BOOK THREE OF THE CHAPEL HILL SERIES. MUST BE READ IN ORDER. "We signed a contract, and I will uphold the terms. You were hurt, and I want to keep you safe." -Felix Black - FELIX BLACK Five years ago, Maddox told me we weren't allowed to be friends anymore. Allowed. Three and a half years ago, I was arrested for assault. I assaulted the man who almost beat the love of my life within an inch of his life because I was too much of a coward to tell Maddox what I really felt. So, he found someone who would be open to giving those things to him. But he was given trauma instead. Eight years ago, Maddox and I signed a contract with each other that we will be married to one another if we're both single when we're twenty-five. I took that contract to heart after the ways Maddox was hurt. I want to keep him safe. Love him. Protect him. So, with Maddox as the wedding planner, he's planning his own wedding. Except, he has no idea. I know how crazy it sounds, but I don't care. The way he looks at me cannot be ignored. The way we move together cannot be forgotten. The way he holds onto me will be my lifeline. Maddox Hayes is my childhood best friend. And he is and will always be the love of my life. The only problem? While Maddox is unaware that he's planning his own wedding, I, somehow, was unaware we were already committed to a relationship. And as things unravel, they became a mess we need to clean up. Along with every other obstacle we need to face on our way to the altar. Things will get a little messy. Tears will be shed. But not all tears are sad. Just like not all smiles are happy. RSVP to our wedding while you can, because I'm determined to marry the only one love of my life. So long as that's what he wants.

SEBASTIAN VILLAN In the days since my brother passed away, I struggled with finding reasons to get out of bed through the pain of my grief. The world didn't seem so bright, but instead, it was in grayscale. I needed my damn colors back. It's nearing Christmas, and I decided that I'm going to chase after said colors, but he had a name. Jasper Reid. The last time I saw him was two years go, when he was running away from me after profusely apologizing for kissing me. I didn't even have time to process. Because days later, my brother ended his life. I thought I was straight, but I concluded I wasn't. It's two years later, and I finally see him again. It hits me like a ton of bricks, and I realize that through our five years of friendship, I'd always had feelings for him. When Jasper agrees to see me, so that we can talk, Tate tells me I need to be upfront about how I feel for Jasper. With the place Jasper and I are in, it was going to take a lot of work. But as we progress, we slam into difficult hurdles. I want him as my future, he wants me, too. But I still struggle with grief. He struggles with how to handle me when fall into one of my lows. Things are twisted. Jasper Reid is my color-the brightest of shades. But will we be able to make it work between us? Or were we doomed from the start?

Book one of the Serendipity's Embrace duology: Across the Hall: Where our Story Begins & Off the Court: When We Meet Again. BRANDON STERLING I walked into my college dorm for the first time, my only goal being getting that business degree and securing a job. I ended things with my ex-girlfriend, a relationship that suffocated me, a few weeks ago. I have no intention in getting into a new one any time soon- nor throughout my entire college journey, for what matters. But life had other plans for me. Ones I didn't even see coming. Though they were right across the hall from me. ADRIAN LAINE Another year of boring classes and last minute assignments, here I come! I dragged my suitcase across the hall to my room, passing by the other students. Some were familiar faces, other new-like the tall blond guy next to my door. Though I could swear his was familiar. And I confirmed my suspicious as I answered my phone, my brother on the other side of the line informing me one of his friends is attending Branford College. Brandon Sterling. A story about two souls that didn't look for one another, yet still found each other. Unexpected feelings, self-discovery, healing, and a raw connection neither of them ever dreamt of finding.

