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“You didn’t answer my question. Let’s say, hypothetically speaking, I haven’t been with a man in months, and…” I pressed flush against him and rolled my hips. “…I really wanted to see what you could do to me in that pool of yours. What would you say to that?” I purred, tugging my bottom lip between my teeth yet struggling inside to keep my assertive confidence.

He dug his fingers into my hips. His mouth lingered above mine, his breath a warm mix of mint and scotch. “I would say, ‘Let’s get out of here and grab a hotel room.’” …

******

Everything about the sight in front of me was wrong.

Only an hour earlier, I’d blown an exaggerated farewell kiss to my boyfriend, Mark, as he backed out of the driveway, heading to work. Yet there sat his beat-up truck in its usual spot. Worry churned my gut, but instead of rushing up the porch stairs to check if he was all right and find out why he returned home already, I stood frozen, leering at the sight of the white Jeep parked in the neighbor’s spot.

My chest tightened at the sight, a cold shiver of dread creeping up my back. The thunderous pounding of my heart rang through my ears. I recognized that Jeep. Every girl in town would agree it wasn’t one you wanted to find anywhere near your man’s vehicle.

I bit my bottom lip, gnawing on it anxiously when I felt Hilary’s hand on my back. Hesitantly, I peered up to meet her tight, awkward smile.

“Maybe he wasn’t feeling well, Cassandra.” She shrugged her shoulders, but the concern clouding her usually bright-chestnut eyes as she glanced at the Jeep and then back at me was all I saw. “I’m sure it’s not what you’re thinking.”

What was I thinking? Mark was the perfect boyfriend who’d given me five blissful, wonderful years. He was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with—the man whose arms I dreamed would hold me when I was old and grey, taking my final breath of life.

Suddenly enraged at myself for fearing the worst, I bolted up the metal stairs two at a time and gripped my front doorknob. I knew I was being silly, but the dread that had settled in my gut sent a series of doubts racing through my mind. With my feet planted firmly on the welcome mat, I closed my eyes and whispered a silent prayer that I’d find Mark with his infectious smile and a perfectly justified reason as to why he came back home. The knob turned in my clammy hand; the door was unlocked, as always.

My stomach rolled into a tight, painful knot as I tiptoed through the makeshift foyer. The apartment was nothing more than a large open room with exposed brick walls. There was a tiny kitchenette and a partition separating the bedroom, which was large enough for our king-sized bed and small dresser.

Fear froze me in place. I needed to see, but my legs refused to move any farther. They were suddenly stiff as boards, with cinder blocks instead of feet.

Erratic thoughts of the Jeep’s owner nestled somewhere in there pounded in my head. A shudder tore me in two, and every fiber of my being screamed something was wrong. When I cleared my throat and opened my mouth to deliver what I knew would be a weak greeting, I was cut off by a loud feminine moan. It was followed by the gruff voice I was certain I’d cherish until I was a little old woman, surrounded by our grandchildren.

“Yeah…like that, baby.”

I doubled over as the sound of his voice ripped the air from my lungs. As my knees gave out, Hilary’s fingers dug into my forearms, attempting to hold me up.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” Her whisper was dark with a violent rage. Despite her help to straighten me on my feet, the pain racked my body and mind overwhelmed every last shred of standing ability I clung to.

My head shook, tears pooling in my eyes as I fought back the urge to fully collapse and sob uncontrollably until the emotions numbed. It has to be a bad dream. It has to.

Anger—pure, unadulterated fury—built rapidly inside me, temporarily bandaging my heart and preparing it for war. I drew the strength I needed from it to stand straight and take the few short steps around the partition.

My hands balled into tight fists while my feet led the way until I stopped at the end of the bed. My face hardened, jaw locked as I took in the sight before me.

Mackenzie was on her back, proving every rumor about her was true.

“Ah Mark, yes, harder, you’re so…CASSANDRA!” Her eyes opened wide.

Mark’s head shot up and whipped to the side, his body panting as he looked over his right shoulder. His eyes bulged when he caught my crazed stalker glare. Cool steel filled my nerves. I didn’t blink or flinch.

