Emma Greene never thought she'd return to the sleepy Vermont town where she grew up—not after chasing big-city dreams and heartbreak all the way to New York. But when burnout sends her packing, the quiet rhythm of Lakeshore and the comfort of her late grandmother's cottage seem like the perfect place to start over.

What she doesn't expect is Danny Cole—her childhood best friend turned dependable carpenter—who never left, never stopped building, and never quite let go of the girl who once held his heart. As they renovate the crumbling cottage room by room, their shared history grows harder to ignore. Teasing becomes tenderness, and old laughter begins to sound like something new.

But when Emma is offered a career-defining job across the country, she must decide if the life she left behind is worth giving up again—or if the quiet love that's always been waiting is worth finally choosing.

Can a second chance at home become a first chance at forever?