She went back to say goodbye. She didn't expect to find him.

Moving to Ocracoke was supposed to be the start of everything-new town, new chapter, fresh air, and saltwater. But when Marin's husband passed away just months after arriving, the life they'd dreamed of vanished with him. She left and never looked back.

Now, five years later, her boyfriend pops the question on her birthday...and all she feels is panic. With her world tilting sideways, the only place that makes sense is the one she swore she'd never return to.

She thinks she's going back to finally let go. Instead, she finds Macon Green.

The island's brooding police officer is equal parts guarded and gorgeous, with a reputation for being impossible-and a body that makes forgetting him even harder. When Marin stumbles into a public scene with his ex-wife, instinct takes over. She slides her hand into his and pretends they're dating-starting a secret they'll both have to keep.

It was never supposed to be real.