ENEMIES TO LOVERS
Brielle Hartley swore she’d never return to Willow Creek, the small town packed with too many memories and one infuriating man she hoped to forget. But when her mother needs help, Brielle is forced back home—only to discover that the first person she runs into is the last man she ever wanted to see: Jaxon Reed, the boy who spent their senior year getting under her skin…and apparently still has the talent.
Now older, broader, and annoyingly irresistible,Jaxon has become a respected volunteer in the community. But he hasn’t changed his habit of poking at Brielle’s nerves. Their reunion strikes immediate sparks some angry, some dangerously magnetic.
What begins as avoidance turns into constant collisions: at the farmers market, around town, and eventually at the community garden project they’re roped into running together. With every stubborn argument and every unexpected moment of softness, the walls between them weaken. Tension turns into chemistry, chemistry into longing, and longing into something neither of them wants to admit.
As Brielle fights the pull she feels toward the man she once despised, Jaxon battles with the guilt of the past and the fear that he’s already blown his second chance. What they don’t realize is that the very history that pushed them apart may be the key to bringing them together.
Enemies? Absolutely.
Attraction? Undeniable.
Love? Inevitable…if they’re brave enough to take it.
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Chapter: Chapter 9 “The Space Between Us Isn’t Safe Anymore”The next two days passed in a haze Brielle couldn’t shake. She tried burying herself in work, in cleaning, in reorganizing anything to distract her from the memory of Jaxon’s hand in hers during their walk. But no amount of candle sorting or shelf rearranging kept her mind from drifting back to the feeling of his fingers threading through hers, warm and steady like he’d been waiting years to do it. Worse, she kept replaying the moment he’d looked at her really looked at her with that soft, almost stunned expression. Like holding her hand wasn’t just an accident or a joke or a moment of weakness. Like it meant something. That scared her more than anything else. By the time Friday rolled around for their next layout planning session, her nerves were wrecked. She told herself she would walk into Jaxon’s house calm, professional, detached. She would not think about his hands. She would not think about his smile. She would definitely not think about the way his voice dropped whenev
Last Updated: 2025-11-27
Chapter: Not Supposed to Feel Like ThisBrielle couldn’t remember the last time she had held someone’s hand and felt it everywhere in her heartbeat, in her breath, in the warm ache low in her stomach.Jaxon’s hand was large and sure around hers, but gentle. Like he was asking for something without speaking it. Like he was testing whether she’d pull away.She didn’t.They walked past the bakery and down the quiet side of Willow Creek, where the houses were spaced apart and the trees framed the road in a soft, golden tunnel. Late afternoon sunlight filtered through the branches, painting warm streaks across Jaxon’s shoulders.He finally broke the silence.“You always used to walk this route,” he said. “Every day after school.”Brielle blinked. “How do you remember that?”He huffed a laugh. “Because I used to walk behind you. Not in a creepy way I just ended up going the same way.”“That sounds creepy,” she teased.He bumped her shoulder lightly. “You know what I mean.”She hid a smile. “I guess.”“You’d always put your headph
Last Updated: 2025-11-26
Chapter: The Man at the Farmers Market The sun had barely risen over Willow Creek when Brielle Hartley turned onto Main Street, windows down, hair whipping in the breeze like she was starring in her own movie. She’d been back in town for exactly twelve hours, and already she could tell one thing hadn’t changed: Willow Creek was too small for big dreams and too small to avoid running into the wrong people. Which is why she was power walking through the Saturday farmers market like someone had lit her sneakers on fire. She wasn’t running from danger. She wasn’t running from her past. She was running from a man. A very tall, very broad, very irritating man. She caught a flash of him between booths: dark hair, sun tanned skin, a gray T-shirt stretched across shoulders that, honestly, should’ve been illegal. He was leaning over a crate of peaches, talking to the old farmer like they were best friends. Brielle muttered under her breath, “Of course he’s here.” Jaxon Reed. Small town golden boy. Local heartbreaker. The
Last Updated: 2025-11-25
Chapter: The Community Garden Disaster
Brielle hadn’t planned on leaving the house again after her run in with Jaxon at the farmers market. She’d promised her mom she’d help reorganize the pantry, then maybe start a grocery list. Simple. Peaceful. Jaxon free. But life in Willow Creek loved to play jokes. She was halfway through alphabetizing spice jars when her mom called from the living room, “Brielle, honey? Can you come here for a second?” Her mom was sitting on the couch with her leg elevated, scrolling through her tablet with a suspiciously bright smile. “Please don’t tell me you want me to join a knitting club,” Brielle said, approaching slowly. “No,” her mom said cheerfully. “You’re volunteering.” Brielle blinked. “I’m what?” “I signed you up. Isn’t that wonderful?” “No,” Brielle said. “It feels illegal.” Her mom ignored her, tapping the screen until a flyer filled it bright green, cheerful font, way too enthusiastic. WILLOW CREEK COMMUNITY GARDEN REVIVAL Meetings every afternoon at 4 PM Led by: Jaxon Re
Last Updated: 2025-11-25
Chapter: Close QuartersBrielle woke up the next morning determined to ignore the fact that Jaxon Reed existed. It lasted exactly four minutes. Because right as she walked into the kitchen, her mom already sipping tea with her leg propped up greeted her with a too bright smile. “Good morning, volunteer!” Brielle groaned. “I am not a volunteer. I am a hostage.” Her mom ignored that completely. “Jaxon stopped by.” Brielle dropped the spoon she’d been reaching for. “He WHAT?” “He brought fresh peaches. Said they were for you.” “For me?” Brielle’s voice squeaked she hated that it squeaked. “Why would he bring me peaches?” “Well,” her mom said innocently, “he said you looked like you needed something sweet.” Brielle grabbed the counter and inhaled sharply. She was going to kill him. She was going to kill him slowly. “Where are the peaches?” she asked. Her mom nodded toward the fruit bowl. Brielle walked over, glared at the peaches like they had personally betrayed her, and picked one up. It was per
Last Updated: 2025-11-25
Chapter: Close Enough to TouchBrielle did not plan to run into Jaxon before the community garden meeting. She also didn’t plan for the sky to open up and pour rain like a movie scene specifically designed to ruin her good hair day. She definitely didn’t plan to end up standing under the same tiny awning with him. But there she was one arm hugged around her damp cardigan, the other pushing wet curls out of her face as Jaxon jogged up, water sliding off his shoulders like he was sponsored by the weather. He shook his head, spraying droplets everywhere. Including on her. “Really?” she snapped, brushing her cheek with the back of her hand. He grinned, infuriatingly unbothered. “Relax. It’s just water. You’re not gonna melt.” “Oh, you don’t know me well enough to say that.” His eyebrow lifted. “I think I know you pretty well.” Her pulse misbehaved just for a second. She straightened. “You used to. That was years ago.” “That doesn’t erase it,” he said quietly. The air thickened not romantic, not soft, but
Last Updated: 2025-11-25
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