Book one of The Heartbreak Club Duet: Catching Tate Archer & Rescuing Damon Stryker. -- TATE ARCHER-DIAZ: He's the unobtainable one. The captain. The "bad boy." The one whose entire life revolves around basketball. However, I caught his attention from the first time he laid eyes on me, and when he approached me with offerings of a date, I found myself determined to set the little bad boy off like a firework. Into the sky and away from me. Damon Stryker, captain of Duke University's basketball team, decided I was the one he wanted, and I tried so hard to ignore the way he spoke in that hard, stoic voice that left little room for arguments. If he's determined to capture his Firefly, then he needs to put in the work. We aren't supposed to be together. We have to remain a secret. If we're caught, it could spell disastrous consequences for both of us. But try as I may, I can't prevent myself from falling for the stoic man because he treats me like I'm the finest gem. I get lost in those villainous green eyes, and I'm hypnotized. But as Chapel Hill's cheer captain, rivaled against Damon's school, Duke, we would ruin our futures before they began. We can't be caught. If we were caught, Damon would lose his position on Duke's basketball team, effectively diminishing his chances of making it to the NBA. It doesn't help that the sports world is still as homophobic as they comes, so a gay relationship is out of the question. But we can't stay away from each other. We fall in love, live through our secret relationship for over two years, and when it comes to telling our families and the world? Well, it doesn't go according to plan. It will all fall down, but you need to understand how we build our story first. Otherwise, you won't be able to understand how our love ends up withstanding a great tragedy. Our relationship will be tested in ways no relationship should need to be tested. And we will make it, but the road to our happy ending is a long one.

Book four of five in the New Beginnings Series. VALENTINE PIERCE: My dearest cousin is going on his honeymoon, leaving me jobless for two weeks. Maybe that's a little dramatic, but it left me open and needing something to do. Allison Yates, the CEO of the label August works for has tasked me with helping Vesper Quinn adapt to the changes in his life. Which means, I have to be his temporary manager until they can find him one. Normally, I would have jumped for joy at the opportunity, except, Vesper decided I'm nothing but a snobby rich kid, who does whatever he wants. If I want it, I get it. It stemmed from Vesper finding out that I showed his videos to the company. He was signed, and he wasn't the least bit appreciative. See, I followed him for years. I was once intrigued by him. We even... went on dates. I thought he liked me, and I even thought we were headed somewhere. But then he vanished for almost two years. He stopped making music. He changed his number. He didn't contact anyone. Until he finally showed up for his audition, and he was signed. Sure, I thought, maybe we still had a chance. Until it evaporated that night in the stairwell. So, why is he being kind to me? I'm not falling for his tricks. I won't let him in again. I tried twice. I even gave him a chance after he vanished on me-but then I saw the way he looked at me when he not only found out what I'd done to help him, but who I was related to. But something is going on with him. I see it in his eyes. The mistrust. And then I find out he's suffocating, and he's been alone. It's dangerous to fall after the soon-to-be superstar, but I want him. I desperately want him, and I have for years. Hey, it's Christmas-anything can happen, right?

Book One of Five in the New Beginnings Series. **You do NOT have to read Inhale, Exhale, & Breathe to enjoy these stories** #1 in bxb tag: 09/21/2024 #4 in friendstolovers tag: 9/21/2024 CYRUS PIERCE: I'm content in my almost soundless world. I prefer to live through the romance stories I weave and post online. Hardly anyone reads my books, even if they're free, but I do have one fan, and he's supported me since I started writing two years ago. Except, my writing started to take a depressing dive when I realized that you simply couldn't prevent nor protect your heart from falling for someone. For him. For the one who had no interest in me. When I fell in love with him, I thought we had a chance. It was an accident. Turned out, I couldn't be more wrong. He doesn't want me, and I wasn't supposed to have him. It didn't matter if he showed up in the bookstore every day, talking to everyone else except me. Nor did it matter at all because he didn't know sign language. He couldn't learn. We couldn't communicate. But after I go on a date and it ends in putrid disaster, he makes his appearance known, and he's angry. Then he's doing things for me that confuse me. My stories are filling up with pages of content, dreams that I want to come true, and my mystery commenter encourages me to continue-to reach my happiness. To take what I want. But the activities planned start sparking familiarity-like I lived it before, or maybe dreamed it. Or maybe, just maybe, I'd written it before? My mind is spiraling, but I can't stop myself from getting closer and closer to him. I'm not supposed to have him, but my heart craves him. Sage Monroe, I'm in love with you, and I'm scared now because I have a feeling that you've been communicating with me in more ways than one.

