He came home carrying ghosts.
She learned how to smile while living with hers.
Alexander “Shadow” Armstrong returns to his small coastal town changed by war—haunted, guarded, and convinced he isn’t meant for peace. Ashley Rockwell has spent years holding herself together with everyday routine, loyalty, and a heart that refuses to harden, even after a devastating loss.
When their paths collide, neither of them is looking for love.
But something about her, steadies him.
Something about him makes her feel safe in a way she never has before.
As attraction turns into something deeper, both must face the truths they’ve been avoiding—about grief, fear, and what it really means to let someone see your scars. In a town where everyone knows your name and secrets never stay buried, their connection will be tested by the past and by choices that could change everything.