ANDI

Love, and I mean real love, is the exception. I know most of us never find it. For me, life is about surviving, keeping my head above the water while I tell lie after lie so people don't realize how bad it really is.

Something changes when his eyes lock on mine. Something in me stirs. He's steady where I wobble. He's quiet where my mind screams. He's a flirt and, for the first time, I'm finding myself wanting to be one right back.

But I know better than to get close. I'll only weigh him down.

MERIT

She's warmth like I've never felt. I don't date and I don't do love. Most of the time, one night is plenty for me. So why have I been mesmerized from the moment she walked through that door?

She's everything I won't let myself have because she's everything I'll destroy. She's soft, kind, and blushes with the innocence of a woman entirely unaware of her perfection. She's everything I need and everything I'll ruin myself to protect.

This is the first book in the Mako Bay duet. It features a slow-burn, character-driven romance focused on emotional growth and healing after trauma. This story deals with dark themes, including parental substance abuse, child abuse, drugging, sexual assault (not between the main characters), and death. While difficult experiences are explored, the focus remains on healing, trust, and love.