CHAPTER ONE

MADDIE

“Is it just me, or are the guys in this club way better looking than everywhere else?” I asked my aunt Sloan as we settled into a corner table on the main level of The Garden, drinks in hand.

It was Friday night, and since I would be moving to the small town of Eden Falls, Connecticut where Sloan lived, in order to start my new job on Monday, she had decided to take me to one of her favorite clubs in the area to celebrate.

“It’s definitely not just you,” she said, a hint of a smile on her lips as she took a sip from her cocktail. “Why do you think I moved back here?”

“I thought it was because you loved teaching drama to rich prep-school kids?” I smirked before taking a sip of my gin and tonic.

“That’s how I keep the lights on,” she said, chuckling. “But living in a place where the men are as gorgeous as they are wealthy? It definitely makes weekends more interesting.”

I glanced over at a group of polished businessmen chatting near the bar, their tailored suits and easy smiles making them look like they’d stepped straight out of a magazine.

“So how many of those guys have you dated?” I asked, nodding toward the men closest to us.

“In that group?” Sloan’s gaze slid over the six men. After a moment of consideration, she said, “Three.”

“Nothing serious, though?” I asked, curious how my gorgeous aunt, who was only eight years my senior and more like a cousin to me, could still be single.

Seriously, what were all these hot men in Eden Falls thinking, leaving a catch like her alone?

“Not really. Not since I broke up with Marcus, anyway.” She shrugged. “I mean, I dated the guy in the gray suit for a few weeks back in March. But when the timeline for when either of us wanted to have kids came up, we realized we probably weren’t actually that great of a fit.” She watched the guy with dark brown hair and glasses for a minute, the faraway look in her eyes telling me she was disappointed things hadn’t worked out. “He’s on more of a five-year plan when it comes to marriage and kids. But I’m already thirty-four, so I can’t really afford to wait that long if I want to have a chance at having biological kids of my own.”

“Dang, that sucks,” I said, knowing just how important being a mom was to Sloan. “He’s cute.”

“He is. But it’s fine.” She waved the thought away, like it was nothing. “Not all of us can be the cool, young mom that you are.”

“Yeah, right…” I chuckled. “Pretty sure having a baby during my senior year of high school isn’t exactly something I’d recommend to most women.”

Nope, getting pregnant in the backseat of my high school boyfriend’s car had definitely not been on my vision board back in the day.

But when I’d taken a pregnancy test during the spring of my junior year and discovered the upset stomach I’d been dealing with for two weeks was actually morning sickness and not a weird case of the flu, all the dreams I had of attending a college a few hours from my home in Ridgewater, New York couldn’t be easily realized with a newborn.

Yay for being a dumb, rebellious teen.

Oh well, at least I’d gotten the best son in the world out of it. He was definitely worth all the anxiety his unplanned pregnancy had caused.

“So tell me about your new job.” Sloan shifted in her seat to face me instead of the eye candy standing nearby. “Is it the same position you interviewed for a couple of months ago?”

“No.” I shook my head. “That was a front-desk position. This time I interviewed to be an assistant to one of the senior executives.”

“Oooh, an executive assistant. You’re moving up in the world, I see.”

I nodded. “And the benefits are way better, too,” I said, relieved that Grant and I would have good health insurance once the benefits package kicked in.

Raising a rambunctious eight-year-old kid who loved playing sports had me taking him to Instant Care way more times than I’d like to admit. Thankfully, he’d only actually managed two broken bones so far, though.

“Cheers to good health insurance.” Sloan chuckled, raising her glass and clinking it against mine. “Geez, since when did we get old enough to get excited about boring things like that?”

“Way too many years ago for me,” I said, thinking about how this was the first time in years that I wouldn’t need to apply for Medicaid, food stamps, or subsidized housing since this new job would actually pay enough for me to fully support my little family.

“Well, I’m proud of you. And I’m glad you’re moving here,” Sloan said, her voice softening with genuine warmth. “It’ll be nice having you and Grant close by.”

