[Small Town / Second Chance] When Jen heads back to her hometown after ten years to celebrate her grandmother's 70th birthday, she knows she'll have to face Matt, once the love of her life. But what both of them don't expect is to have the feelings they had long buried inside to flourish back to life along with walls of resentment, and a sizzling attraction. ***** Jennifer Bloom has completely escaped her small-town past. She's a successful interior designer with great clients and everything she's ever wanted. But when she's called back home to help plan her grandmother's 70th birthday party, she's partnered up with Matthew Hunt - once the love of her life. He's lived in town his whole life, and he's handsome, strong, kind, and the only man who's ever made her heart race. Experiencing life with Matthew again reminds Jennifer of all the things she's missing, even though she's got everything she once wanted. At one point, all those years ago, they thought they'd be spending their lives together, but life threw them a curveball, forcing her to make the decision to leave and never look back. Now, they realize love was never an issue; their problem has always been everything that comes in-between. He'd never move to the city, and Jennifer can't leave the life she's built behind. Walls of resentment still block the way, even though their love for each other still burns strong in their hearts. Can true love bridge the distance between them? Is love ever enough to make a relationship work? Is it finally their second chance?

Storie Sovany is used to being dismissed as the fat friend, until she moves from New York City to rural Ohio for college and the charming frat boy Liam Alexander approaches her. Torn between disbelief and flattery, Storie hopes her luck may have finally changed - but is it too good to be true? [author's note: this is not a romance!]

My entry for the Last Virgin Standing One Shot Competition.