He shot off the bed, shoving Mackenzie’s naked body aside as if to make her disappear. She skidded off the edge of the mattress and landed with a loud smack on the hardwood floor.

“It’s not what you think, Cassie.” He stepped toward me, reaching out to touch my arm.

The harsh snort behind me alerted him to Hilary’s presence and he backed off, grabbing a pillow to cover his front. Mackenzie scurried around on the floor, clutching the sheet to her body, attempting to collect her clothes that were scattered around the room.

My eyes closed, and blood flooded my ears. Ever since high school, Mackenzie Taylor had been known for only one thing: seducing other girls’ boyfriends. She disposed of them as quickly as she snatched them up. It was nothing more than a game for a girl with low self-esteem and an egotistical, btchy attitude. I shot her a menacing scowl, then returned my focus to the jerk in front of me.

“Cassandra, please.” Mark’s voice dripped with desperation as he stepped toward me. I took an equal number of steps back, my face twisted in disgust.

“I’ll be by tomorrow to pack my stuff.” My tone was cold and clipped. “Don’t be here.”

I turned on my heel to leave, my bravado unwavering. The moment his hand gripped my elbow, something deep inside me snapped. I balled my hand into a hard fist—exactly as my grandfather had taught me—and whipped around, connecting it with his nose.

“Son of a—” Mark dropped the pillow and grabbed his face as he stumbled backward, falling over the bed.

Hilary turned away, her face a combination of proud from my actions and pale from catching him nude.

“What the hel is your problem!?” Mackenzie slipped into a pair of denim shorts that covered little of her backside, then bent over to inspect Mark’s busted face.

My problem!?

I turned, a small grin curling my lips. Filled with pride, I took one menacing step toward her. She sucked in a loud, ragged breath and staggered back, nerves visible on her makeup-smeared face.

With my chin held high, I walked away without another word. I’d always been branded the sweet, perky blonde who looked for the good in everyone, but today I was no longer that girl. Today, I was a woman betrayed by a man unworthy of my affection or loyalty.

But the humiliation stung, ripping through me with no remorse, teaching a painful lesson. I’d come home to grab a more comfortable pair of shoes for a day of shopping and found something much more painful than the six-inch pumps I’d been wearing.

The rumors around town, which I’d chosen to ignore, were true. I’d wasted countless hours fantasizing about our wedding, raising children, and the house we’d build together.

Hilary wrapped her arm around me, leading me out the front door and down the stairs. Nothing mattered in that moment. I only wanted to get away—away from the betrayal and the inquiring stares, which would surface once Mackenzie’s side of the story began floating around our small town.

Luckily, I had a place awaiting me: a place I’d always considered home, even though I’d never officially lived there. The quaint house, situated deep in the country, was one my grandparents had willed to me a year earlier. Mark said it was too far out of town to move to, but that was exactly what I needed.

It sat vacant, waiting for me to begin the next chapter of my life…alone.

One Year Later

“Slow down, I can’t…keep up much longer.” Hilary stopped abruptly, bent over, and grasped her knees. “Seriously, unless you plan on calling for help, this is as far as I can go.”

With a snicker, I stood a few feet ahead of her, jogging in place. Hilary’s breathing had been growing heavier for a while and I was quietly waiting for her to call it.

“I told you to stretch first,” I said, watching her chug from her water bottle.

“I didn’t think it would burn this badly.” She looked up at the sky, her brows knitted together. “Not to mention this dam sun is killing me.”

My legs stilled and I rested my hands on my hips. “Hey, at least this town has a hot paramedic or two, you know, in case you collapse from heat stroke.” I rubbed my thumb and pointer finger over my chin. “Hmmm, sexy paramedics. On second thought, we should jog the entire way back.”

She narrowed her eyes, collapsing onto her back in the tall grass of the meadow alongside the road with an exaggerated groan.

“Joking!” I held up my hands in defense.

She was beat, her face a deep crimson red and covered in beads of sweat. I’d never felt better; I was completely in my zone. No matter how close Hilary and I were, we couldn’t be more different.

After a short sip of water to moisten my dry throat, I was eager to get moving again. “Come on,” I said. “We’ll walk back.”

