A week before their high school graduation, Ellie's boyfriend walked her to her door and kissed her goodnight, just like any other night. But there was nothing ordinary about what followed. Austin disappeared without a trace, never to be seen again... until now. Ellie is now 28. She has a good job, a roof over her head, and her best friend, a cat named Selma. Having fully given up on ever finding out what happened to Austin, imagine her surprise when she runs into him at a work conference out of town-wearing a name tag that says William. He's even more gorgeous now than he was back then. And that the spark between them... yeah, it's still sizzling. But Austin's secretive life leaves many questions unanswered and this time Ellie is not wiling to let go without an explanation. Austin knows one thing for sure; Ellie will keep going until she finds the truth. And in order to keep her safe, he has to stay far, far away from her. But can he?

I had been second best all my life. But this time, when it comes to her, I'm not willing to accept defeat. I'll do whatever it takes to get her to choose me. *** Having a best friend that was wildly popular, and one of the best hockey players in the United American Hockey League, was both a curse and a blessing. On the plus side, I got to play hockey with my best friend, and there was never a shortage of beautiful girls. At least there wasn't until Nash decided to man up and tell his childhood friend that he'd always loved her. The bad part was that I usually ended up being second best. In my late teens and early twenties I hadn't cared that I wasn't picked in the first round of the draft, or that sponsors chose Nash ahead of me, or even if I ended up with a girl who didn't really want me for me. I made a nice living playing hockey. I had a few good friends and a nice place to live in the middle of Manhattan. Despite not being the best, I'd made most of my dreams come true and it was a far stretch from the lonely kid I'd been growing up in the rural Midwest. I was happy. I was content. Until her.... It's not like I didn't want what Nash had. I did. I do. Who doesn't want a happily ever after? It's just that I've never taken the risk and allowed a woman to see past my defenses before, to see the real me, with my baggage and all my insecurities... until now. As scary as that is in itself, what makes it complicated is that my new roommate, Jackson - who I offered my spare bedroom to a while back when he needed a place to stay - and Bryce - one of my friends and teammates- also seem to have an interest in her... the woman who has me questioning all my decisions. The thing is... I'm pretty sure I'm not willing to be a second choice this time around...