Prologue

      Two years ago...

      “There comes a time in one’s life when a crucial decision must be made. Everything worth accomplishing in life starts with being scared. It’s okay to be scared, but don’t let that fear overpower you.”

      As Summer Dupree sat in her car staring at the old brown-brick building, she couldn’t believe she was chanting words she’d heard from a television program she’d seen last week on people suffering from zoophobia.

      Unlike the people on that show, Summer wasn’t afraid of animals. She might take off running if a massive and unfamiliar German shepherd ran toward her, but she was a lover of all animals. She rarely saw an animal that unnerved her. Unless that animal walked on two legs and observed her with an intensity that seemed to peel her back layer by layer. Okay, so maybe she was thinking about a human, not an animal. Well, he’s definitely an attractive human. An extremely attractive human. A human so dangerously sexy that she couldn’t think straight sometimes, but that was beside the point.

      Movement seen from the corner of her eye got her attention. There was no doubt in her mind that the guy sitting in the car next to her was hyperventilating. Judging by what she could tell from his face, she assumed it was Steve, the class valedictorian. She hadn’t talked to Steve that much in high school, but he’d always seemed nice. Within five minutes, she’d already witnessed him remove and wipe his black-framed glasses several times. There was no doubt he was experiencing the same type of anxiety that she was. Then again, was there anyone who didn’t experience anxiety attending their high school reunion? She highly doubted it.

      With all the courage she could muster, Summer stepped out of her rental and began walking toward the entrance of her old high school. She was wearing her killer red heels and favorite black dress. She definitely looked more confident than she felt. When she reached the door, she exhaled the breath she’d been holding, then stepped into the building.

      She barely recalled checking in at the sign-in desk and greeting a couple of former classmates before she began walking down the hall to the gym—a somewhat out-of-body experience. Neither one of her older sisters had returned to town for their high school reunions, yet here she was, walking into the place she swore she’d never step foot in again.

      It wasn’t that growing up in Claysville, New Jersey, was all bad. There just were parts of the town that she didn’t particularly care for. Like being the main topic of discussion after every town event. Summer didn’t want to blame her hometown for the reason she disliked small towns. But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered if the reason she and her sisters now resided in major cities was because of their experience in Claysville. Both Winter and Autumn were now living in Chicago, and Summer was hoping to move from New York to Miami in a couple years.

      The small town of Claysville was only known for three things: its historic buildings, the Fighting Tigers track team and gossip. Summer’s family used to live in a beautiful historic home. She had been on the track team, so that was a plus. Unfortunately, her family had also been the main target of gossip, more than any other family in town when they lived there.

      When she stepped into the gym, the bright white lights and green and purple balloons representing the school colors transported her back ten years, to her senior prom. She blinked a few times to adjust her eyes to the brightness. Claysville High was the only school she knew that didn’t dim the lights for a dance, choosing to keep them bright the entire night. Unbelievable how some things never change. Her thought was further proved when Rochelle Slater—the beauty queen herself—approached her.

      “Summer, sweetie! I haven’t seen you in Claysville since we graduated. How are you?”

      Summer returned Rochelle’s hug. “Hey, Rochelle, I’m doing well. How are you?”

      “Oh, I’m absolutely fantastic. Expecting my second child any day now.” She rubbed her protruding belly.

      “Congratulations! Is your husband here with you, too?”

      “Oh, you silly girl,” Rochelle said as she playfully hit Summer’s arm. “You call Sam my husband as if we didn’t all go to school together. I mean, I should really be thanking you.”

      Here we go. “Thank me for what?”

      “Well, we all know Sam had a crush on you throughout grade school and part of