When Mason Reed’s modeling gigs dry up, he’s left with fourteen dollars, thirty-two cents, and a kitchen cabinet that needs fixing. He also has a massive, inconvenient crush on his terminally attractive, unfairly competent landlord, Owen Vale. Owen is a man of few words, strict schedules, and forearms that should be illegal.

But Owen is fighting a high-stakes custody battle for his grieving sixteen-year-old niece, Wren, and his wealthy in-laws are using his bachelor status as ammunition. When a misunderstanding at a charity gala paints Mason as Owen’s partner, Owen doesn't correct the assumption. Instead, he offers a proposal: pretend to be his boyfriend to help him keep Wren.

It's a simple arrangement with a clear set of rules. No catching feelings. No unapproved public displays of affection. And definitely no falling into bed.

But as late-night diner runs and shared kitchen mornings blur the lines of their fake relationship, keeping their hands to themselves becomes impossible. Mason has always been a convenient secret, and Owen has spent his life trying to control the world so he doesn't have to feel it. Now, they must decide if they are brave enough to stop performing and risk it all for something real.