Desmond Crenshaw doesn't have much going for him. He street races for cash, deals drugs to get by, and drags himself through each day with only one goal: survival. He's a reckless high school dropout with very few talents that won't get him arrested-definitely not someone you'd want around your child. Vaughn Torres agrees, he's been seeking a solid reason to cut off the friendship between the troublemaker and his daughter since the day they met. He gets one, too, when Des's vices begin to bleed into their lives and Winter is officially in danger. Des is given an ultimatum: he can only be around Winter if he distances himself from the crime. There's only one way to do that. A change of employment, specifically to Vaughn's mechanic shop, though that balance is a lot easier said than done. No, things for Des are never that simple. Not when he's working under the watchful eye of a man who hates him. Not when he starts genuinely wanting to be better, and is faced with the rocky road of leaving a life of crime entirely. And especially not when he's been in love with Winter's dad for years.

He pops up in my mind more frequently than I'll admit. He's popular. He's three years older than me, a basketball star and a local hero. He's always the talk of the town. But he's changed, and there's something about Rowan that's different. He's got more secrets hidden away than I thought. And I never thought I'd stumble into one like this. * on hold while this is getting edited *