Jeff Hughes is most comfortable behind the gleaming bar of Jenny’s, the bar and grill he owns, just as the two generations before him did. Situated on the square in the tiny town of Renlend, Kansas, Jenny’s and Jeff have been a sounding board for the townspeople for years. Now, each of those in his inner circle have all fallen in love, and if they aren’t already married, proposals have been made, complete with shiny rings. Not Jeff. He’s kept quiet, silently brooding over the one woman who stole his heart the first time he saw her, over five years ago. He’d forget all about the dark-haired beauty with pale ice green eyes if he could. Except it’s his signature on her paycheck each week. Kelly DeGraw grew up in a world completely unlike than the one she’s made for herself in Renlend. This was the place she’d visited as a child. Complete with a gazebo in the middle of the town’s square, she’d fallen for its stillness, its beauty, and its charm. Everything is polar opposite to the past she ran from and was trying to keep hidden. She loves her friends here, and she doesn’t want to be treated different if they all knew her secrets. Coming back to Renlend as an adult had always been her plan. Walking into Jenny’s and falling for the owner hadn’t. If she didn’t love everything about her new life in this sleepy town so much, she’d risk it all and move on. Yet, part of her heart still holds out hope Jeff will eventually see her for more than a dependable employee.