Hilary looked relieved, peeking through one open eye. “Thank God.” She gripped her knees to pull herself into a sitting position, looking exhausted and completely out of her element. “I have no idea how you do this every single day.”

“You’ll get used to it.” I grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet. We both knew she would not get used to it, but I felt compelled to play along.

“Yeah, about that…I’m not so sure this is for me.” She wiped the back of her arm over her temple and wrinkled her nose at the moisture it collected. With a somber sigh, she tilted her head back and scowled up at the bright morning sun. “I’ll stick with the gym. Air conditioning and all—you understand.”

“You’re going to make me jog alone?” I feigned an exaggerated pout as we began walking back the way we came toward my house.

“Very funny. It has to be annoying having me slow you down. Besides, I look ridiculous in these tiny shorts next to you. Look at that stomach.” Hilary leaned over, giggling, and slapped my abs. “I’m freaking jealous!”

“You’re jealous!?” I continued walking but raised an eyebrow, gaping in her direction. “You know what I’d give to have a butt like yours?”

It wasn’t a lie. My body may have been toned and tight from a mix of working out and good genetics, but next to her, I looked like a prepubescent girl. Hilary had the body of a grown woman, and the confidence to flaunt it. The girl stood at least four inches taller than me and was built to suit any guy’s fantasy. Deep down, she knew it too.

“What the hack am I going to do, huh? I indulge a little at the bakery for the first time in my life, and boom: ten pounds gained.” She sighed. “It didn’t really bother me until you-know-who decided to stroll back into town.”

“Right, it must be horrible to gain a little weight and have it go straight to your backside. I think your fan club has enlisted even more admirers because of it.” I chuckled, trying to reassure her. But still, ten pounds? I didn’t see it. Hilary was being ridiculous. Her anxiety had less to do with the weight and more to do with Caleb, her childhood crush.

I offered a tight, supportive smile and continued down the road at a brisk pace, thankful she was picking up steam once again. The meadow beside us ended where the forest line began. The thick foliage and full branches of the tall trees offered occasional shade, but the heat beat down over my back, highlighting the sweat glistening over every inch of my exposed body.

Secretly, I loved it. The sensation of my stomach tightening when my legs stretched out and pounded against the rough pavement was euphoric. I could always get lost in the peaceful melody nature hummed in my ear. My day was never the same when I skipped my morning jog.

“So, speaking of Caleb, how long are you going to wait until you finally make a move?” I smiled, tugging out my loose ponytail and pulling it into a messy bun to keep my long hair off my back.

“Um, never.”

“Seriously? You spent nearly every day in high school crushing on the guy, and he’s finally moved back to town. What the hack are you waiting for?”

“Exactly—I spent every waking moment pining for a guy that hardly even noticed me.” Hilary looked down, wiping sweat from her stomach while we went around the first curve. “Even when he did, he looked at me like I was a child.”

I offered a lopsided smile. “He’s only two years older than you. Do you really think age matters anymore? You’re all grown up now.” I pulled my lips into an encouraging grin as I gave her an exaggerated once-over. “You’re not a little girl anymore. You’ve got to go talk to him and make a move before someone else snatches him up.”

She laughed, a soft smile settling over her thoughtful expression.

Now that Caleb was back in town, I was fully expecting my confident best friend to disappear into the insecure girl she became whenever he was near. It was an oddity growing up and watching how quickly her sharp tongue could get tied up, leaving her either stuttering or frozen when Caleb so much as looked at her.

We walked in silence for a few moments before I grew restless at her sudden lack of conversation. I hadn’t seen Caleb since he’d moved away a few years earlier, but there was plenty of talk around town about his sudden return.

“I heard the restaurant will be opening next week. Caleb sent an invite for a grand-opening party.”

“I still can’t believe he bought the old place.” Hilary took a drink from her water bottle. “It’s a dump. My grandparents wouldn’t even eat there the last couple of years.”

I shrugged. “I’m actually excited to see what he has planned. The building looks amazing, and I heard he renovated the inside and added a bar.”

