face of the NHL. The golden boy with quick hands and a million-dollar smiles the fans adore. My contract is up at the end of the season, and with playoffs starting, I have to be on my best behavior. Keep my head down and respect the press when they shove their microphones beneath my nose. This isn't my first rodeo, so it should be easy. Right? No. Not this time. One terrible call and I'm the poster boy for bad decisions. I haven't seen my childhood best friend since the day her father betrayed me, and she broke my heart. Now, eight years later, she's back. And she's my fake girlfriend for the next two months. Some wounds never heal, and the moment I see Braxton Heights, I know mine have not. But she's the only shot I have at saving my reputation and securing my new deal, and while I might have lost her all those years ago, I refuse to lose hockey. I just hope I'm strong enough not to fall for her all over again in the process.

Adalyn I've been planning my trip across the world for years. So, imagine my surprise when unforeseen circumstances leave me with no travel companion and a wallet too empty to reschedule. Far too stubborn to cancel, and left with little options, I turn to the only person who just so happens to have the entire summer free. Cooper White is my older brother's best friend. The sweet one with all the right words. I expect him to be boring and quiet. But with each day we spend together, I'm learning that there's more to him than meets the eye. We quickly become best friends, but one drunken night is all it takes to change everything. And now... now he's my husband. Cooper Adalyn Hutton is an enigma. I never expected us to grow so close so fast, but she's impossible to keep at a distance. Each day spent with her slowly chips at the wall I built between us until there's nothing left of it but rubble. Considering my friendship with her brother, accidentally marrying her should be the mistake of a lifetime. But it feels like the opposite. There's no turning back now. One glance at my ring finger and I'm reminded of the promise we made to one another, and I can't seem to look away.

I've known Tinsley since we were children, two souls tangled in a bond that defied explanation. She isn't just my best friend; she's the gravity that keeps me grounded. But somewhere along the way, the lines blurred between friendship and something darker-a relentless obsession that claws at my insides, consuming my every thought. The world sees a rockstar, but it's her who sees the parts of me I've kept hidden from everyone else-the darkness that threatens to destroy me. When Tinsley steps into the world of professional boxing, the stage shifts, and so does the nature of my obsession. She joins me on my tour, and as we travel from city to city, a nagging feeling grows that someone is watching her, lurking in the shadows. Their looming presence begins to smother the air around her, casting her success in shadows. The protectiveness I've always felt for her intensifies, driving me to near madness. With each day that passes, it becomes clearer to me that I'm no longer content with how things have been. I want more. My need for her has erupted into a raging inferno, incinerating any remnants of sanity. I'll sacrifice it all to keep her safe. I'm not seeking redemption; I'm embracing the darkness that defines me. Can my obsession protect her against what I can feel coming, or will it become what devours us both?

Oliver Bateman is a jerk. It's been a decade since I've seen him last, and while time has been generous with his outrageously good looks, it wasn't kind to his attitude. He was born grumpy, so I don't know why I expected our first meeting as adults to go any differently. The only thing worse than him not recognizing me is being stuck as his neighbor for the foreseeable future. We don't get along, and even my daughter's infatuation with him can't keep my temper from flaring when he purposefully pushes all my buttons just to get a rise out of me. Yet even as I remind myself of that, it's obvious that I haven't had anyone bring this type of reaction out of me in years. It feels almost as good as the first brush of his hands on my skin and breath on my lips. He brings me out of my shell and reminds me that Mom doesn't have to be my only label. It's difficult to create a new life for yourself when you have ties to one that you can't shake free of. But when Oliver sets his mind to something, there's no way of stopping him from accomplishing it. And when he decides he wants me and my daughter, I let him take his best shot. Turns out he only needed one. And now, I want him right back.

Hannah Cowan presents Book 5 in the Greatest Love series.