At twenty-two, Y/N arrives in Carolina Beach with her ten-month-old son, a fresh start, and no intention of putting down roots. Between long shifts at a local bookstore and the endless demands of single motherhood, she’s focused on one thing: building a stable life for her little boy. Falling for Beau Carter was never part of the plan. At forty-two, Beau is a lifelong fisherman who prefers the open water to people. Gruff, stubborn, and fiercely protective, he’s the last person Y/N expects to find herself drawn to. But as summer fades into fall, their lives become increasingly intertwined, and what begins as an unlikely friendship slowly turns into something more. In a small coastal town where everyone knows everyone, the past has a way of resurfacing when it’s least expected. And when long-buried secrets begin to emerge, Y/N and Beau are forced to decide whether the life they’re building together is strong enough to withstand the storm ahead. A Southern coastal romance about family, belonging, grief, and finding home in the place you least expect it.