Not Part of the Plan Six months after being humiliated and left at the altar, Olandria Carthen leaves Alabama behind for a charming vineyard town tucked away in South Carolina. Teaching preschool gives her the fresh start she desperately needs until an upcoming family reunion reminds her that moving on is much harder than pretending she already has. Nic Vansteenberghe is a devoted single dad raising his two little girls while helping run his family's vineyard. Between school drop offs, bedtime stories, and his family's relentless attempts to set him up, the last thing he wants is another blind date. His solution? A fake girlfriend. Her solution? A fake boyfriend. One simple arrangement. Six months. No strings attached. It should have been easy. Until pretend dates become real memories. Until vineyard sunsets, family dinners, and two little girls begin to feel like home. Until walking away becomes far more complicated than either of them expected. Because sometimes the best things in life... aren't part of the plan.

In the tantalizing aftermath of "Love Island," Nic and Olandria departed not as crowned victors, but as the unforgettable runners-up whose electric connection captivated hearts. Their bond, forged in the hothouse environment of reality TV, now faces its ultimate trial in the raw, unfiltered reality beyond the villa's manicured lawns. Away from the cameras, their relationship deepens, revealing unexpected layers of vulnerability, ambition, and raw passion. Navigating a labyrinth of newfound fame, intrusive media scrutiny, and deeply personal expectations, Nic and Olandria find refuge only in each other's arms. Whispered secrets unveil long-held fears, and quiet moments become precious sanctuaries. Yet, the ghosts of past relationships and unrealized dreams threaten to shatter the delicate bond they've painstakingly built. Was choosing each other a defiant act of self-discovery, or a path destined for heartbreak? Immerse yourself in a world where desire battles doubt, and where the question of whether love can truly triumph hangs precariously in the balance. Will Nic and Olandria's relationship endure the relentless pressures, or will the weight of their pasts crush their hopes for a future together? 18+ !!!!! THIS STORY WILL CONTAIN MATURE LANGUAGE, HEAVY TOPICS, AND SMUT.

Two best friends in a room, they might kiss! College Nicolandria AU for those of us still deep in the sauce :P

Olandria Carthen has dedicated her life to keeping her family's beloved soul food restaurant, Tasty O's, alive in Decatur, Alabama, but mounting debt, a shrinking staff, and the fear of losing everything her parents built have pushed her to the breaking point. Across the country, TikTok food reviewer Nic Vans has built a career on one rule: always tell the truth. When his visit to Tasty O's ends with a brutally honest review, Olandria's world begins to unravel. She blames the man who put her restaurant on blast, while Nic refuses to apologize for doing his job. But as fate continues to throw them together, they soon discover that first impressions don't always tell the whole story-and sometimes the most bitter beginnings can lead to the sweetest redemption.

olandria's next door neighbors are making a garage band. they sound awful, but the musician that helps them is good at least. (and it helps that he's hot too.) or: a story about a bunch of idiots in a garage band and the growing pains of senior year TM.

Olandria Carthen has always been protected by the people who love her most. Raised by her father, grandfather, and older brothers after losing her mother at six years old, she's spent her entire life surrounded by family, structure, and expectations. Moving to Jacksonville for a new job is supposed to be simple. A fresh start. A chance to finally figure out who she is outside of being someone's little sister. Then there's Nic Vansteenberghe. Her brother Omari's best friend is guarded, emotionally unavailable, and dealing with heartbreak he refuses to talk about. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore the connection growing between them. Because some lines were never meant to be crossed. And some people become impossible to walk away from.

A wrong number. A crowded dance floor. A connection neither of them can explain. From the moment Olandria and Nic finally meet, being together feels strangely inevitable--as though something invisible has been drawing them toward each other long before either of them knew to look. What begins with undeniable chemistry slowly deepens into something tender, consuming, and frighteningly real. But finding each other is only the beginning.

In which a black debutant falls for the rebel surfer She was born into silk gloves, pressed manners, and a last name that opened every locked door in the country. Olandria Carthen came from old money, the kind built from black excellence; she was raised to smile softly, speak less, and never-ever-step outside the lines drawn for her. Her life was crystal chandeliers, charity galas, and expectations heavy enough to drown in. Perfect. Polished. Untouchable. At least, that's what everyone thought. He was born into money too-but Nicolas vansteenberghe never cared for any of it. A surfer boy with reckless laughter, sunburnt skin, and a habit of running from anything that tried to own him. The kind of boy who chooses saltwater over silver spoons, chaos over control, and freedom over legacy. They weren't supposed to meet. And they definitely weren't supposed to understand each other. But the Outer Banks has a way of pulling opposites into the same tide. She's reserved, careful, and taught that love is something you calculate-not fall into. He's loud, fearless, and lives like every wave might be his last. One follows every rule she was given. The other breaks every rule just to feel alive. And somehow... they keep finding each other in the space between their worlds. Because in a place where status divides everything and the ocean keeps secrets, love might be the most dangerous rebellion of all.

Six years later, they're not the same people anymore. Nic is no longer the reckless college boy. He's built something real-expanding his father's business into a thriving empire in Los Angeles, working with elite athletes and shaping careers. Focused. Disciplined. Untouchable. Olandria is exactly where she always dreamed she'd be. New York shaped her, but now she's ready for more. Her designs have a name, her vision has weight... and her next move is Los Angeles. When they reunite at a mutual friend's wedding, everything feels the same and completely different. The chemistry is still there. Stronger. Heavier. Harder to ignore. The history between them hasn't faded it's settled. This time, distance isn't an excuse. This time, they're in the same city. Same orbit. Same space. Same unfinished story. But six years changes people. Priorities. Fears. Expectations. And the question they avoided back then? They don't get to avoid it anymore. Are they still a bad match... Or is this finally their rematch?

This book is what happens when too many ideas demand attention at the same time. It is a collection born from the late-night places where stories happen before they make sense. Short works with long feelings, scenes that arrived at 2am when sleep didn't, moments that didn't fit anywhere else but refused to be thrown away... A little chaotic, a little tender, pulled straight from the mayhem folder of my overactive mind. These stories may not have roads to follow (some barely have names), but together they make a map of my inner world. Enjoy!