The Dating Pool

Sharp banter. Small-town sparks. A summer romance that refuses to stay dry. Sugarpine Lake was supposed to be practical. A break from job hunting. From scrambling for stability. From pretending I have everything figured out-for me and my daughter. No risks. No men who make it hard to breathe. But in a town built around water, there isn't a single swim program for the kids. I'm a former swimmer with a toddler who already loves the shoreline. That feels like a problem worth fixing. Then I meet Graham Casanova. He runs the town's only camp like it's delicate. When he tells me they don't need a pool, I prove him wrong. Not because I care what he thinks. Obviously. I just happen to hate being told no. The more I push, the more he pushes back. Somewhere between late-night run-ins and arguments that feel suspiciously like flirting, I realize I'm not just fighting for a pool. I'm fighting the way my pulse stutters when he stands too close. The way his voice drops when we disagree. This was supposed to be practical. Falling for him definitely isn't.