Paige Sparks has always played by the rules—valedictorian, family girl, and now the no-nonsense office manager of her family’s famous barbecue joint in the heart of Maris, Texas. While her cousins find love and start families of their own, Paige is stuck managing spreadsheets, supplier drama, and the crushing realization that predictability has become her entire life.
When she decides to renovate the charming old house she just bought, hiring the new carpenter in town seems like the perfect solution—until she realizes the man holding the hammer is none other than Hudson Ryan. The same Hudson who tormented her in high school, then vanished without a trace.
The years have changed Hudson. Beneath the tattoos and cocky grin is a man shaped by hardship, hard work, and hard-won redemption. Paige wants to believe people can change, but trusting Hudson may be the biggest risk she’s ever taken.
As the walls come down—both in the house and between their hearts—old grudges ignite into something neither of them saw coming. In a town where everyone knows your name and your business, Paige and Hudson must decide if their unexpected spark is just a flicker of the past… or the start of something real.