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.