The Grump by Victoria Stevens

Tessa
Do you ever wonder what you are doing in life? Have you ever gotten to that point where you ask yourself, “Is this really it? This is the rest of my life?” Sometimes it feels like every day is a monotonous song on repeat with no hope in sight. Don’t get me wrong, I have a great life. I should be grateful – emphasis on should. I am a generally positive person, on the outside especially, but some days those little thoughts nag at my brain, reminding me that this, all that I have and all I’ve accomplished, will never be enough.
Then, out of nowhere, a moving truck shows up and a hot, blonde God with bright blue eyes and his quiet young daughter get out and turn my frown upside down. At least until I find out that he is a grump. The sadness radiating off of both of them is palpable and even though I know I should keep my distance, I just want to help
It’s like they always say: Sometimes the best way to cheer up is to cheer someone else up.

Levi
Sadness like ours isn’t easily controlled. It hits harder when you think everything is perfect and then misery becomes second nature in a split second. Life becomes an endless cycle of managing tasks while reflecting on the fact that anything can be taken from you, nothing is permanent, life doesn’t end up the way you planned, and terrible things can still happen to good people. I moved across the state with my daughter, Phoebe, to escape the stares, gossip and pitying looks of our old life and get a fresh start.
When the beautiful, quirky neighbor shows up and makes my heart stutter for the first time in years, I try to fight it. She’s just too happy, too friendly, and way too young for me. People like her make me feel worse about the emptiness inside me. They walk around on a cloud of hopefulness, unaware of the storm brewing beneath them. Unfortunately, my daughter adores her, and I have no choice but to let her bond with the smoking-hot girl that her dad shouldn’t be lusting after, silently wishing for the same connection. When I realize that there is more to her than the bubbly surface she presents, I begin to hope again.
Phoebe wants me to have a happy ending, but is it too late for that?