From what I’d been hearing, Caleb was turning it into a full-blown restaurant with an expansive bar, and even had a dance floor built. The forty-minute commute to the city every time we wanted to go out would be no more. I was thrilled. I hated making the long drive just to have drunk guys spill their drinks on me and throw out cheesy pick-up lines. I went out to dance, and even that always seemed to get ruined. Guys never seemed to take the hint: Sometimes a girl wanted to dance alone. It was as though they assumed if you didn’t come with another guy, then you were begging to be picked up. Not the case—at least, not for me.

Hilary continued walking, her expression indifferent. How was she not excited? She was the one who had to plead with me to go out with her all the time.

I jumped in front of her. “Come on!” She stepped back, pursing her lips to hide a smile. “A real bar!” I shouted.

She shook her head at my antics and walked around me.

“You know it’s going to be great. We can go dancing. Plus, we’ll finally have a decent place to eat in this town,” I added, and watched her expression begin to brighten.

Just as we rounded the second curve that indicated we were less than a quarter mile from my house, a large moving truck sped by, blaring its horn. Hilary grabbed my arm and leapt off the road, practically diving into the grass.

We stared at each other and then at the taillights of the truck in disbelief before I fell back, panting.

Hilary stood up, brushing the grass from her purple shorts and shouting several explicit slurs. The near-death experience caused my blood to pump so fast, though, that the ringing in my ears blocked out most of her rant.

“What the hel!?” Hilary yelled, her arms flailing furiously. “Dumb son of a—ugh! He could have run us over!” She looked back at me, furious.

We’d just begun walking back to the road when two more trucks raced by, followed by a sleek black BMW with dark tinted windows.

“Where the hel are they going out here?” Hilary asked, her breathing finally calm.

“I don’t know,” I replied, deep in thought. Why would moving trucks be out here at this hour? There were no other houses out this way besides mine, and—

“The Millers’ Estate.” I let out a puff of air, annoyed at my own forgetfulness. “I completely forgot—it sold early last week.”

“Really?” Hilary asked, surprised. “I have to admit, I never thought anyone would ever buy that place. The house is practically a mansion. It’s been on the market for what—four, five years? Why would someone with that kind of money move to Harmony?”

I shook my head and shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe they’re on the run from the mob and need a place to hang out. This would be the town for that.” I chuckled.

She looked over at me and laughed, swinging her arms as she walked. “That must be it.”

Through my laughter, a tiny sting radiated within my chest at the idea of a new family living in that house. The Millers were the sweetest old couple, who’d built the place for their family over fifty years ago. I remembered my grandma saying how heartbroken they were once their children grew up and scattered around the country. Only one of their kids ever came to visit, and later helped move them into a retirement home.

“Well, it’ll be good for you to have some neighbors. Your mom hates you living out here all by yourself. You do realize it would take the sheriff at least fifteen minutes to get out here, speeding, if you needed help?”

“Nothing bad ever happens in Harmony.” I snickered. “Besides, my grandpa left me more than just his house: He also taught me how to shoot a gun.” I tilted my head toward her, bent my knee forward, and pursed my lips, giving my best Charlie’s Angels gun-toting impression.

She laughed at me and took a long swig from her water bottle. “You’re telling me—living out here in your grandparents’ creepy old house—you don’t ever get freaked out?” Hilary stopped walking and stared at me in disbelief. “The thought of you with a gun just makes me laugh, Cassandra. Sorry, but I mean come on, you weigh what—a hundred pounds?”

I raised my chin proudly. “One-twenty. Not that it matters.”

Honestly, she was right. I always felt like a child when holding my grandfather’s pistol during target practice. But still, it was registered and locked away in a safe under my bed, in case I ever needed it.

“The only thing that actually scares me is where I’m going to go swimming now.”

“You still swim in the Millers’ pool?” She shot me a disgusted glance.

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah. I help keep it clean, and in exchange I get to use it whenever I want.”

“Don’t expect a chance to say goodbye to it now,” she teased.

I bit my bottom lip, annoyed I had another month of heat to endure with no place to cool off. At least I started my first year of teaching in a couple weeks, which would hopefully keep me distracted from the temperature.

