Uprooting

Go to a concert. Check. Attend a ranching conference. Check. Fall in love with my brother's best friend. Not on the list...but check.

Lauren

In hindsight, trying to kiss my brother's best friend after three glasses of whiskey wasn't my brightest idea. I came into the bar to escape my cheating ex-fiancé, my dad's health crisis, and the pressure of keeping my family's ranch afloat, but Jax Greer was behind the counter, playing the noble protector like always. He's known as the biggest flirt in Texas and is easily the last person I should turn to for comfort. Still, when he punches my ex and tells me I deserve better, I no longer want quiet solitude. I want Jax.

Jax

There are rules when it comes to kissing your best friend's sister, and all of them end with don't do it. Throw in my past of not protecting those I love, and there's no way I could kiss Lauren when she leans in. But I've loved Lauren since the moment I met her, and I hate the lost look in her eyes, so I help her make a bucket list to rediscover herself. As we take swing dance lessons, work on her ranch, and share a bed after a hotel mix-up, it feels like I'm on the brink of everything I've ever wanted. Except Lauren wants to keep our relationship a secret, and I'm terrified it means even she knows I'm not enough.