Seal the Deal by Hailey Rodger

Twelve years. Two hearts. One love that refuses to fade.

Jake
Twelve years ago, I let her walk away.
For one unforgettable summer, Charlie and I were inseparable—camp counselors sharing stolen laughs, late-night talks, and a bond so rare it left a mark. But when the summer ended, we said goodbye, thinking the world was too big for us to hold onto each other.
I chased my hockey dreams, she built a life oceans away. I thought it was the right thing to do. Turns out, the NHL doesn’t have a trophy for the one who got away.
Then one night, I see her in the crowd at my game, and time folds in on itself.
She’s back. A single mom starting over, her fire burning brighter than ever. Except this time, she’s got two kids, mile high walls, and a toxic ex who doesn’t deserve to breathe the same air as her.
Winning her heart will be the toughest play of my life. But if I fail, I lose the future I’ve only ever imagined with her.
Fate’s handed me a second chance, and I’ll take every shot to prove she’s always been my endgame.
I let her go once. Never again.

Charlotte
Moving halfway across the world with two kids and a mountain of emotional baggage wasn’t exactly on my vision board, but here I am. Fresh start. New city. Zero interest in dating, especially after my ex-husband shredded my self-worth like one of those paper-thin contracts he never honored.
But after one mortifying moment involving the jumbotron and a soggy pretzel, Jake Brooks storms back into my life. The boy from summer camp who became an NHL superstar. The boy I never quite got over.
Except he’s not a boy anymore.
He’s taller, broader, and maddeningly persistent. My kids adore him. My ex loathes him. And my heart? Doesn’t stand a chance.
Falling for Jake wasn’t part of the plan, but he looks at me like I’m the only thing that matters. Even though I still house heartache, even though I have deep battle wounds. He’s tasted them, and he wants me anyway. Despite them. Like I was always meant to be his.
Jake’s dismantling the walls I built to protect myself, brick by brick with relentless care. But my ex lingers like a shadow, desperate to tear down what little control I have left.
But maybe letting go isn’t about losing control—maybe it’s about letting the right person back in, the one who was always meant to stay.