His Brother's Curvy Best Friend
(2026)(Book 17 in the Lumberjacks of Evergreen Valley series)
A novel by Emily Crescent
He shoved a grainy photo at me and said I had to pick a side.
Dean Holloway: sawdust in his hair, a scar that makes my knees wobble, hands that claim the small of my back like it's sacred ground. Quiet as a fortress. Fierce when I need him. He doesn't just protect the crew—he guarded me before I knew I needed guarding.
We kissed in an attic while the town slept. We fumbled in the cab of his truck until wanting stopped being a whisper and started being permission. Then Tyler found the picture. Anonymous texts followed. Someone watching. Someone warning us not to make it messy. My chest split in two—desire on one side, loyalty on the other.
Dean pulled away at first. He promised distance because he thought that would keep me safe. It almost destroyed me. Then he came back and said he would stand in the light with me. He said he would be loud, and soft, and reckless enough to fight.
Now I'm asked to choose. Stay quiet and keep my family whole. Or choose him and risk everything.
He says we'll face it together. But can I ask the town to stop watching us—and still keep what we've found?
Genre: Romance
Dean Holloway: sawdust in his hair, a scar that makes my knees wobble, hands that claim the small of my back like it's sacred ground. Quiet as a fortress. Fierce when I need him. He doesn't just protect the crew—he guarded me before I knew I needed guarding.
We kissed in an attic while the town slept. We fumbled in the cab of his truck until wanting stopped being a whisper and started being permission. Then Tyler found the picture. Anonymous texts followed. Someone watching. Someone warning us not to make it messy. My chest split in two—desire on one side, loyalty on the other.
Dean pulled away at first. He promised distance because he thought that would keep me safe. It almost destroyed me. Then he came back and said he would stand in the light with me. He said he would be loud, and soft, and reckless enough to fight.
Now I'm asked to choose. Stay quiet and keep my family whole. Or choose him and risk everything.
He says we'll face it together. But can I ask the town to stop watching us—and still keep what we've found?
Genre: Romance