Not Since You

When she was 17 years old, Ava Peters fell in love with Anderson Bailey, the broken, angry boy next door, and did everything she could to break through his walls and show him that someone cared. Surprisingly, she convinced him to go with her to prom. Unfortunately, after another brief glimpse behind his mask and an incredible, unexpected, first kiss in the moonlight, he disappeared without a trace, shattering her heart.
Ten years later their paths cross again, and they are forced through circumstances to spend time alone together. As they begin to get closer again, he gives her a glimpse of his broken past and the reason he never felt worthy of her. Can she break through his defenses a second time and point him to the One who can take his burdens and make him whole again? Can she convince him to stick around and give them a chance? Or will he end up running again out of fear that he still isn't good enough?

For his entire life, Anderson Bailey had run away from anything resembling a connection. He had a rough, traumatic past as a foster kid and was terrified of caring about something just to have it taken from him. To protect himself, he put on a mask of indifference and anger so everyone would stay away. But, it didn't deter the girl next door from worming her way into his heart with her sunny personality and constant attempts at getting him to open up. So, when an unexpected moment between them ended in a world-altering kiss, he ran again. He regretted it every day until she literally ran into him a decade later. Would he be able to resist her sunny personality so he wouldn't fall for her again? Would he be able to keep on his mask so he could protect both of their hearts? Or will she finally be able to convince him to open his heart and see that he is worthy of the love he never had?