Unfortunately, friendly wasn’t the welcome I got when I arrived.

Instead, I got Fox Cassidy. My tall, dark, and burly neighbor, who grunted at me instead of saying hello.

Okay, so I might’ve had his mailbox in my hands the first time we met. And it might’ve been a little crushed after removing it from under my tire. And I might’ve needed his help breaking into the place I was staying in after the key broke off in the lock. But still…he didn’t have to be so grumpy.

As time went on though, I started to notice things about Fox other than his glares. Like how he watched me when he thought I wasn’t looking, or how fire ignited in his eyes whenever we bickered. Though I was in Laurel Lake to escape my problems, not create new ones. And getting involved with a man like Fox screamed trouble, even if he was gorgeous and unlike any man I’d ever met.

But alas, problem seemed to be my middle name this year. So why not have some fun while I was here for the summer? It seemed like a good plan. At least until it was time to go home…

They say what happens at the lake, stays at the lake. But it’s not so easy to walk away when what stays behind…is your heart.

After a lengthy dating slump, I finally met someone who sparked my interest.

Well, first the sparks flew when we argued. Later in the evening those sparks ignited into something more.

I was drawn to Devyn, in a way I hadn’t felt in a really long time.

Needless to say, I was disappointed when she abruptly left after our amazing night together.

I couldn’t stop thinking about her. But she hadn’t even given me her number.

In a city with eight-million people, I figured I’d never see Devyn again.

So imagine my surprise when I knocked on the door of an apartment in the building I lived in, and none other than my one-night stand stood on the other side.

If I thought Devyn didn’t want anything to do with me before, that was nothing compared to how she felt after finding out I was the landlord and she was about to be evicted…

And that was just the first surprise that would rock my world when it came to the mystery woman in apartment 410.

Unfortunately, friendly wasn’t the welcome I got when I arrived.

Instead, I got Fox Cassidy. My tall, dark, and burly neighbor, who grunted at me instead of saying hello.

Okay, so I might’ve had his mailbox in my hands the first time we met. And it might’ve been a little crushed after removing it from under my tire. And I might’ve needed his help breaking into the place I was staying in after the key broke off in the lock. But still…he didn’t have to be so grumpy.

As time went on though, I started to notice things about Fox other than his glares. Like how he watched me when he thought I wasn’t looking, or how fire ignited in his eyes whenever we bickered. Though I was in Laurel Lake to escape my problems, not create new ones. And getting involved with a man like Fox screamed trouble, even if he was gorgeous and unlike any man I’d ever met.

But alas, problem seemed to be my middle name this year. So why not have some fun while I was here for the summer? It seemed like a good plan. At least until it was time to go home…

They say what happens at the lake, stays at the lake. But it’s not so easy to walk away when what stays behind…is your heart.

After I repeatedly voiced my concern, Gram blocked me—her own grandson—on text and social media, leaving me only her travel companion Eleanor’s number.

Eleanor started sending me pictures of Gram’s adventures. At first she seemed nice, but when I attempted to persuade her to talk some sense into her friend, she told me where I could stick my advice. After that, photos arrived with snarky comments, and Eleanor and I got into it on more than one occasion.

When I heard Gram’s upcoming plans were more dangerous than ever, I hopped on a plane.

Since I arrived late, I headed to the bar for a drink, figuring I’d surprise her in the morning.

To my delight, I met a gorgeous woman looking for a no-strings-attached night. Nora was just what I needed. She invited me back to her room, telling me to give her a ten-minute head start. But when I went to pay her bar tab, I realized how much she’d had to drink. As much as I wanted to ignore it, I couldn’t. So I stood Nora up.

I knew she’d be pissed, but I also knew I’d never see her again.

Except never came a little early. Namely, the next morning when I went to meet my grandmother and her evil-spinster friend. Because old Eleanor turned out to be young Nora from last night. And if I thought the woman disliked me before, that was nothing compared to how ticked-off she was now. Or how unhappy she was going to be that their party of two was about to become a party of three.

Rule number one for dating your best friend’s sister: Don’t.

Just don’t do it.

Especially when your best friend is dead and the last thing he made you promise him was that you’d keep an eye on his little sister, but not too good of an eye.

As a musician whose longest committed relationship was six weeks, I, Holden Catalano, was the last guy on Earth who should’ve been messing around with Laney Ellison.

The super smart girl whom I affectionately dubbed Lala since childhood was always off limits.

Though that didn’t stop me from thinking about her over the years, especially those times when the two of us would sneak out onto the roof and talk for hours after my buddy fell asleep. It was innocent, but I’d always held a torch for her.

After Ryan passed away, I vowed to always protect Lala. That included protecting her—from me.

Now all grown up and a scientist, Lala needed a place to stay when she accepted a temporary research position in New York. I thought I did the right thing by offering her an apartment in the building I co-owned with my three friends.

Except having her close by reignited all of those old feelings.

And things started to get complicated.

Especially since she was engaged.

And especially since, lately, I’d noticed something more in her eyes. Desire.

Lala didn’t exactly look at me like the platonic brother figure I was trying so desperately to be, even though I wanted her more than I’d ever wanted anything.

Yet, I was being good—on my very best behavior.

But you know what they say…all good things must come to an end, right?