After years of disappointing her parents, Emberleigh Hayes has finally worked up the courage to run from the man and the life they chose for her (well, not actually run-southern ladies do not sweat).

Together with her best friend Ivy, she's armed with a foolproof plan:

Step 1: Rein in the awkward.

Step 2: Find a job.

Step 3: (The most important of all) Under no circumstances let her hopeless romantic heart catch feelings...again.

Things are going swimmingly-except for one tiny hitch from her past-but then there's Colton King. Ember knows that her new chisel-jawed employer is potentially leaving town and definitely off-limits, so it doesn't matter that her insides flutter when he's around. The man is basically a relationship tsunami warning.

But it turns out there's more to Colton than his sexy surface, and he's determined to get Ember to see it...even if it means teaching her that it's okay to change her plans.