She asked for a favor. I never expected it to unravel me.
When my stepmother convinces me to help her charming new neighbor, I know she’s playing at something.
Natalie is beautiful, relentless in the way only kind people can be. She forgives too easily, laughs too freely, and sees the light in everything. Being around her feels like stepping into the sun—blinding and warm, and a little too much for me.
But Natalie has secrets of her own, tucked behind that sweet smile. And even as she insists on calling us ‘just friends,’ I can’t stop inching closer. I don’t know how to say I’m sorry—but I can fix things. Do things. Stay near her a little longer.
Until one project spins wildly out of control—and suddenly, I’m forced to bring in help. Watching someone else notice her the way I do? It nearly breaks me. And still, I keep pulling her deeper into my mess.
Because as much as I want to believe I’m someone she could care for, I'm terrified of what she’ll think of the real me.
Genre: Romance
When my stepmother convinces me to help her charming new neighbor, I know she’s playing at something.
Natalie is beautiful, relentless in the way only kind people can be. She forgives too easily, laughs too freely, and sees the light in everything. Being around her feels like stepping into the sun—blinding and warm, and a little too much for me.
But Natalie has secrets of her own, tucked behind that sweet smile. And even as she insists on calling us ‘just friends,’ I can’t stop inching closer. I don’t know how to say I’m sorry—but I can fix things. Do things. Stay near her a little longer.
Until one project spins wildly out of control—and suddenly, I’m forced to bring in help. Watching someone else notice her the way I do? It nearly breaks me. And still, I keep pulling her deeper into my mess.
Because as much as I want to believe I’m someone she could care for, I'm terrified of what she’ll think of the real me.
Genre: Romance
Used availability for Erin Fitzgerald's When I Had Nothing