—PEPPER—

My boss's son is less than thrilled with the workout I'm giving the smoke detector. But if Mateo Sanchez wasn't willing to lease me the other side of his duplex, I'd be living in a cardboard box.

The latest trouble to root me out of hiding in this small-town paradise? Finding a date to my sister's destination wedding—to my ex.

I knew lying that my hot landlord was my boyfriend would bite me in the you-know-where, but sometimes a girl gets tired of playing the underdog.

—MATEO—

Pepper Corbin is as coordinated as a foal on an icy lake. And while everyone at Kingsbrier has taken a shine to her, the burning smells coming from her kitchen grate on my last nerve.

I certainly don't appreciate Pepper telling her family we're dating. Except, getting roped into spending a week on the high-seas? That's my own fault.

So I agree to fake our relationship. Maybe even too well, since now that I've kissed Pepper she's driving me crazy in a different way.