LANDON LUNA: Someone is directly targeting me-making me out to be Elijah Moon's stalker. I'm not. And in an attempt to combat against the person who accused me, I also make choices I immediately regret. Elijah has been instructed, by me, to stay out of it. I can handle this. Choices are a funny thing when they're made in the name of protection. I needed to protect him. Then GlimmerOfHope pops back up, and they're defending me against the madness. Who is Glimmer? Should I just tell everyone the truth? Wait, don't send me to Vegas with Everest while I'm drunk. Mistakes aren't made, but we definitely make some choices this time. EVEREST PIERCE: When I told Landon I loved him without limits and expectations, I saw the glint of uncertainty. And how could I blame him when the world is attacking him so brutally? My softhearted, compassionate, loving ray of sunshine has a dark cloud looming over him. Landon kept trying to convince me everything is fine when it clearly is not fine. No matter. I promised him I would stand beside him. And I don't go back on the promises I make. I waited too long to give up. Every time I look at him, I see our happy future together. I'm a man who's remained silent for far too long, though. So, when Landon hits his breaking point quickly because the world refuses to leave him alone, I know what I need to do. I might have been a man who remained silent... But maybe it's time I break my silence. And fight for and beside the one I love.

LANDON LUNA: College is finally over, and I get to go on a road trip for one month before I enter the real world. Yet, I never expected to see Everest signed up, and more than that, he requested me to be his partner for the trip. I've known Everest since we were thirteen, but he doesn't remember it. That's okay. I suspect the night we met wasn't a good one for him, and maybe it's best he doesn't remember. But now we are scouring across the east side of the U.S., and I'm starting to wonder if everything I did for Everest was in the name of something else. Something more meaningful. Something I should have understood sooner. Damn my brain. It takes me far too long to understand the proper context and even longer to grasp the meaning of my feelings. I might be in love with him. Oh, and I was diagnosed with autism a year ago, and I never told anyone. So, there is that. EVEREST PIERCE: I love him. I love Landon Luna without conditions. Without expectations. Without the need for more. And I love him with my entire heart. I wasn't the nicest person in high school. Not to anyone except the ball of bubbly sunshine. The one who waved at me every single day. But I was a goner the moment he said hello to me in my Junior year of high school when he was partnered with me on a project. Now, I need to figure out how to keep my feelings on lockdown through this trip. Because I find myself wanting. I want him, and I don't know that I am worthy enough to have him.

Book Three of the Windsor Triplets Trilogy. READ THESE IN ORDER. TRIPLET THREE: THE DEFAMED TRIPLET CAMERON WINDSOR: Eight years ago, I lost everything. The love of my life. My brothers. My sanity. Asher Adair is the love of my life. That's right, he still is. He always will be. But because I told a lie that I didn't realize was a lie at the time, he can't even look at me. I don't blame him. I haven't righted my lie. I didn't know how. The story goes: I cheated on him. But I didn't. I only thought I did. I didn't remember that night. I remembered waking up with no recollection-next to someone I didn't recognize, and without any clothes. I rushed to tell Asher, to apologize, and tell him that I didn't remember, but he rightfully ended our relationship. But it doesn't stop there. As I went to drag myself to talk to my brothers, I received an email. That email started it all. A video of my assault was used against me as blackmail to get things from me. Now, he's been arrested. I'm trying to heal from my demons. But I have to wonder if telling Asher the truth would be worth it. I'm damaged. It's been too long. I can't go back and change that day. I can't go back and tell myself to run back to Asher with the truth. I only have now. And when he finds out, he starts making it impossible to stay away. Because he helps me remember who I used to be, and who I still can be. ASHER ADAIR: Eight years ago, on the morning I find out that my company has garnered interest because of a very popular YouTuber promoted my game-the love of my life told me he cheated on me. We had a future. A plan. And it all went down the drain. I never understood what I did wrong to the point I didn't even want to know. I was happy to be on my own. Or, so I thought. Then my entire world comes crashing down. Everything I thought was true, suddenly wasn't anymore.