I learned at a young age to trust no one, protect myself, and guard my heart. All lessons my mother burned into me. She may not have had a lot to offer in way of help but she poured all she had into me and made me the independent woman I am today. So after laying her to rest, I packed my belongings and moved to the place that she talked about often. A place where she enjoyed the carefree pleasures of childhood.

Balsam Ridge, Tennessee is a little slice of paradise and nothing like the busy city that I’m accustomed to. With its idyllic setting, friendly strangers, and slower pace, a girl could easily be charmed into letting her walls down. 

It was only going to be a stop on my journey. A respite while I figured out my next move, and catching feelings for the confident and sexy local Fire Chief, Corbin Tuttle, was not part of the plan. 

It was supposed to be a game. A hoax. A brief fling to help him break a toxic cycle. But my mother always told me, that sometimes you need a little rain to calm the fire.