Skyler Rod knows pain too well. Abused as a child, betrayed by friends, and broken by every boy she ever loved-she's spent her life loving people who only taught her how to survive heartbreak. When she meets Tristan Smiths, a quiet, haunted cop with...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
(It started with a smile-and a boy I couldn't stop falling for.)
Four years earlier Skyler - Sixteen YearsOld;September
"Your hair looks lovely skyler, by the way," someone says from behind me. I turn around - and it's Ron. He had short, slightly wavy black hair. Broad shoulders and long muscular legs. Long Dark lashes. Beautiful. his navy overshirt loose over a charcoal tee—simple, quiet, and effortlessly magnetic, like he didn't even have to try.
He's smiling at me. God, he has such a beautiful smile.
Ron and I are pretty close. We hang out often. I've had a huge crush on him for months, but he treats me like his little sister.
"Did you come here with your friends, Skyler?" he asks.
"Yeah, but they're all busy having fun with their boyfriends. What about you?"
"I came with my friends too, but they ran off somewhere to make out and ditched me."
He laughs softly, and I can't help but smile. Even his laugh makes my heart flutter.
"I was thinking of leaving the carnival," he says, "but then I saw you and wanted to talk."
He wanted to talk to me. My chest tightens. Please don't let me overthink this.
I couldn't help but admire him. He feels like safe space for me.
"Want to ride the Ferris wheel?" he says.
"Sure," I reply, hoping he doesn't hear the slight shake in my voice.
We grab our tickets from the booth and climb into the Ferris wheel. As it starts to rise, higher and higher, I glance over at him.
I wish moments like this could last forever.
But the night wasn't done with me yet. Not even close.
