A widowed rancher. A determined schoolteacher. A love that blooms in the shadow of heartache.
Jesse Barnes doesn't have time for romance. As a single father and hardworking cowboy, his life is ruled by early mornings, dusty boots, and his daughter's growing struggles in school. But when Maisie's fiercely devoted kindergarten teacher, Callie Lawson, insists on after-school tutoring, Jesse finds himself pulled into her orbit—and dangerously close to feelings he's kept locked away for years.
Callie's passion for teaching hides a private ache of her own. She's drawn to the quiet strength in Jesse's eyes, even as gossip and an unexpected family visitor threaten to upend everything. With secrets, sacrifices, and second chances on the line, can a guarded cowboy and a resilient teacher build a future neither dared to dream?
A small-town, single dad romance full of ranch life, emotional healing, and sizzling slow-burn chemistry.