Rachel A. Brooks

Claire never planned on staying. The job was supposed to be temporary—just a few months as a live-in caretaker and tutor for Sophie, a bright but guarded eight-year-old still mourning her mother. But from the moment Claire steps into the quiet, sea-washed home, she feels the weight of something deeper than silence.

James Hart, Sophie’s father, is a man anchored in loss. His days are measured, his words deliberate, and his gaze carries the kind of stillness that can keep people at a distance—or draw them in without warning. He doesn’t ask for help beyond the basics, yet every missed school pickup, every shared breakfast, and every storm-lit evening at the kitchen table pulls Claire further into the life he’s carefully contained.

But healing is never simple. Claire’s presence stirs feelings James has kept locked away, and her own heart begins to tie itself to the rhythms of the house, the laughter of the girl upstairs, and the man who seems to notice more than he says.

The more they open up, the more fragile the balance becomes. Staying could mean building something neither of them dared to imagine again—but it also means risking the quiet, safe walls they’ve built to protect themselves.

In the softest moments, love begins to grow. But will they let it take root, or will the fear of loss keep them apart?

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