Reconsider by M. J. Padgett

I may pretend to hate Paul Loughton, but the truth is that I’ve been in love with my best friend’s brother for a lot longer than I care to admit. The problem with admitting my feelings is that people I care about always leave or reject me, and I already have enough problems without worrying about losing my best friend and the guy I love.
So, I probably shouldn’t have kissed him in the parking lot of a feed and seed store and then ghosted him without an explanation. I plan to ignore it until it goes away, but Paul is persistent. He’s not going to forget, and his tender touches and soft words make me think he might return my feelings.
When Paul and I start spending more time together repairing my dilapidated property, more kisses ensue… but can I heal my jaded heart in time to grab ahold of what I’ve always wanted, or will I let it pass by… again?