tw's: mentions of emotional and physical child abuse, drugs, alcohol "You'd love me even if the star doesn't shine?" "Even then, Nova. Even then." This is a reverse grumpy x sunshine, childhood ex best friends college hockey romance. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Maeve Nova Leigh-Foster. She's the girl I've known since I was five years old. The only thing I knew that was right at such a young age. But when we're forced apart and reunited over seven years later, nothing's the same. She hates me as much as I love her. She can't even look at me when all I can do is stare. She doesn't even breathe in my direction when all I want is her. But do I take the hints that she doesn't want me around? No. I plan on earning her back even if it opens things from our past that leaves us both even more heartbroken than the start.

{CURRENTLY UNPUBLISHED} 10/2/25 Edit: this book has been removed from Wattpad, but the characters live on in a published series titled The Wildflower Series, which can be found on Amazon and in bookstores. Alive at Night, Awake at Dawn, Attached at Heart are available now. Already at Risk, which follows Collins' brother Cameron, is coming on October 16th. Thank you so much! For the past three years, Bren Hadaway has been preparing to die. When he was sixteen, he watched his dad murder his mom. And ever since, he's been counting down the days until it was his turn to be at the end of a gun. And Bren has never really cared. His hellish childhood combined with his learning disability instilled in him the idea that having a real future was never in his cards. Until now. Bren spent his first semester of college falling in love with the one girl he'd do anything to live for. He relived his past, fought his demons, and gave up on his own goals-all so he could help Madie Lenertz escape her abusive boyfriend. But now Bren has no choice but to find his dad so he can quit looking over his shoulder. So he can stop waiting to die. Because suddenly the only thing in the world that Bren Hadaway wants is a future. And he wants it with her. This story is a sequel to It Burns Within Us, and it is the second installment in the Wildfire Series. ***MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY***