Baker Girls

From the moment I step on the plane from New York to South Carolina, I go from Mark Abbott, hated quarterback, to Mark Hainley, unassuming small-town boy on his way to a tiny beach town and a private resort for a two-week escape all alone. At least, that's the plan. Until I sit down next to football-oblivious and possibly crazy Frannie Baker on my flight. Her beauty makes me look twice, but it's everything else about her that draws me in. From her fear of flying to her comforting herself with Eminem lyrics to her love of books, I can't help but want to know more.

From the moment Kennedy Baker moved in next door to me in middle school, she's been my best friend. After a failed attempt at a kiss in eighth grade, nothing has ever happened between us. We've never come close to crossing that line. But since I moved back home—and away from Kennedy—two years ago, my feelings for her have only grown. When she shows up at my door two weeks ahead of schedule because she needs me, I decide to test the waters and see if fate is finally pulling us together after all these years.

From the moment I first picked up one of Jade Jackson's books, she's had me in a chokehold. But when we start talking and flirting online, I end up with a very real crush on her. And when we finally meet in person, the sparks between us could start a forest fire. When Jade reveals that she needs surgery that will impact her life as an author, and her insurance company refuses to pay, the solution is obvious—we should get married. While Jade thinks I'm doing it all for her, she doesn't realize she's giving me everything I've ever wanted. Someone to care for and somewhere that feels like home.