Hilary and I were thrilled to both land jobs our first year out of college, and at the same elementary school. She’d quickly snatched up the second -grade position, which I’m sure had nothing to do with her godfather’s position as principal. I, on the other hand, was about to give up finding a teaching job in town when Ashley Morgan—the newly married kindergarten teacher—announced her pregnancy and requested a year’s leave of absence.

Three more weeks, and we’d officially be putting our higher education to use.

We climbed the last hill and rounded the final corner to find the moving truck parked at the top of the overgrown grass hill in front of the massive estate. The giant black wrought-iron gates separating it from the road were open.

“We should go introduce ourselves,” Hilary said, grabbing my arm to stop me from passing the estate.

“Please tell me you’re kidding.” My eyes grew wide as I tugged my arm free.

“What? It’s rude not to.”

“No, what’s rude is allowing their first impression of us to be like this.” My gaze shifted between our bodies, soaked in sweat and undoubtedly giving off an unpleasant odor.

“Good point.” She laughed, scrunching her nose. “Let’s get out of here.”

The moment we began walking away, my eye caught sight of someone stepping out the front door and walking down the porch stairs. The man was tall and lean with broad shoulders, and dressed in faded blue jeans and a black T-shirt that clung to his chest. My feet halted, giving my brain time to memorize the unexpected image.

The morning sun highlighted his golden-brown hair and the slight scruff over his jaw. My stomach clenched, and my breath hitched.

“Oh my God! Is that your new neighbor?”

Chapter Two

Hilary’s shrill voice rang out and the man’s head snapped to the side, his eyes staring straight down the driveway and landing on us. His brows rose as a seductive, crooked smile crept over his lips.

I couldn’t put two thoughts together if my life depended on it, but my feet made me proud and somehow carried me at full speed away from the gate and to my own driveway next door. For the first time since I’d moved in the previous year, I was thankful I never got around to trimming the hedges that concealed most of the Millers’ front yard. To my surprising satisfaction, though, I could still catch glimpses of him staring at us through the thin shrubs that were spaced too far apart for complete privacy.

The man was gorgeous—unlike any man I’d ever seen. Since Mark, no guy had caught my eye…not like that. For some reason I didn’t understand, it terrified me.

Once I reached the end of my stone driveway, I pulled open the screen door, relieved Hilary hadn’t changed her mind and tried to go talk to him. I felt disgusting—not the way I wanted to face a neighborly introduction. Hilary was laughing hysterically behind me, and I turned around to give her a piece of my mind the moment we stepped inside.

She choked back her remaining giggles and held up her hands to stop me before I got a chance to speak. “Relax, you look fine. Besides, he was all the way up the driveway. I’m sure he barely saw us.”

Oh, he saw us!

I followed her into my kitchen and pulled two tall glasses from a cupboard. It was pretty dam evident that he not only saw us, but knew we were gawking like a couple of schoolgirls.

My stomach had just returned to its previous calm state, but the replay of his image sent it catapulting back through a wave of foreign emotion.

I wondered if he looked that good up close.

“So, how lucky are you!?” She smiled as I grabbed the ice tray from the freezer, glaring at her as I set it on the counter.

“We know nothing about him,” I huffed, rolling my eyes and listening to the ice clink in the bottom of the glasses over her incessant cackling. “For all we know, he’s married with five kids.”

“Possibly…or maybe he’s single and looking for a stubborn blonde schoolteacher to rock his world.” She wiggled her brows in my direction and stood from her chair, crossing the small room to peer out the side window. From that position, there were no trees blocking the view to the Millers’ back and side yards.

“Rock his world?” My voice dripped with repulsion at her choice of words.

“Well, it would do you some good. Loosen you up a little.”

“I don’t need to be…loosened up.” I winced at my use of her words.

“When was the last time you went out with a guy, huh?” She craned her neck to look back at me and cocked an eyebrow.

My mouth snapped shut. She knew as much about my love life as I did. The only thing she didn’t know was how much I missed being held—the simple touch of a man. I pushed the yearning away as I always did, refusing to dwell on it.