“I’m excited too,” I said, glad that I’d put my ego aside and applied for another position at Hastings Industries, even though they’d given the last position I’d interviewed for to someone else. “Now I just need to find a place to live.”

“We’ll figure that out,” Sloan said, covering my hand with hers and giving it a pat. “And until then, you and Grant are more than welcome to stay with me. I didn’t just redecorate my guest bedroom for nothing.”

“Thank you,” I said. “You really are the best.”

My younger sister lived in New Haven with her husband, which was only about five minutes from the high-rise office building I’d be working in. But since they were expecting their first baby in November and had already set up quite a few baby things in their spare bedroom, I’d felt weird asking if my eight-year-old son and I could crash with them for an unknown length of time.

Sloan, on the other hand, had a nice little house in Eden Falls with a pretty good-sized backyard for Grant to run around in and get all his energy out. So even with the twenty-minute commute to work each day, it would be perfect.

I just hoped it wouldn’t take too long to find an apartment of my own so that Grant and I could get the fresh start we needed.

“So do you know anything about this high-powered executive that you’ll be assisting?” Sloan asked. “Is it one of the Hastings’ boys? Or one of the other executives?”

“It’s one of the Hastingses,” I said, stirring my drink with my black straw. “I originally thought the CEO was looking for an assistant since I didn’t realize there were multiple ‘Mr. Hastings,’ but the woman who interviewed me told me it was actually one of the CEO’s sons.”

“That sounds about right.” Sloan smiled. “I mean, Joel is cool, but I would’ve been shocked if he was looking for a new assistant since I’m good friends with his current assistant and he’s always gushing about how much he loves working at Hastings Industries.” She took a quick sip of her margarita. After setting it back on the square napkin with the club’s logo—a tree that resembled the tree of life from the Garden of Eden—she asked, “Do you know which son you’ll be assisting? Is it Ian or Carter?”

“I think it’s Ian,” I said. “Maybe?”

The HR lady who had interviewed me had referred to him as ‘Mr. Hastings’ so much during our interview that I had only caught his first name maybe once. But the name Ian sounded more familiar than Carter, at least.

“You’re assisting Ian?” Sloan gasped, her eyes going wide.

“Yes…” I narrowed my eyes, wondering why she said his name like that. “Do you know him, then?”

“Oh, I know Ian all right.” Sloan chuckled. “It’s pretty hard not to know who Ian Hastings is when you live in Eden Falls.”

“Because his dad is a billionaire?”

“Well, yeah, because of that too,” she said, a sly smile lifting her lips. When she noticed my puzzled brow, she added, “Let’s just say Ian Heartbreaker Hastings is quite popular around here…especially among the ladies.”

“So he’s a player?” I groaned, a sense of apprehension filling my chest. I did not need to work closely with another rich, playboy-type guy.

“Oh, he’s definitely been a player in the past,” Sloan said. Then seeming to sense my sudden unease, she added , “But he’s a good guy. And an awesome businessman. I’ve never heard of his bad attention span with women ever interfering with his work. So I’m sure it will be just fine working with him.”

“Yeah?” I asked, slightly wary since getting mixed up in someone’s relationship drama was not something I needed. Not when I was still recovering from the carnage my own previous relationship had put me through.

But hopefully, Ian would be pleasant to work for.

Though really, I was desperate enough to get a fresh start far from all the drama with my ex in Ridgewater that even if Ian turned out to be a tyrant, I’d probably still want the job.

I mean…I could always find another job if I needed to once Grant and I were settled, right?

* * *

“Someone’s popular,” Sloan remarked, glancing at my phone when it buzzed for the third time in a row. “Who’s blowing up your phone? Some secret lover you haven’t told me about?”

“You wish.” I chuckled. “But sadly, no. It’s just Lexi teasing me about something.”

“Lexi’s teasing you?” Sloan’s blonde eyebrows knitted together. “About what?”

I shrugged and, in the most bored voice I could muster, said, “She’s just trying to get me to do something dumb…”

“What kind of dumb thing are we talking about here?” Sloan leaned closer, curiosity evident in her green eyes.

