Love Under the Stars (Hicks Creek #2)
Kris Abbott

Hicks Creek wasn’t part of my plan, but my best friend’s wedding brings me back to the small town I once left behind, and a new teaching job makes it clear I’m staying. It’s meant to be simple—family, friends, and a fresh start.
Then I meet Derek Townson. He’s rugged, brooding, and completely off-limits. A widowed single dad with walls higher than the mountains surrounding this town. His daughter is in my class, and he’s impossible to avoid.
The more I’m around him, the more I see through the cracks in his armor. But just as we start to connect, I uncover a truth about his past that could destroy everything.
Falling for him was never part of the plan. Now, I have to decide—follow my heart or walk away before it’s too late.