I offered to help rebuild his house—not fall for the man who lives there. Grant McCade was always off-limits. My best friend’s brother. A widowed firefighter with too much to carry and two little girls who’ve forgotten how to smile. I showed up with a notepad and a plan. He met me with ash on his skin and walls around his heart. I offered help. He didn’t want it. But slowly, we started building more than a house. He’s quiet, steady, and infuriating. I’m messy, stubborn and always running. Still, something shifts. A kiss in a storm.. A laugh over dinner. The way his daughters reach for my hand like it belongs to them. But I have a job offer waiting in Denver. And Grant has a past he’s still trying to rebuild from. If I stay, I could lose everything I’ve worked for. If I go, I’ll break the only promise that ever really mattered. Because the truth is— I don’t just love this house. I love him. And he might never be ready to love me back.