Hello Forever - Cornerstone Book 2

Can new love overcome the pain of losing her first love?

Maggie James spent years all consumed by her wedding photography business, hiding out from love after a painful breakup. When fellow photographer and consummate rogue Simon Walker came back into her life, she held him at arm's length to protect her fragile heart from being broken again. But after discovering how he selflessly helped her business in a very big way and admitting her mistaken assumptions about him, she is finally ready to give him a chance. Will fear keep her from truly opening her heart to him? Or will secrets tear them apart?

From small-town Michigan to the sunny shores of Malibu, California, Maggie and Simon must navigate their budding relationship, survive family drama, and come face to face with the past to see if their faith and ever-growing love are enough to get them to forever.

It all happened so fast.

Maggie had never actually seen someone get punched or witnessed up close the cracking sound knuckles make on impact. She stood on the sidewalk in front of her apartment in complete and utter shock. How had it come to this?

Simon shook off the obvious pain in his hand as he spun around and marched toward his car.

“Simon!” Maggie cried.

He kept moving.

“Simon Walker, you better stop walking right now!”

His steps slowed.

“Please don’t leave like this.”

He turned to look at her. His hands were still balled up in fists, his jaw was set from gritting his teeth, and the hurt in his eyes was unmistakable.

“Please don’t leave me.”

His shoulders sank, and a look of sheer sadness swept over his
face.

Her heart raced as he took one step toward her then turned toward his car again. “You promised we would always talk to each other,” she cried desperately.

He glanced back over his shoulder at her. “I can’t right now.”

Maggie watched Simon climb into his car and drive away. She couldn’t breathe. She thought nothing could be more painful than the day Ben broke her heart, but she was wrong. It hurt so badly that she couldn’t even cry. She felt paralyzed, in complete shock. Had she lost him? Was it really over?

Maggie whipped around to face Ben, who was holding his cheek, in pain. “This is all your fault.”

“My fault? He punched me.”

“Why did you have to come here, Ben? After all this time, why couldn’t you just let me be?”

He opened his mouth to speak, but she didn’t give him a chance.

“I was finally happy. Do you know how long it took me to feel that way again? And you ruined it. You ruined everything.”