Hold his crown. Things are about to get awkward.
He’s the king of the friend zone.Easton has two priorities: keep his kids happy and keep his love life out of the local gossip loop. After one tragic loss and a few awkward almost-romances, he’s earned a nickname—a title he didn’t know about until Grace pinned it to him like a queen bestowing an honor upon a knight.
She’s the queen of everyone’s heart.Grace, on the other hand, doesn’t mean to win things… it just keeps happening. A touch quirky, a little nerdy, and always up for a challenge, she’s perfectly content watching Easton from the sidelines. He’s steady. He’s safe. And she knows better than to expect anything more.
But when Grace keeps racking up wins—Baked goods raffles? Check. Community game night? Check. The hearts of children and unsuspecting single dads? Whoops.
And Easton keeps losing ground—not just in games, but in the fight to stay emotionally neutral—he’ll learn that he’ll need a new strategy.
To win Grace’s heart, Easton will have to step out of the safe zone and into her world—where the rules are different, the stakes are high, and the biggest win is love.
This story includes:
* He falls hard
* Small-town competitions and cake-related banter
* Friends to more
* Kids playing matchmaker
* Sassy, sweet banter with a side of emotional damage repair
