Ember by Jo-Anne Joseph

When I left Sunnyville, I had no intention of coming back. My heart led me to Seattle, and it was where I built my life. But we all know what they say about best-laid plans. I find myself back in my hometown seven years later, but I’m not the same man who left this place. I carry broken dreams and deep regret after leaving behind a part of my soul in a place I can no longer call home.
The last thing I expected was her, the woman with sad eyes and a wall around her heart that’s even tougher than my own. I didn’t think I would be the one to break it down, be the ember that sparks a wildfire so fierce it may consume us both. But the past has a way of creeping up when you least expect it, and I don’t know if she’ll ever be able to accept mine.