Chapter One – First Glances
The moment I saw her, I felt it—something electric in the air, like a whisper between heartbeats. She stood behind the counter of SunnyBites Diner, curls bouncing slightly as she laughed at something her coworker said.
Kade Rowan had been in the drive-thru more times than she could count, but today felt different. Maybe it was the way the sun hit the pastel-painted building, or the smell of fries mixed with sugary soda. Or maybe it was because she saw her—Liora “Lia” Vance.
I thought I had seen friendly smiles before, but this one… it felt like it was meant for me. I tried to keep my cool as I stepped up to order, pretending I wasn’t completely drawn to her.
“Hey,” she said, playful. “You come here often?”
I froze for a second. Not because of the question, but because the world seemed to shrink around us. Her eyes… sharp, aware, like she could see every corner of my mind.
I managed a small laugh. “Maybe more than I should.”
She grinned, leaning just slightly closer. “Good. Maybe I’ll see you more often then.”
At the time, Kade had a girlfriend. Lia didn’t know, and she assumed Kade was just with a friend. Yet, her energy was impossible to ignore—her laughter carried across the air, brushing against Kade like a soft current, playful and magnetic.
Kade froze, caught in the moment. She didn’t know if it was the way Lia’s hair fell perfectly over one shoulder, or the sly grin she offered as Kade handed over her payment. There was something pure about her—a courage Kade hadn’t seen in a long time.
And then her girlfriend came into view, and reality snapped back. Lia’s attention shifted just slightly, but Kade felt the spark linger, like a candle in a drafty room.
It wasn’t until a second visit that things became clear. Kade had returned with her girlfriend, trying to grab a quick lunch. Lia was behind the counter again, smiling, cheerful. That’s when she noticed it—the way she had been extra friendly before, the way she had lingered just a little longer on Kade. It wasn’t about her girlfriend. It had been about Kade.
Something in Kade’s chest shifted. She remembered the past heartbreaks, how people she trusted had left her, how her ex, Danika Ellis, had invaded her life, controlled her, and hurt her in ways Kade didn’t think she could survive. She had learned to protect herself, to keep walls high and her heart safer than most.
But Lia… Lia was different. There was no force behind her actions, no manipulation—just this bold, unafraid energy that made Kade wonder if maybe, just maybe, love could exist without pain.
As Kade drove away, she couldn’t stop thinking about her. She wanted to go back, to say something, anything. But fear of repeating old mistakes held her in place.
And as she walked away, she noticed the way Lia’s eyes followed her. Her heart skipped, whispered something she couldn’t yet name.
Teaser:
She didn’t know then that this ordinary drive-thru encounter would mark the start of something extraordinary—a connection that would challenge her heart, her faith, and everything she thought she knew about love.