“The kind of dumb that involves me ‘kissing a hottie’ tonight,” I said, using air quotes to emphasize the absurdity of the text I’d just received.

“What?” Sloan’s eyes sparkled with amusement and intrigue.

I slid my phone across the table so she could read the text from Lexi.

Lexi: Have you kissed a hottie tonight? Time’s ticking.

“Why is she asking you this? Did you tell her you were planning to make out with hot guys while we were here or something?”

“No!” I squealed, my voice louder than intended. Glancing around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, I lowered my voice to a whisper. “It’s just… I guess I’ve been complaining to her a little too much about how I never really got to date around in college and missed out on all the fun parts of being in my twenties.”

“Since you were with the same guy for eight years.”

“Yeah…” I took my phone back and turned it over, placing it face down on the table.

“And since you’re only twenty-six and haven’t actually tried dating again, even though you’ve been single for a year, Lexi is trying to knock some sense back into you,” Sloan said, clearly thinking my little pity parties were ridiculous too.

Which, yeah, I got. Jaxon and I had called it quits a year ago, but instead of going out and having fun with guys on the nights Grant was with his dad, I’d opted to stay home. It was easier not to get my heart broken again if I didn’t offer it to anyone in the first place.

“Anyway…” I sighed. “I guess Lexi is tired of me just complaining and not actually doing anything about it. So when I was leaving to come out with you, she told me that I wasn’t allowed to see Grant again unless I kissed a hottie tonight.”

“She’s holding your son hostage?” Sloan laughed, clearly more amused by my sister’s antics than I was. “And the ransom is you kissing a stranger at the club tonight?”

“That’s what she said.” I smiled despite myself. “But, I mean, it’s not like she’ll know if I do it or not.”

“Oh, she’ll know,” Sloan said, a sneaky grin lifting her lips. “Because I’m going to be your witness.”

“So you’ll vouch that I kissed some dude so Grant can see his mom again?”

“Not exactly.”

“Huh?” I asked, confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that I’m here to hold you to it. And if you don’t follow through, I’ll call Lexi and tell her that she can’t let you inside her house again until I’ve seen you in the arms of a sexy man tonight.”

“You’d keep an innocent little boy from his mother?” I gasped, not believing what I was hearing. Had my sister and aunt somehow teamed up on this?

“I’ve been trying to get you to bring back your boy-crazy side for months. So yeah, if I have to help Lexi and Noah raise your sweet little boy while you go out and sow your wild oats, I’ll do it. It’s for your own good.”

“You’re ridiculous.” I rolled my eyes. “You guys can’t kidnap Grant. I know where both of you live.”

“You’d be surprised at the connections I have,” Sloan said. “One of my former students disappeared from his fiancée for a whole year without anyone having any idea where he went. I’m sure he’d hook me up.”

“Sounds like a great person to be connected to,” I said wryly.

“He’s a really great guy, actually. In fact, he owns this club.”

“So does that mean he came back?” I asked, suddenly curious. “And did his fiancée forgive him?”

“They’re getting married next weekend, so I’d say things turned out okay.”

“Well, good guy or not, it sounds like this mysterious club owner is too busy with wedding plans to help you kidnap my son.”

“Maybe.” Sloan shrugged. “But regardless, you deserve to have some fun tonight. Plus, I saw the way all the guys were checking you out when we walked in. I bet there are more than a few who’d jump at the chance to help you fulfill your goal for the night.”

“You mean Lexi’s goal?” I corrected her with a raised eyebrow. I was definitely not the one who had come up with this crazy idea to walk up to a complete stranger and kiss him.

Sure, it was probably something I would have done in another life, before I suddenly had to grow up when I became a teenage mom—I’d definitely been a huge flirt back then, sneaking into college parties with my friends before we’d even gotten our driver’s licenses.

But now? I doubted I even remembered how to flirt with a man.

“What about that guy over there?” Sloan asked, pointing to a blond guy in a navy-blue polo shirt who had just walked up to the bar. “He’s cute.”

