Aspen Hale stared across the desk at the U.S. Marshall and felt defeated. His eyes met hers, revealing the pity she knew he felt deep down inside.

“So you are telling me that even after I testify against him, I can’t go back to my old life?”

Her heart pounded as she stared at the federal agent who she met with weekly in her new city. Columbia, South Carolina, was a long way away from where she grew up, and it looked like she was going to be getting real comfortable in the southern city.

“Unfortunately, people who enter into the witness protection program, we highly advise that they don’t go back to their previous lives,” U.S. Marshall Elliot Ball announced. He shook his head and leaned back in his chair.

“But that seems a little unfair.” She gasped. “I didn’t do anything wrong! I’ve been working with the FBI diligently, and this is the thanks I get?”

“It’s never fair, Ms. Hale.” He shook his head again.

She still had to get used to the new last name. Aspen pulled in a deep breath and tried to keep the tears from falling. Her life had been ripped away from her, all because of someone else’s crooked ways. At least the witness protection program allowed her to keep some form of her identity.

Her first name.

Everything else had been taken from her. The job she loved. Her family. Her friends.

Everything was just…gone.

Instead, here she was, hidden away, living the life of one Aspen Hale.

“Most people who enter the witness protection program are criminals, but you”—he paused and ran a hand through his hair as his tired eyes connected with hers—“you were an innocent who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“I know.” She sighed. It wasn’t fair for her to take her frustrations out on him. He was protecting her and keeping her alive. “Same time and place next week?”

“Yes. You have a good week, and try making a friend or two,” he advised, standing from behind the desk.

Like that would solve my problem.

She gave him a tight smile as she turned and walked out. She strode through the building that housed his makeshift office and stepped outside.

Taking a deep breath, she looked around the small downtown and took it all in. This was her life now. She glanced down at her watch—it was time for her to start making her way to work.

She guessed she should be happy that they’d placed her in South Carolina. At least the weather was always nice. They could have placed her in some tiny town in the middle of nowhere Montana. And at least Columbia was a southern city where the people all smiled and had manners.

She began the route to the library where she currently held a job. It didn’t pay nowhere near the money she had made in her other life, but it provided a roof over her head.

Before her life had been ripped away, she’d been a successful forensic accountant. The best, and that was what had led to her current life now. Her father, Mason Irwin, was a successful computer tycoon who ran a Fortune 500 company in California. He had become suspicious of some dealings that had been going on with the company and had hired her to look into where money had been disappearing.

Aspen had never wanted run the business but knew that one day she would inherit a hefty sum of money from her parents. Thanks to her father’s success, she had never wanted for anything except to make her own way in life. She didn’t want to succeed based on her last name. No, Aspen Irwin wanted to make it because of her own hard work.

Once Mason was ready to retire, the board would pick his successor. Yes, her father had tried to groom Aspen and wanted her to be the one who took over, but that just wasn’t her. She preferred to be behind the scenes of a business, and numbers were more her thing.

She remembered the day she had discovered that her father had been correct. Someone had been embezzling money from the business, and she couldn’t believe who it was.

“Good morning,” a voice called out, breaking into Aspen’s trip down memory lane.

She glanced up. A woman waved to her from in front of the coffee shop. Aspen returned the smile and waved back. She’d seen and spoken to her a few times when she’d run over to grab a cup of joe. It was a nice, small shop with delicious coffee.

“Good morning,” she replied, and for the life of her, she couldn’t remember her name, but it didn’t stop the lady from offering a bright smile.

This was certainly the south.

Aspen glanced around and found herself in front of the County Library. She took in the stone building that had been around forever and was full of rich history. A deep sigh escaped her chest, and she hefted her purse on her shoulder and hurried into the building.

She was Aspen Hale now.

Library assistant.

“You’re early,” a familiar voice rang out as she marched into the break room. Her one friend, Evelyn Hayes, was sitting at the table drinking coffee.

“Hey, Evie.” She smiled and walked over to her locker. “How’s it been today?”

“Quiet, as usual. So, did you think about it?” Evie asked, hope lining her voice.

Without turning around, Aspen knew that her friend would be bouncing in her chair. For weeks now, Evie had been trying to arrange a blind date for Aspen with her neighbor. Aspen had tried to avoid the subject. She’d had too much on her mind to think of dating.

