Chapter 1: Welcome To Oakwood
Everything looks so much better in the brochure.
Ava Winters stared at the empty iced coffee cup in her hands and wanted to scream. Six hours. Six freaking hours of driving, and her GPS had basically played a cruel joke on her, sending her down roads that didn't even exist. And now she was standing in front of her rental house, which had looked like a cozy cottage online but in reality looked like... well, at least it wasn't falling down.
"Great. Just great," she muttered, a habit she'd picked up after years of living alone. "At least it has a roof, which is more than I can say for my last relationship."
The house wasn't terrible, she supposed. White paint with blue trim that had definitely seen better days, a wooden porch that looked like it might hold her weight, and a yard that had gone completely wild. But the location was perfect—far enough from town to get some peace, but close enough to walk to Maya's bookstore when it opened.
Ava took a deep breath of the crisp air. Pine trees, fresh grass, no city pollution. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
"Okay, Ava. Time to start over," she whispered to herself, stretching her arms above her head. "You have a plan. Edit books, help Maya, and most importantly—absolutely NO romantic drama."
She walked to her car and popped the trunk, then immediately regretted every life choice that had led to this moment. Boxes, suitcases, bags—her entire life was crammed into this tiny space like some kind of moving truck Tetris game.
"Are you moving in or opening a garage sale?"
Ava nearly jumped out of her skin, stumbling backward into a box labeled "Romance Novels"—which was ironic considering why she'd fled the city in the first place. She turned to see an elderly man with thick glasses and a fishing hat peering at her over the fence.
"I'm Ava Winters, your new tenant," she said, trying to sound normal instead of like someone who'd just been caught talking to herself. "And these are just... essentials."
"Essentials, huh?" The old man grinned. "Looks like you bought out half of Target. I'm Wilson, by the way. Your neighbor who's going to know all your business whether you like it or not."
Well, at least he was honest about it.
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Wilson. If you like gossip, I'll try to keep things interesting," Ava said with a smile. Privacy in small towns was apparently a myth anyway.
She turned back to her car and grabbed the first box. Holy crap, when had her editing books gotten so heavy? By the time she dragged it to the porch, she was already breathing hard. Next up was her folding couch, which had seemed like such a good idea when she'd bought it online.
Fifteen minutes later, Ava was sweating like she'd just run a marathon, and the couch had moved exactly three feet—from the trunk to the ground. She stared at it like it had personally offended her.
"Need some help?"
This voice was different. Deep, low, and for some reason it made her skin tingle in a way that had nothing to do with the cool air. She turned around and found herself looking up—way up—into the most intense amber eyes she'd ever seen.
The guy was tall, with messy black hair that looked like he'd run his fingers through it, a strong jaw, and an expression that gave away absolutely nothing. He was wearing a black shirt that fit him way too well, faded jeans, and boots that looked like they'd been through some adventures.
"Oh! Um, yes, please. This couch apparently gained fifty pounds since I bought it," Ava said, trying to sound casual while her heart decided to start racing for no reason.
He just nodded and stepped forward, then lifted the entire couch like it weighed nothing. Ava's mouth dropped open. He didn't look like a bodybuilder, but he'd just picked up her couch like it was a pillow.
"Where do you want it?" he asked, his voice slightly strained.
"Oh! Right, sorry. Come in, the living room is just to the left," she said, hurrying to open the front door.
He carried it inside and set it down exactly where she pointed, then immediately stepped back like he needed to keep his distance. Ava noticed he wasn't even breathing hard.
"Thank you so much, that was amazing," she said, holding out her hand. "I'm Ava Winters. Just moved here from the city."
He stared at her hand for a moment like he wasn't sure what to do with it. Then he reached out and shook it, but only for a second, like touching her might burn him.
The moment their skin touched, something weird happened. His whole body went rigid, his eyes went wide, and he... did he just sniff the air? His expression changed completely—from calm to shocked to something she couldn't read. Like he was confused and panicked at the same time.