I studied the guy’s profile, imagining myself walking up to him and striking up a conversation. But when he turned to speak to the bartender and I caught a better glimpse of his face, I shook my head. “No, I don’t think I could kiss a blond anytime soon.”

“Too similar to Jaxon?” Sloan guessed.

“Yeah…definitely don’t need to find someone who resembles my ex.”

“So tall, dark, and handsome it is.”

“Yes.” I nodded. Then, not wanting to seem too eager, I quickly added, “H-hypothetically speaking, of course. I’m definitely not committing to talking to anyone, let alone kissing them.”

“Oh, you’re kissing someone tonight.” Sloan chuckled. “It’s happening.”

“Ahhh.” I shook my head and covered my cheeks with my hands as a sudden swell of anticipation filled my chest. “I’m not supposed to want to do this.”

“But you do.” Sloan laughed again, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

We spent the next few minutes casually scanning the room, weighing the pros and cons of different men as if we were at a farmer’s market deciding which produce was freshest.

“What about him?” Sloan nodded toward a man walking toward a table to our left. He was tall, well-built, and had a very handsome face.

“He’s cute,” I admitted.

“And he’s a brunette,” Sloan noted, approving of the dark-haired prospect.

“So he must be perfect, then,” I said. “Tall, handsome, and not a blond.”

“I’d say it’s time for you to go get your kiss from a hottie.” Sloan winked. “I mean, time is ticking.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t suppress the small smile tugging at my lips. Maybe I was warming up to the idea after all.

“You really think I should do that?” I asked, my insecurities still needing reassurance.

I mean, did people actually just walk up to random strangers in clubs and kiss them?

I don’t want to get charged with assault, do I?

“I think you deserve to have a few minutes of spontaneous fun,” Sloan said. “Take a step out of your responsible, single-mom shoes and remind yourself what it’s like to just live in the moment and chase something that feels good.” Sloan shrugged. “And if you end up deciding that kissing hotties at a club was just a one-time thing, you don’t have to do it again.”

I nodded, taking in what she was saying.

This didn’t need to mean anything big. I didn’t need to take this super seriously or anything—it wasn’t like the next guy I kissed would be my future soulmate, right?

I was just going to try something different, and if I discovered that kissing complete strangers was in fact as awkward as I thought it might be, I didn’t have to do it again.

Or even step back into this club if I made a complete fool of myself.

Yeah… I breathed in deeply, hoping to calm my nerves. I could be spontaneous for two minutes.

“I think I’m gonna need a shot of tequila before I can do this,” I said when another surge of anxiety bubbled up.

“Here, have my drink.” Sloan pushed her margarita closer. “I’m friends with the bartender, and he always adds an extra shot to mine.”

Even though I was already feeling pretty buzzed after two drinks, I quickly downed what was left of Sloan’s drink.

“Remind me to hydrate after I’m done making an idiot of myself,” I said, setting her glass back on the table. “I can’t believe I’m actually considering this.”

“Yay, crazy Maddie is back,” Sloan teased, her grin wide.

I shook my head. “You’re supposed to be the responsible one.”

“Sorry, I’m a terrible influence.” She shrugged with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Before I could respond, a man appeared on the staircase that led down from the VIP lounges above. Not just any man—the man.

The one you read about in books or see in movies, the kind that takes your breath away before you even realize you’ve stopped breathing.

He was tall; his dark hair tousled just enough to suggest he wasn’t here to play by anyone’s rules. A jawline so sharp it looked like it could cut glass, and shoulders broad enough to carry the weight of the world—effortlessly, confidently, like it was all part of his day-to-day.

But it wasn’t just his striking looks that rooted me to the spot. No, there was a pull, a kind of magnetic charge in the air around him. He had an aura of control, of power, that made the rest of the crowded club seem like a fuzzy background.

This wasn’t just a man who got things done—he was the kind of man who didn’t even need to ask twice. The one people would turn to when things went south, and he’d handle it without breaking a sweat.

“Now that…” I whispered under my breath, my heart betraying me with a wild flip in my chest—a sensation I hadn’t felt in years, “is a beautiful man.”

