He disappeared without a word.
She carried the secret he never knew.
At sixteen, Simone McKinley fell in love with the boy next door-the only person who truly understood her world. Now a strong, resilient single mother of three, Simone has spent nearly two decades building a stable life for her children. With her oldest preparing to leave for college, she finally believes the hardest chapters of her life are behind her.
But the past has a way of returning when you least expect it.
Ezell Rhodes never forgot the girl who gave him his first sense of home. After growing up in the foster system, the family next door-and Simone-were the closest things he had to belonging. But one devastating setup tore him away from everything he loved, forcing him to start over with nothing but regret and unanswered questions.
Eighteen years later, fate brings them face to face again.
The connection between them is as powerful as ever, but life has changed. New families. New responsibilities. And a past filled with secrets neither of them fully understands.
Now Simone and Ezell must decide if the love they once shared is strong enough to survive the years apart...
or if some second chances come too late.
A powerful story of first love, lost time, and the courage it takes to open your heart again.