Minutes before Mariah gets married, her maid of honor shows her a viral video. In it, a woman tells the internet about the magical night she spent with a handsome stranger in Nashville-and asks for help finding the man she believes is her soulmate. Mariah happens to know exactly where he is. He's waiting at the end of the aisle for her. After creating a viral moment of her own, Mariah spends the next two months hiding from the unwanted fame that turned the worst day of her life into a public spectacle-and transformed her into the infamous Burn It All Bride. Then she meets a gruff, devastatingly handsome stranger on a flight who has absolutely no idea who she is. With him, she doesn't have to be the heartbroken bride millions of strangers think they know. She can just be Ivy. And the quiet Texan beside her becomes Tex. When an emergency landing strands them for one night in the city Mariah has cast as the villain in her story, she is determined to make the best of it with the man who is already making Nashville feel different. As the attraction between them becomes impossible to ignore, they agree on three rules. One night. No real names. No promises beyond morning. And no chance of ever forgetting each other. They walk away the next morning believing their perfect night will remain exactly that-a beautiful memory neither of them is allowed to chase. Mariah is still rebuilding the life her cheating fiancé destroyed. And Tex... Tex is trying to start over after betrayal cost him everything he worked years to create. Until fate brings them together again on Beaumont Ranch, and the stranger Mariah promised to leave behind becomes impossible to walk away from twice. Some nights break your heart. Some nights heal you. And some nights change you forever.

We were friends with benefits. Reed would stop by every time he was in Anchorage, and that was the extent of things, although I started to want more. Then he ended our arrangement, and I suspected there was another woman, but it wasn't until I overheard a conversation that I understood completely. He thought I was calling and texting because I couldn't take no for an answer. That wasn't my problem at all. Two blue lines were.

One lesson I learned very early in life was to be cheerful, to be agreeable, to do as I was told and ask for nothing, and to never ever complain. Smile Maddie. Be happy Maddie. Don't make trouble and maybe they'll love you. I grew into an adult who took care of others and never expected that those I loved would take care of me in return. I gave and never asked, never expected, never demanded. Smile Maddie. Be happy Maddie. Don't make trouble and you'll find someone that will love you. And then one day, a Dragon walked into my workplace and turned my world upside down with a single wink. Having grown up watching his father treat his men like they were disposable, just meat bags to be fed into the grinder, Dragon was determined to be different when he became president of the Dragon's Inferno MC. He cares about his people. He takes care of them. He was upfront with me, taking care of his MC and those he considered to be his would always be his priority. And I agreed to that, I joined him in that mission, throwing myself into becoming the perfect old lady of the prez. Smile Maddie. Act happy Maddie. Take care of them and maybe they'll love you. Smile Maddie. Be happy Maddie. Don't complain and maybe he'll love you. I told myself I was independent. I was strong. And I didn't need my Dragon to take care of me. And I almost believed it. Almost. But now I'm watching him with her. I'm watching him comfort her. I'm watching him listen to her, support her, reassure her. I'm watching him take time from his day to check in with her. I'm watching him worry about her. I'm watching them become closer right in front of my eyes. I'm seeing every thoughtful gesture he does for her. And me? I'm not happy. I'm not smiling. I'm done being agreeable. Fuck not causing trouble. I'm about to set my Dragon's world on fire. And then I'm walking away. She can have him. For the first time in my life, I'm choosing myself.