Willow Creek Valley

At 18, I walked away from Willow Creek Valley for good. I was young, scared, and stupid, and it cost me the love of my life - Grayson Parkerson. Fourteen years later, a crash sends me back home to recover. Back to where we met, fell in love, and planned a future. Working at The Park Inn together gives us a chance to reconnect, and seeing him with his little girl makes me long for the days when he was mine. I’m not the girl I was - intimidated by his wealthy family and desperate to escape our small town. How can I convince him to give first love a second chance? 

Fifteen years ago, I fell for Jack O’Donnell. I was just a girl, but I knew my brother’s best friend was the only man I’d ever love. On my 18th birthday, when I asked him to kiss me, I never imagined it would change my life so completely. I gave Jack everything that night. In order to move on, we had to go our separate ways and pretend like nothing happened...as though it wasn’t the greatest moment of my life. But even that wasn’t as heartbreaking as the secret we were forced to keep. 

I was totally over Joshua Parkerson. Sure, I had a teenage crush on him way back when - and everyone knew it - but he never saw me as anything but his little brother's friend, the girl who got tongue-tied any time he walked into a room. I had long ago accepted the fact that his strong arms would never hold me, his lush lips would never claim mine, and his blue eyes would never see me as anything more than who I used to be.

My marriage started as a lie. But some lies are worth telling. My father’s dying wish was to walk me down the aisle, so when my fiancé jilts me days before the ceremony, I turn to my college friend, Oliver Parkerson, and convince him to marry me. My family hasn’t met either man, so I’m confident we can pull this off. But the way my heart beats for him - none of it feels pretend. I didn't mean to fall for my fake husband, but love was the one thing I couldn't predict. Nothing built on lies can last - I know that better than anyone. But the truth might tear us apart forever.