“Exactly. It’s been a year since that jerk broke your heart. Time to get back out there and show off what the good Lord gave ya.”

“Seriously?” I chuckled dryly, shaking my head. So not my style. Not that I had a style for picking up guys, but if I did, that wouldn’t be it.

Her face lit up with a bright smile that showcased her perfectly straight, pearly white teeth. It spoke volumes, and I could tell she was on a roll now. Nothing I could say would make her stop.

“I say you go take a shower, let your unruly curls hang loose, and throw on one of those little whimsical summer dresses you keep hidden in the back of your closet—ooh, the one that looks like it was made from sheer vintage lace.” Her grin grew wider. “Just strut on over there to introduce yourself, and you’ll have him groveling at your feet in record time.”

“Sure thing,” I replied animatedly. “Why not?” I turned, pretending to follow her absurd directions, and burst out laughing when I halted halfway out the kitchen and turned around. “Oh that’s right, I’m not asking for it!” I threw my hand in the air, giving her my best ‘Oh, darn!’ look.

Hilary turned her attention back out the window. “Well, don’t say I never try to offer my assistance,” she said with a short giggle.

I finished filling the glasses with water from the faucet and took a long, satisfying drink from mine. My dry lips and scorching throat stung for a brief moment as my body absorbed the liquid. I carried Hilary’s glass to her and found myself staring out the window beside her.

There wasn’t much to see besides an occasional middle-aged man wearing a blue polo and khakis lugging around boxes. There had to be at least a dozen movers filling the house with furniture.

“Looks like you were right.”

I shifted my gaze to follow hers and noticed a small curly-haired boy wandering around the backyard. He was chasing a butterfly, running around without a care in the world. The picture he painted was adorable and sweet, and I found myself smiling when he jumped up, trying to capture the insect with no luck.

Despite the young boy’s delightful traipsing around the yard, a pang of disappointment settled within me. I’d barely caught a glimpse of the man in the driveway. Why did I care if he had a family?

“Good for him,” I said, pulling the curtain from Hilary’s hand and letting it fall back into place.

She took a quick drink and walked back to the table, sitting down with her glass in hand.

“Once Caleb opens his new place, I’m sure you’ll meet a nice guy to sweep you off your feet,” she said.

“I’m done with men.” I walked back to the sink and refilled my glass. “At least for a while.” It wasn’t a lie. My plans included fixing up my house and focusing on teaching. No man would fit into that.

“You can’t be done already. You’re only twenty-two years old! Way too young to be a man-hater.”

I chose to ignore her, instead looking down at the melting ice in my glass.

“Come on—you’ve only had one serious boyfriend your entire life, Cassandra. Consider him your test run before meeting the perfect guy.” Hilary maneuvered her chair to face me, causing a loud squeak to fill the small room as it slid across the linoleum. “Mark was a douche, but realistically, high-school sweethearts rarely work out. You have to put yourself back out there. Sheltering yourself in the middle of nowhere all the time is not the way to land a guy.”

I raised my brows, giving her a cynical look. “Since when do you know how to land a guy? You never get past the first date.” My voice was laced with amusement that I couldn’t seem to hide.

“I’m waiting for Mr. Right.” She grinned, but her voice faltered, and I caught a small glimpse of melancholy in her tone.

“You mean you’re waiting for Caleb Townsend.” I pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. It felt good to relax after our jog. I peeled off my shoes and socks using the tips of my toes. My bare feet tingled when the warm air hit them.

Hilary chugged the rest of her water and stood up, ignoring my comment as she placed her empty glass in the sink. “I better get going. I need a shower, and then I need to pick up some groceries.”

“Maybe you’ll run into Caleb.” I smiled, hoping to lighten her mood.

She rolled her eyes, but there was a subtle smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

I never thought a guy with a reputation for trouble like Caleb would catch her attention. But he did, and I’d been hearing about it from her ever since.

“I wonder if the little boy will be in your class,” Hilary said, lingering in the doorway.

“Who knows? He looked too young for kindergarten.” I hated to admit it, but a part of me hoped he wasn’t in my class. Living next door to his father, who looked that amazing on moving day, would be hard enough.

