I came for a design job. I stayed for the man who didn’t want anyone to stay.
Tessa:
I only planned to be in Maple Peak for six weeks.
Rebrand the quiet timber guy’s business, create some festival materials, then go back to the city where life was loud and simple.
Noah Whitaker was supposed to be just another client—competent, distant, and completely closed off.
I didn’t expect his daughter to claim me, or his quiet intensity to get under my skin.
And I definitely didn’t expect to start hoping the temporary contract might turn into something permanent.
Noah:
I had rules. Keep the work clean. Keep people at a distance.
Keep Lily safe from anyone who might leave.
Then Tessa Harlow walked into my shop with her bright energy and stubborn kindness, and every rule started cracking.
She made my daughter laugh. She made the quiet feel less heavy.
She made me want things I hadn’t let myself want in four years.
I tried to push her away before it could hurt. I failed.
Tessa:
He was scared of letting anyone in. I was scared of being too much. Somehow, between late nights in the workshop and one very honest conversation, we stopped pretending the pull between us was only professional.
Noah:
Some people arrive temporary.
Some people become home.
A steamy small-town romance featuring a guarded single dad, a lively city girl, forced proximity, emotional scars, and a guaranteed HEA.
