She believes in new beginnings.
He believes in control.
Mona St. Clair comes to Boston College determined to reinvent herself - no family expectations, no curated reputation, no one telling her who she's supposed to be. Just classes she loves, a job at an indie bookstore, and the kind of fresh start she's always romanticized.
Parker doesn't do romance. Between law school and running a campus coffee shop, he believes in efficiency, discipline, and never letting things linger - especially feelings. Hope, in his world, is dangerous.
When their paths collide over coffee, the tension is immediate. Sharp banter. Clashing rhythms. Lingering looks that last a beat too long. She slows him down. He unsettles her belief that wanting more is always harmless.
Surrounded by new friends, harmless flirtations, and a life finally of her own, Mona can't ignore the pull toward the one person who challenges her the most. And Parker - despite everything he's built to protect himself - finds his control slipping around a girl who refuses to stop believing in possibility.