Stay Anyway

Rachel knows exactly when a night is over.

She likes people. She likes going out. She even likes Julian-most of the time. But while he seems to know everyone, has a plan for everything, and can somehow turn one drink into an entire night, Rachel has never had a problem picking up her coat and going home when she's had enough.

Julian is usually the reason everyone else stays.

Ever since their best friends started dating, Rachel and Julian have spent more evenings together than either of them planned. Enough for Rachel to know that he talks too much, flirts too easily, and is far more observant than she first gave him credit for. Enough for Julian to know that Rachel is one of the few people who can enjoy his company without ever needing to be impressed by him.

Then, one night, Rachel leaves.

And Julian goes with her.

Soon, the best parts of their nights begin happening after everyone else has gone home-in quiet streets, late-night takeout places, and the unexpected space between a crowded room and Rachel's front door.

Because falling for someone isn't always about wanting them everywhere.

Sometimes it's about finding the one person you want to come home to.

And learning how to ask them to stay.

STAY ANYWAY is an interconnected standalone in the People We Choose series. Each novel follows a different couple and can be read independently.

Stay Anyway
A People We Choose Novel

Copyright © 2026 Jessica M. S.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, except for brief quotations used in reviews or as otherwise permitted by law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

First edition, 2026.

Cover design © 2026 Jessica M. S.