The Teachers of Hardwood High

Essence Knox never thought she'd be starting over at her age. After two decades of teaching math at Hardwood High, raising her daughters, and keeping everything together, she's faced with a quiet house and tough decisions. Selling the family home seems like the right move, but letting go of the past and the pain that comes with it is easier said than done. Little did she know, her fresh start would come in the form of a new colleague. Enter Xavier Sharpe, the retired military man turned high school teacher.

Three years ago, I had one unforgettable weekend with a man who made me forget every rule I'd ever followed. Then he ghosted me like it never happened. Fast forward to now—he's standing in front of the faculty at Hardwood High, all smug and suited up, introducing himself as our new assistant principal. Every time he walks into my classroom, opens his mouth in a meeting, or so much as breathes in my direction, I have to remind myself I like my job too much to cuss him out.

Bentley didn't come to Hardwood High to fall in love. She came to prove something—to herself, to the people who doubted her, and maybe even to the chickens named after Destiny's Child living in her backyard. Her plan was simple: survive her first year teaching English, build a community in her classroom, and absolutely not get distracted by anyone with a killer smile and thighs that make her rethink her professional goals.

Ebony Callaway wasn't looking for love. After a messy divorce, all she wanted was peace, her art, and to figure out how to keep up with Basquiat, the too-big, too-stubborn puppy who turned her quiet life upside down. Enter Dr. Tyler Hill. The handsome, steady veterinarian who shows up to help with Basquiat's training and ends up unlocking something deeper in Ebony, too. With Tyler, she feels soft again. Safe again. Like she doesn't have to fight to be seen or hide who she really is. But love after heartbreak isn't easy. Between the chaos of teaching and the weight of past mistakes.