Chapter One

There was a pure energy in the car as they drove away from the arena. Christian Keller had it all, just when he thought he’d lost it.

His career-ending injuries were just the start to finding out he could keep going and that’s what he was doing.

He’d just watched his sister perform with her husband, on stage at the Bridgestone Arena right there in Nashville. Hometown kids making it big time.

As his best friend Dave pulled out of the parking lot the number one country song came on the radio, and wouldn’t you know it, it was Clara and Warner Wright, his sister and her husband.

Christian’s fiancée, Victoria, hugged his arm and slid across the back seat as close as she could to him. “That was the best concert ever. Your sister and Warner were phenomenal. The Broke Tourists are one of my favorite bands. And that Savannah and her hair!”

Ashley, Victoria’s sister, turned in her seat and looked at her. “I know, right? Do you think we could buy hair like that?”

They both laughed, but Christian just took in the ambiance.

His career as a baseball player was over. He had come to grips with that. It had caused him a lot of emotional and physical pain over the past year, but now he had new things to look forward to.

They were already talking about him coming into the organization as management. The woman of his dreams had accepted his marriage proposal and wore his ring. And tonight, he’d take her home to the home he had built—for them. It was a surprise and he had something very special planned.

“You know,” Victoria continued. “Ali would love a Savannah wig. We should think about marketing them.”

“My kids and their tastes,” Ashley added.

Laughter filled the car and then a scream pierced the air.

A blinding white light forced him to cover his eyes.

Christian sat up in bed. His heart was racing. His face and hair were wet. And he was alone.

He threw his head back against his pillow.

Of course he was alone. He’d been alone for almost a year and the replay of that night wouldn’t give him any peace.

Christian rolled to his side and he looked at his phone on the night stand. It was five-thirty in the morning. He let out a grunt and rolled out of bed.

It took a minute for his knee to be stable under him. His shoulder ached, as it had since the surgery after the accident.

He flipped on the light in the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. The jagged scar on his forehead was beginning to fade, but it would always remind him that on that night he’d lost everything. His career. His best friend. And even if her life wasn’t taken—he’d lost his fiancée.

Well that was life now. She had a lot to deal with too.

Christian splashed his face with cold water.

Victoria’s life had changed drastically when that drunk driver crossed the median. She’d lost her sister in that moment. Her leg was shattered. And she was the next of kin to her niece and nephew, whom she was now raising.

A single woman trying to advance her career and plan a wedding was now guardian to a two year old and a four year old—and he was no help.

Christian turned on the shower and let it warm.

He’d been so overwhelmed with losing his best friend he’d nearly lost his mind. And it wasn’t losing him. It was watching him die and not being able to get free from the accident to help him.

Just the thought of it made his heart kick start again.

He slipped off his boxers and climbed into the shower. No matter how hot the water was, it would never wash away the pain that day still caused.

By six thirty, he was dressed and sitting in his quiet kitchen having a cup of coffee. The dress shirt and tie made him uncomfortable, but it was the way he had to dress for work now. He supposed he owed it to his brother and uncle for stepping in and giving him a job, though he didn’t care much about construction.

His entire family had stepped in when he needed them. There was no way to repay them. His sister Clara and cousin Avery were at his house daily to make sure he ate. His mother stopped by and cleaned the house. His future sister-in-law Darcy made him freezer dinners and stocked them for him.

It had been like this for a year.

When would it all ease so he could get on with his life?

Before lunch, the door to his office creaked open and Darcy stuck her head in.

“I’m going to lunch with my bridesmaids. Ed is free for Chinese food. He said to send you his way when you’re done.”

Christian nodded. “I’ll be done in a few.”

Darcy shut the door and Christian was alone, again. It was funny, he thought, for being so alone all the time there were always people around him. That was what came with a big family.

A new Chinese restaurant had opened just down the street and Ed had been dying to try it. Christian figured it would be good for leftovers and that it would warm up easily for dinner. It was just one less thing to think about.

“So did you look over that proposal I sent you?” Ed asked as he adjusted the place setting in front of him.

“Yeah. I don’t know if I understand any of it. Could you work in some baseball terms?”

Ed laughed. “It’s a baseball stadium. I thought you’d want to be part of that.”

Christian put down his menu. “You’d think huh?”

He lazily looked around the restaurant and that was when a set of dark eyes caught his.

Victoria waved and was already walking toward them.

It had been nearly eight months since he’d seen her—since he’d told her that he wasn’t someone who could just take on someone else’s children and start from there. That was the day she walked out of his life. God, he was an idiot.

She looked different. Her hair was shorter and there were dark circles under her eyes, as if she hadn’t slept in eight months. He probably looked like that too. He never got a good night’s sleep.

“Hello, Chris.” She smiled down at him and then turned her smile to Ed. “Hi, Ed.”

“Tori!” Ed crawled out of the booth and gave her a hug. “How are you?”

“I’m good.” Christian wondered if she noticed her voice quivered.

“How are the kids?”

Christian watched as her jaw tightened and she kept her eyes on Ed. “Sam just turned three last weekend. He’s into everything. Ali just started kindergarten.”

“Wow.” Ed looked at Christian. “Kids get big fast, eh, Chris?”