My eyes roamed over him as he made his way down the staircase to the main level, taking in his custom-tailored suit, which clung to his toned frame, accentuating every powerful line of his body.

Even from across the room, there was something about him, something magnetic, that made me wonder if maybe Lexi’s idea of me kissing a stranger wasn’t so crazy after all.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” I murmured, unable to tear my gaze away as he strode toward the bar. “But I think I just found my guy.”

“Wait, what?” Sloan’s voice was distant, her eyes wide as they followed my line of sight.

It could’ve been the alcohol—or maybe it was just the sheer force of attraction—but when his eyes met mine, it felt like the universe paused. The room dimmed, the music softened, and all that existed was the pull between us.

He leaned against the bar, and when his gaze locked onto mine, an electric current shot through me, a tug deep in my chest that urged me forward. And when he sent me a smoldering look, one that promised trouble in the best possible way, I knew that if I didn’t move now, I’d lose the nerve—and with it, the chance to be alive in a way I hadn’t been in too long.

“I’ll be right back,” I said, sliding out of my seat before Sloan could even think to stop me.

“Wait…” Sloan started to say something, but I could barely hear her over the pounding in my ears as I made my way toward the stranger, my palms damp with the thrill of what I was about to do.

The handsome man’s dark eyes stayed locked on mine as I approached, and when I stopped in front of him, a slow smile spread across his lips.

“Hi,” I said, striving to sound confident even though my legs felt like they might give out at any second.

“Hi yourself,” he replied, his voice deep and smooth, sending a shiver down my spine. “And who might you be?”

I hesitated for just a moment before deciding that a little mystery wouldn’t hurt. “Just someone looking to be a little reckless.”

“Is that so?” His eyes gleamed with amusement as he leaned in closer.

“Yes.” My breath hitched as I inched even closer, feeling the warmth radiating from him.

“Well, I’m sure I can help with that,” he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. “Since Reckless is my middle name.”

I bet it is.

And before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in and pressed my lips against his.

He froze momentarily, like he hadn’t expected me to actually kiss him. But the initial surprise seemed to wash over him quickly because a second later, sparks ignited and his hand came up to my waist, pulling me against him as he deepened the kiss.

And oh my heck, I knew it had been a while since my last first kiss, but I was pretty sure I’d never had a first kiss like this before—one with instant heat, want, and adrenaline. His lips were firm, skilled, and he tasted faintly of whiskey and something sweeter, something I couldn’t quite place.

I let my hand slip up his chest and neck until it rested against his jaw. His jaw was strong with just a hint of a five o’clock shadow. And I reveled in the feel of it. Jaxon had never been able to grow a beard, so the feel of this stranger’s light stubble on my fingertips was a new sensation. One that I loved.

He was a man. Powerful and strong.

Sexy.

Man, he was so sexy. And with the possessive way he was holding me, I might just burst into flames.

For a moment, as heat swirled hotter and hotter in my veins, the world around us disappeared.

It was just him and me, wrapped up in the intensity of the kiss.

“Oh honey, I’m so sorry your mommy wasn’t able to come home,” Sloan’s voice suddenly sounded in my head, bringing me back to reality. “She internally combusted in the arms of a hottie at the club last night.”

And yeah, I didn’t know how much time had passed, but I should probably come back to earth before something like that happened.

So even though I didn’t want to, I slowed the kiss. When we finally broke apart, both of us were slightly breathless.

The stranger’s dark eyes searched mine, a hint of something more behind his playful smile. “Well, that was unexpected,” he murmured, his voice low.

I couldn’t help but smile back. “Good unexpected, or bad?”

“Definitely good,” he said, his thumb brushing lightly against my waist. “Though I wouldn’t mind knowing who just kissed me.”

I bit my lip, debating whether to reveal my name, but then decided to keep the mystery alive. “Maybe you’ll find out someday,” I teased, stepping back before things could get more complicated.

“I’ll hold you to that,” he said, his eyes promising this wasn’t the last time we’d meet.

With one last smile, I turned and walked back to Sloan, my heart racing as I tried to process what had just happened.