Claire Mercer has spent years building a life where facts matter more than promises.

Then Lucas Dane comes back to Larkspur Ridge.

He is the last man she wants near her clinic, her family, or the historic property now forcing them into the same rooms, the same decisions, and far too many conversations neither of them is ready to have.

Years ago, Lucas left behind more than a summer.

He left Claire with questions she never got answered, a trust she never fully recovered, and one unforgettable lesson: good intentions can still destroy something precious.

Now he is back as the architect tied to a redevelopment project that could change part of Larkspur Ridge forever, and Claire is certain she knows exactly what kind of man he has become.

Until the evidence stops matching the story she has believed.

The longer they work together, the harder it becomes to ignore the attraction neither of them wants, the history neither of them has buried, and the growing suspicion that someone has been shaping the truth for far longer than either of them realized.

Lucas says he came back to make things right.

Claire does not know whether to believe him.

Because hidden inside old plans, business decisions, family loyalties, and the fight over what should be preserved is a truth that could change everything she remembers about the summer he left behind.

And if Claire discovers she was wrong about Lucas, she may have to face an even more dangerous possibility.

She never stopped loving him.

But trust is not rebuilt with an apology, and love will not be enough unless Lucas can prove that this time, Claire gets a voice in every decision that affects her future.

A gripping small-town enemies-to-lovers forced proximity romance filled with unresolved history, buried truths, emotional tension, reluctant attraction, family connections, hard-earned trust, and a deeply satisfying happily-ever-after.

Part of the **Larkspur Ridge Second Chances** series. Each book follows a different couple while continuing the lives, friendships, and secrets of Larkspur Ridge, and each romance delivers a complete happily-ever-after.