Dad's best friend

Caught between a boyfriend who only loves her when it suits him and a life she's too tired to keep pretending fits, she's learned how to survive by staying quiet, staying small, and not asking for too much.

But Jensen-her dad's best friend, steady as stone and impossible to ignore-starts seeing the cracks she's been trying to hide. He doesn't push. He doesn't rescue. He just shows up, again and again, with patience, warmth, and the kind of attention that makes her feel seen for the first time in years.

And when being noticed starts to feel a lot like being wanted, the line between safe and dangerous gets thin.