"I'm Liam," he said suddenly, his voice rough. "Liam Cross. I live across the street." He pointed to a house that looked way nicer than hers.
"Nice to meet you, neighbor," Ava said, trying to smile through the awkward tension that had suddenly filled the room.
Liam just nodded, his eyes locked on her face like he was trying to solve some kind of puzzle. The silence stretched until it became uncomfortable.
"Is there... anything else you need help with?" he finally asked, his voice more controlled now.
"No, you've already been so helpful. I can handle the rest," Ava lied. For some reason, she felt like she needed to put some distance between them.
He nodded again and headed for the door. But at the threshold, he stopped and looked back. "Welcome to Oakwood," he said quietly, then walked away with long, quick strides like he couldn't get away fast enough.
Ava stood there staring at the closed door. *What the hell just happened?*
"I see you've met our mysterious neighbor."
Ava spun around with a gasp. Mr. Wilson was standing in her back doorway, holding what looked like a homemade pie.
"Mr. Wilson! You scared me to death!"
"Sorry, old habit," he said, not looking sorry at all. "Door was unlocked, and I brought you a welcome pie."
"Thank you, but maybe next time you could knock?" Ava took the pie with a forced smile.
"Of course, of course," Wilson nodded while his eyes shamelessly scanned her living room. "So you met Liam Cross. Interesting, don't you think?"
"Interesting is one way to put it," Ava said carefully.
"He's lived here for five years, but nobody really knows him. Says he's a writer. Works from home. Barely comes to town except for groceries. Never goes to any community events," Wilson explained in his gossip voice. "And here's the weird part—nobody's ever seen him with a woman. A guy that good-looking! Half the ladies in town have tried, but he always says no."
"Maybe he just likes his privacy," Ava said, though she couldn't deny she was curious. "Not everyone likes to socialize."
"Maybe. Or maybe he's in witness protection!" Wilson whispered dramatically. "Have you noticed how quiet he is? And his strength? Last fall during the storm, he moved a fallen tree by himself!"
Ava laughed. "I think you've been watching too many movies, Mr. Wilson."
"Laugh now, Miss Winters. But mark my words—there's something different about Liam Cross." Wilson tapped his nose knowingly. "Speaking of which, what about you? Boyfriend? Husband? Kids?"
"Wow, jumping right to the personal stuff, huh?"
"In Oakwood, everything's personal, sweetheart."
"I'm single, Mr. Wilson. And planning to stay that way for a very long time," Ava said firmly.
"Ah, heartbreak," Wilson nodded like he'd figured it out. "Well, Oakwood's a good place to heal. Fresh air, pretty scenery, and who knows? Maybe that mysterious neighbor is interested. He's never helped anyone move furniture before."
"I'm sure he was just being polite," Ava refused to take the bait. "And I still have a lot of unpacking to do."
"Of course, of course. I'll tell my wife we have a pretty new neighbor who's single and nursing a broken heart. She'll want to invite you for dinner next week," Wilson chuckled as he strolled out.
Once she was alone, Ava collapsed onto the couch Liam had carried and let out a long sigh. "Welcome to Oakwood, Ava," she muttered. "Where privacy doesn't exist, your neighbor is a mysterious guy with superhuman strength who acts weird around you, and old men just walk into your house uninvited."
She looked out the window toward Liam's house. For a second, she thought she saw a curtain move, like someone had been watching. But when she blinked, everything was still.
"Weird, antisocial, but annoyingly attractive neighbor," she added, then laughed at herself. "But remember, Ava Winters—you're here to focus on work and forget about men. Even mysteriously hot men who can lift couches with one hand."
She got up and walked back to her car. There were still tons of boxes to move, and it was getting dark. As she grabbed another box, she couldn't help but glance at Liam's house again.
This time, she was sure she saw a tall figure watching from an upstairs window. When she lifted her hand to wave, the figure quickly disappeared.
"Definitely weird," Ava murmured, though she couldn't stop the small smile spreading across her face. Maybe Oakwood would be more interesting than she'd expected.
