Colton

Evie made a selfless decision to save a life, and the cost left her with very little. The narrator has thought about her and her young daughter for months. He has kept her photo on him, haggled with a hardware clerk over sparkly paint for the girl's room, and checked on an apartment he hopes to give the two of them. He insists none of this means anything unusual.

When he learns Evie is finally willing to accept help, he flies his jet out to collect her. She is more depleted than he expected, but she is also sharp. She nicknames him Conan, after the barbarian, and has no patience for his posturing. Meanwhile, the little girl has him acting foolishly just to earn a smile. By his own admission, he may be fixated after all.

Jenna Myles writes about people who come from hard places. Her stories build slowly, with heat, attitude, a lot of love, and plenty of swearing. This book addresses foster care and body image, and includes brief references to violence that happens off the page.