Publisher's Synopsis
Riley Carter has never been the kind of woman to play by the rules. She grew up with grease on her hands, tools in her back pocket, and a garage full of memories with her late father. Carter's Garage isn't just a business-it's her legacy, her home, her everything. But when a corporate giant threatens to buy her out, Riley refuses to let her father's dream become another casualty of greed.
Then he comes back to town. Lucas Hawthorne. The boy who swore he'd never set foot in Rockbend again. The man who now stands between her and everything she's fighting for. Lucas left Rockbend, Texas, the first chance he got, determined to carve his own path away from the dusty roads and small-town drama. Now, he's a rising star at Titan Auto, sent back to his hometown to close a deal that should be simple-buy out Carter's Garage and make the company millions. Only, he never expected Riley Carter to be the one standing in his way. She's stubborn, mouthy, and absolutely infuriating. Worse? She's still the same girl who used to race him down old country roads and make his heart pound in ways he never understood. Now, she's grown into a woman who's even harder to ignore, especially when every argument between them turns into a battle of wits and fiery tension that neither of them can shake. Lucas came back for business. But Riley Carter? She's making this personal. When Riley challenges Lucas to a high-stakes bet-her garage versus his pride-he can't say no. If she can turn the failing business around before the town's annual Fix-It Festival ends, she keeps the garage. If she fails? She loses everything. But as they clash under the Texas sun, their rivalry turns into something far more dangerous. A stolen glance. A reckless kiss. A whispered confession under the stars. The lines between past and present, love and hate, business and pleasure blur until neither of them can tell where the fight ends and where they begin. Lucas came to Rockbend to win a deal. He never expected to risk his heart. And Riley? She never thought losing her garage wouldn't be the scariest thing-losing him might just break her. With everything on the line-her father's legacy, her future, and her heart-Riley must decide: Can she trust the one man who was always meant to leave? And Lucas? He may have come to Rockbend with a job to do, but now he has a choice to make-chase the success he's always wanted, or fight for the one woman who makes every risk worth taking.
