Love in Sunshine

When I asked for volunteers to help with our small town Christmas festival, I should have been more specific. Griffin McBride—the arrogant blast from my past who barges in like he's taking over the project—isn't who I had in mind. I want my gossip-fueled town to whisper about my successes instead of my failures for a change. To do that, I need someone to build my dream of a life-sized Christmas village in the town square, not push all my buttons until I totally lose my cool.

I'm indoorsy with a capital I, but I need to fake a little outdoorsiness to get a promotion. A five-day hike sounds like my nightmare, but after upending my life and moving from the city back to my small hometown, I need a win. I didn't expect to find someone like Grant Irwin in the wilderness with me. A cinnamon roll in mountain man form, he's freakishly competent out here, and endlessly patient with my missteps. But after everything with my critical ex-fiancé fell apart, I'm not looking for love. Especially not with someone who's only here on vacation.

When I took my friend's offer of cheap rent for my five-year-old son and me, I knew it came with a reclusive neighbor attached. I just didn't realize he's the same guy I adored from afar fifteen years ago. Back then, Ian was all smiles and flirty banter, and my teenage heart couldn't help but fall. Now? He's a grouch who's more likely to glare at me than accept my neighborly offers of fresh cupcakes from my bakery. This version of Ian wouldn't know flirty banter if it bit him in the man bun.