Keeping Secrets

I came to Coral Cove hoping to outrun the past. I never imagined my future would be waiting for me there.

Moving to Coral Cove was supposed to be a fresh start. A place where no one knew my name, my mistakes, or the tragedy that still haunts every part of my life.

Then I met Dave.

Brooding. Guarded. Infuriating.

As my best friend's brother, he makes it painfully clear he'd rather I stayed out of his life, and that's fine with me. I have enough baggage without adding him to the list.

The more we clash, the harder it becomes to ignore what's hiding beneath his walls. He's carrying burdens of his own, and despite every reason we have to stay apart, I can't stop seeing the man behind the anger.

Neither of us is looking for love.

Neither of us believes we're capable of it anymore.

Yet somehow, in the middle of grief, heartache, and the lives we're both trying so desperately to hold together, we become the one person the other can lean on.

The only question is whether love can heal what's already been broken... or whether some hearts are destined to stay that way.