Things like testifying against her father’s best friend and partner and staying alive.

“I don’t know, Evie,” she groaned, securing her belongings up in her locker. She turned and leaned her back against it to stare at Evie.

“Oh, come on. I’m not saying you have to marry him.” Evie jumped up from her chair and rushed toward Aspen. “It would just be a date. I think you two would be perfect together.”

“How do you know that? We’ve only been friends for a few months.” Aspen chuckled. She’d moved to Columbia a little over three months ago and had been working at the library less than that.

“I have an eye for this sort of thing.” Evie shrugged her shoulder.

“Well, if he’s so sexy and good-looking, why aren’t you dating him?” She cocked an eyebrow and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She’d never had to have anyone arrange a date for her before and she wouldn’t be starting now. It wasn’t that she was vain about her appearance, but she knew she was blessed in the looks department.

“He’s not my type,” she replied matter-of-factly. “But you two would make a perfect couple.”

“What’s wrong with him if he can’t get a date himself?” Something had to be wrong with the guy. A sexy man never needed help finding a woman. If he was as good-looking as Evie gushed, something had to be wrong with him.

“I promise. There is nothing wrong with Declan. Pinkie swear.” Evie offered her pinky to Aspen. Her friend was vastly growing on her, and Aspen knew she meant well.

Try making a friend or two, the words of Agent Ball rang in her head.

Well, if it didn’t work out between her and this Declan, she could always use another friend.

“Okay.” She sighed, hooking her pinky with Evie’s, who let out a squeal of delight. “One date and that’s it.”

“I promise. Declan Owen will rock your world.”

Declan Owen pulled into the parking lot of his apartment building and sighed. He was dogshit tired from a long day’s work. Shutting off his truck, he glanced around the lot. His neighbor’s car was parked not too far from his. He had been trying to avoid her at all costs the last few weeks. Apparently she had decided he needed a woman in his life and she’d be the perfect person to match him up.

Declan Owen didn’t need help finding a woman. He had plenty that he could call on if he were to ever get lonely.

He stepped out of his truck and grabbed his duffle bag from the back seat. It had been a long day for the SWAT sergeant. His team had been called out to two incidents, and he was beat. He just wanted to take a shower, drink a cold beer or two, and then crash on either his couch or his bed. He wasn’t picky.

Dec entered his complex and quickly checked his mailbox. It was a small building, three stories tall, and housed two apartments on each level. Grabbing the few bits of mail he had in his box, he made his way up to the second floor where his apartment was located.

He tried to get inside his home before his nosey neighbor heard him, but he was too late.

“Dec!” Evie’s cheerful voice called out from behind him.

He blew out a deep breath and turned.

“Hey, Evie,” he murmured, trying to keep all emotions from his face. No matter how many times he scowled at her, growled, or just put on his best ‘fuck off’ attitude, she seemed to see right through him. Her bubbly personality just couldn’t take a hint.

“Long day at work? You look beat,” she said, leaning against her doorjamb. She was sporting two blonde pigtails on top of her head.

If he hadn’t known her age, he would have assumed she was about twelve. A background check he had run on her when she’d moved in confirmed she was twenty-seven.

“Yeah, long day. Have a good night.” He nodded to her and turned his back, hefting his duffle bag on his shoulder. He stepped over the threshold into his apartment and paused as he felt a presence behind him.

“You remember my friend from work I was telling you about?” Evie asked, standing in his doorway.

He sighed and sent up a prayer that his nosey little neighbor would get the hint that he just wanted to be alone.

“Evie, I’m dead on my feet—”

“This won’t take long. So I asked my friend again, and she said yes!” A wide grin broke out on her face, and she hopped in one place.

“Evie, I’ve told you a million times—”

“Aw, come on, Dec. Who better to show the new girl a good time than you?”

“But, Evie—”

“You’re a cop, so I know she would be safe. I wouldn’t want to hook her up with just anyone. Please?” Her wide eyes pleaded with him, and she crossed her fingers.

He glanced up at the ceiling of his dark apartment and sent up a prayer that he wouldn’t regret this decision.

“Okay, Evie. One date.”

He cringed at her squeal of joy.

“Thank you so much, Dec. You won’t regret it at all. You and Aspen will go great together.”

He watched her skip back to her apartment and shut the door. He stood frozen, unsure of when he had lost control of his dating life.