Vanessa

I have one rule: I don't date military men.

It was a promise I made to Mom on her deathbed.

All my life, I've lived by that rule.

Or so I thought.

Because that whirlwind romance weekend I had with a stranger four years ago?

Turns out the jerk was lying.

And now he's my assigned coast guard liaison for the festival I'm planning.

I should hate him for lying all those years ago.

I shouldn't want to climb him like a tree.

I certainly shouldn't be thinking about uprooting my entire life to build one with him.

Jasper

The night I met Vanessa Wheeler four years ago, she was adamant she didn't get tangled up with military men.

So yeah, I lied.

Because deep down I knew turning around and walking away was the biggest mistake I could ever make.

I had to know her.

After the best weekend of my life, she insisted we part ways without staying in touch.

For years, I've searched for even half of what I had with her that weekend.

Now that she's back in my life, I understand why I never found it with anyone else.

Only problem?

She's still pissed at me for lying.

Oh, and her father's the admiral—my boss.

Maybe it's too much to hope that fate has brought us together for a second chance.

If that makes me a hopeless fool, then so be it.

Because this time, I have no intention of letting Vanessa slip out of my life a second time, consequences be damned.