Hicks Creek Series by Kris Abbott

Returning to my small hometown was never part of the plan—but life has a way of forcing your hand. I’m Gavin Wells—wealthy, divorced, and carrying enough baggage to fill this tiny town. My father’s funeral should’ve been a quick in-and-out, but nothing about coming home is ever that simple. Especially when it means facing her. Lena Marshall—my brother’s widow, the girl I once loved, and the one I’ve never really let go. Seeing her again stirs up feelings we both thought we’d buried... moreReturning to my small hometown was never part of the plan—but life has a way of forcing your hand. I’m Gavin Wells—wealthy, divorced, and carrying enough baggage to fill this tiny town. My father’s funeral should’ve been a quick in-and-out, but nothing about coming home is ever that simple. Especially when it means facing her. Lena Marshall—my brother’s widow, the girl I once loved, and the one I’ve never really let go. Seeing her again stirs up feelings we both thought we’d buried. But with the past comes secrets, and my family’s skeletons are clawing their way out, threatening to shatter Lena’s trust—and her heart—all over again. Walking away would be easier. Safer. But I’ve spent too long running from my demons. Now, I have to prove I’m not the man who runs, but the one who fights—for her, for us, and for the second chance we both deserve. less

Coming home was supposed to be simple… until he came into my life. 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... moreComing home was supposed to be simple… until he came into my life. 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. less

I came back to Hicks Creek to bury the past… I didn’t expect to find a future. What was supposed to be a quick trip home turns into something much more when my brother ropes me into staying to help with the family business. I’m restless, counting the days until I can leave this small town behind again. Then I meet Maya Greene. Strong, passionate, and impossible to ignore, Maya is everything I didn’t know I needed. Working alongside her stirs something in me I haven’t felt in years... moreI came back to Hicks Creek to bury the past… I didn’t expect to find a future. What was supposed to be a quick trip home turns into something much more when my brother ropes me into staying to help with the family business. I’m restless, counting the days until I can leave this small town behind again. Then I meet Maya Greene. Strong, passionate, and impossible to ignore, Maya is everything I didn’t know I needed. Working alongside her stirs something in me I haven’t felt in years. But just as I start to let my guard down, long-buried secrets surface, threatening to undo everything. I came back to close a chapter of my life, but now I’m facing a choice: run from the past or fight for a future I never saw coming. less

I came home to save the cattle. I never expected to fall for the one man who’s hated my family for years. When my father called—desperate, defeated, and asking for help—I almost didn’t answer. We haven’t spoken much since I left our small town to build a career as a livestock vet specializing in infectious diseases. But a cattle outbreak threatens not only his ranch, but the entire community, and despite our rocky history, I couldn’t say no... moreI came home to save the cattle. I never expected to fall for the one man who’s hated my family for years. When my father called—desperate, defeated, and asking for help—I almost didn’t answer. We haven’t spoken much since I left our small town to build a career as a livestock vet specializing in infectious diseases. But a cattle outbreak threatens not only his ranch, but the entire community, and despite our rocky history, I couldn’t say no. I thought I’d be in and out—diagnose the problem, offer a treatment plan, and leave. What I didn’t count on was Wade Callahan. Rugged, no-nonsense, and a single dad, Wade runs the most successful ranch in the county—and he’s never forgiven my family for what happened years ago. He makes it clear he doesn’t trust me, and I make it just as clear I don’t care. But nothing about this trip is simple. The outbreak is worse than I imagined, and I can’t walk away—not when so many ranchers are depending on me, including Wade. Working alongside him every day, the lines between obligation and something far deeper start to blur. Sparks fly. Secrets surface. And suddenly, the girl who ran from this town is wondering if maybe. .. she was always meant to return. Then I’m offered the job of my dreams—back in the city, back to everything I thought I wanted. At the same time, Wade’s ex walks back into his life, reminding me just how fragile what we’ve built really is. I’ve spent years running toward a future I thought I had to fight for. Now, I’m starting to realize the life—and the love—I truly want might be right here. less

I’ve got a daughter, a flower shop, and a cattle ranch barely holding together—and that’s before the brooding cowboy shows up. Jack Renfrew may have been hired to help, but from day one, he’s been nothing but a thorn in my side. Running Bloom & Vine by day and the Casting Ranch by night has pushed me to my limits. Add in my dad’s worsening memory and the weight of a secret mortgage my mother left behind, and most days I feel like I’m one breath away from breaking... moreI’ve got a daughter, a flower shop, and a cattle ranch barely holding together—and that’s before the brooding cowboy shows up. Jack Renfrew may have been hired to help, but from day one, he’s been nothing but a thorn in my side. Running Bloom & Vine by day and the Casting Ranch by night has pushed me to my limits. Add in my dad’s worsening memory and the weight of a secret mortgage my mother left behind, and most days I feel like I’m one breath away from breaking. The townsfolk think I’ve got it all handled—grace under pressure and all that—but they don’t see the quiet unraveling behind my carefully arranged bouquets. Then Jack storms into my world—arrogant, stubborn, and annoyingly good with cattle. He’s been burned by love and doesn’t hide his disdain for small-town life—or me. I think he’s a control freak with trust issues. He thinks I’m an emotional landmine with something to prove. And unfortunately, we’re stuck working side by side if we have any hope of saving the ranch from a brutal drought and a wave of sick cattle. As sparks turn to something dangerously close to desire, our shared nights checking fences and whispered talks after Olivia falls asleep start to blur the lines. But secrets—his, mine, and my father’s—lie just beneath the surface, waiting to ignite everything we’ve built. And when Jack uncovers the truth I’ve been hiding to protect my family’s legacy, everything explodes. Now I’m facing the one thing I’ve always feared: losing the ranch, losing control. .. and maybe losing my heart to a man who swore he’d never stay. But sometimes love isn’t found in the grand gestures—it’s in the quiet strength of someone who chooses to stay when everything else falls apart. less