She just lost her mom and is an emotional wreck. He's her best friends older brother who just wants her to be happy. Her world is full of darkness but he's a light that cuts through it all.

Since Rylie’s mom passed away six months ago, she’s done her best to bottle up her emotions and keep her head down. She works at the local coffee shop, focuses on getting her degree, and spends most nights at home with her roommate and best friend, Caleb.

And she never talks about the grief that consumes her every thought with anyone … except Adam.

Adam Dey is a light that cuts through the darkness. He always seems to know when Rylie’s hurting most and is there to help piece her broken parts back together.

Oh, and he’s Caleb’s older brother.

When Caleb can't make it home for Fourth of July weekend, the time alone surfaces long repressed feelings between Adam and Rylie. But in the wake of what should be a happy moment, Rylie feels lost. Afraid she'll lose herself in a relationship and not deal with her grief, she tells Adam they can't be together right now.

But when months pass and all she manages to do is fall harder for him and further into the darkness, it’s the fear that Adam might be moving on that finally pushes Rylie to talk about her pain with other people in her life.

As Rylie and Adam’s connection continues to grow stronger it becomes harder to just be friends, but before they can have their Happily Ever After, Rylie first needs to discover what it truly means to heal from a loss like this.

Loss of a Parent (In the Past, Off-Page)

Grief

On-Page Anxiety/Panic Attacks