She scoffed. “It’s going to be interesting watching you with all those little kids, considering you’re an only child and never even had a single cousin.”

“Hey! I babysat.”

“Mmm hmm, that’s exactly the same thing.” She laughed, walking toward the front screen door that allowed a cool breeze to fill the house.

“I’ll see you Saturday at Caleb’s grand opening, right?” I called out.

“Try Friday—I need your help finding the perfect dress. And I expect to have the full scoop on the new neighbors by then.”

My gaze wandered back to the window when I heard the rickety screen door slam shut.

New neighbors—that would be a change I’d have to get used to. I wondered what the family’s name was or, more precisely, what the gorgeous man’s name was. He didn’t appear to be more than thirty; maybe I was overstepping by assuming the little boy was his son. He could be his nephew, or even a family friend.

I looked down at my hands resting on the table and shook my head, laughing at my unrealistic-yet-wishful thinking. What was the matter with me?

After a few more minutes of enjoying the peace and quiet, I stood and walked to the sink, placing my empty glass inside. I was in desperate need of a cold shower—not just from the scorching run, but also from the sweltering image of the new mystery man forever engraved into my mind.

Chapter Three

I woke to the echo of hammering seeping through my open window. Rolling to my stomach, I buried my head in the cluster of pillows and groaned. I already hated having neighbors.

Slowly, the noise began to fade away, and my eyes slid shut. The haze of sleep was eager to claim me once more, and I was more than happy to comply when an unearthly roar filled my room, terrifying me wide awake. I leapt out of my once-cozy bed and whipped my head around to face the window, my chest heaving. The sound could only be described as a jackhammer, but what the hel would anyone need that kind of machinery for first thing in the morning?

“Ugh!” I stomped my foot on the cold floor, dragging myself out of the bedroom. My fingers ran through my disheveled hair, pulling out the knots they found as I headed down the short hall to find out what exactly was causing me to lose sleep.

I stopped in my tracks and grimaced at the grandfather clock in the corner of my living room.

“Dam.” That couldn’t be right—it read eight fifteen. My internal alarm had always woken me first thing every morning at seven sharp for my run.

Annoyed, I brushed my hands over my sleepy eyes and sighed before continuing to the kitchen at the back of my house.

With a silent but wide yawn, I trudged to the window and pulled open the dull-green kitchen curtain decorated with faded embroidered flowers that I’d been meaning to replace. My gaze landed instantly on a young woman standing near the pool in the Millers’ backyard.

Her long, light-brown hair lay stick-straight down her back. A trim body in tiny white shorts and a low-cut pink tank top told me everything I needed to know.

Some people had all the luck.

She had to belong to the beautiful mystery man I’d spent my night dreaming about. No wonder I’d overslept—my internal alarm had been too busy enjoying the free show the nameless man put on for me last night. It’d been months since I’d experienced any sexual dreams due to the lack of stimulating men in my town, and this was by far the most memorable.

I sighed, wondering if someone had stolen my luck away. Perhaps I was suffering the consequence of a past life, doomed to watch everyone around me fall in love and live happily ever after while I baked birthday cakes for their kids—alone.

Whoever this girl was, she must have been amazing in her past lives because she had too much going for her. Even the estate she was now living in would fall under the category of ‘dream house’ for half the country.

She appeared to be barking out orders, one hand on her hip, the other pointing to different areas around the yard. I found her surprisingly irritating. It wasn’t like me to be jealous, especially over a guy I’d not even officially met, but it wasn’t just about him. I could never say it aloud, but a small piece of me envied her even with only one glance: gorgeous husband, adorable son, and a beautiful home. It was all I’d ever dreamed of.

I dropped the curtains and muttered, “Well, that’s that.”

It was official: Mystery man was off the market. There was no reason to waste any more time fantasizing about him finding me sunbathing in the backyard, wearing the tiny bikini Hilary had talked me into buying the previous summer. It wouldn’t end with Mr. Hotness flirting and enticing me to join him for a dip in his pool; not only was he taken, but from the looks of it, the pool was being destroyed.

Just my luck...