Leave The Light On

ANNIE

At twenty-four, my life completely imploded. Heartbroken and determined to stop being the girl crying on her best friend's couch, I made a reckless choice. I spent the night with the striking stranger with the piercing green eyes at the end of the bar. We shared one intense, unforgettable night of anonymous comfort before walking away.
Two years later, I'm twenty-six and moving to a quiet coastal town to help my aging aunt manage her bookstore. I expected a fresh start. I didn't expect her fiercely protective, standoffish next-door neighbor to be the exact same man from the bar. When I look at him, I see the heat we shared. He looks at me... and sees absolutely nothing.

WES

At thirty-four, my marriage had collapsed, my civilian life was in ruins, and my military career was the only thing keeping me upright. The night I walked into that bar, I just wanted to drown my demons in silence. Then she looked at me. The beautiful, sad-eyed bartender didn't ask for my story; she just gave me a night I never forgot.
Now, I'm thirty-six, stationed in this small town, and spending my free time helping my sick elderly neighbor, Bobbie. When her niece finally shows up to help, I'm ready to resent the girl who left her family behind. But the moment Annie steps onto that porch, the air leaves my lungs. I know exactly who she is. And I know with all certainty that I need to stay the hell away from her.