THE RULE: Don't fall for your best friend. THE PROBLEM: Liam Cruz. He was my anchor. The one person who understood the mess of blueprints in my head and the frantic beating of my heart. For two years, we had one rule: don't ever cross the line. Our friendship was the most important foundation in my life, and I would never risk it. But then came one party, one rival, and one lie. And the line we were never supposed to cross is the only thing I can see. The space between his bedroom and mine is ten feet of unbearable tension, and I'm not sure how much longer we can pretend not to feel the heat. What happens when your sanctuary becomes your battleground? (Author's note: Hey guys 👋 I have finished writing the whole novel! Hope you enjoy it!)

"Please Jesus, free me of the spirit of lust." "I know that relationships built under your word can last forever. So free me of the thought, free me of the feeling and free me from my flesh trying to cloud my judgement." "I don't worship lust, sex or desire. I worship you Jesus, please don't allow me to lose sight of that." "In Jesus name, I pray." "Amen." I spoke desperately as I stood up from my knees.

Aaliyah Johnson is in her final year at Magnolia State University, where she's balancing a scholarship, an art degree, and the pressure of not knowing what comes next. Elias Carter, the university's baseball captain, seems to have everything figured out, except his own heart. When mutual friends and a poetry club bring them together, sparks ignite in the most unexpected ways. She's brilliant and blunt; he's disciplined and mysterious. But between classes, practices, and the expectations of everyone around them, connection becomes the one thing they can't plan for. From strangers to friends to something far deeper, their story grows with every season, rooted beneath a magnolia tree that sees it all. Autumn brings sparks: "I'm curious about you, but I don't even know why yet." Winter, closeness: "You calm me when I didn't realise I needed calming." Spring, love: "I've known for a while... I just didn't want to ruin it." Summer, uncertainty: "Even if everything changes, you've changed me already." Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the images used both on the cover and throughout the story.