Bailey Hart has mastered the art of staying small.
A lighthouse-bookstore, a quiet life in Coral Bell Cove, and enough romance novels to drown out the heartbreak she swore she’d never repeat. She’s sworn off big leaps, big risks, and especially the boy who once left her love note—and her heart—on full display.

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Crew Wright was supposed to have it all.
The charming quarterback with a Southern smile and a future paved in stadium lights… until an injury sent everything crashing down. Now he’s back home to heal his shoulder, his pride, and the parts of himself he buried beneath fame. He’s not expecting Bailey—the girl who saw him before the world ever did.

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What starts as borrowed tools, paint-splattered afternoons, and late-night confessions quickly turns into something neither of them can outrun.

Bailey wants to protect her heart.
Crew wants a second chance to prove he won’t break it.

But when old wounds reopen and the world comes calling for him again, they’ll have to decide if love is something you chase…or something you stay for.

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At First Play is a slow-burn, banter-filled, small-town romance about forgiveness, falling again, and finding the one person who feels like home—no matter how far you’ve run.