Being a single dad wasn’t in the plan.
Hiring my ex as our nanny in this nosy little town…definitely not on my bingo card.
I came for ice cream with my little girl…
I left with Hazel Dowd back in my life.
Curvy, sun-kissed, and soaked in chocolate, thanks to a ten-year-old collision.
She’s the one I never got over.
The one I left behind when duty called.
Now she’s living in my house, wearing my shirts, tucking my daughter in like she belongs.
We agree to fake a relationship to keep her safe.
From the threats she swears are gone.
From the past she still won’t talk about.
But I see the fear behind her smile.
And every protective instinct I earned in the military is telling me one thing:
She’s mine to protect.
And this time, I won’t walk away.
