Chapter 1: The Engagement and the Outsider

Everybody in town knows the Governor’s son, Harrison Whitmore, has a crush on someone—and I know it too.

Still, I can’t figure out why he goes out of his way to mess with me every single day. He’s always got this vibe, like he’s doing me a favor or something, but half the time I can’t tell if he’s about to tease me or lecture me. Seriously, is this just what happens when you get mixed up with the Whitmores?

"Harrison, aren’t you going to see your girlfriend tonight?" I ask, trying to sound chill, but it comes out sharper than I mean.

He looks at me, totally serious, not even a hint of a smile. It’s the kind of look that makes you wish you’d just kept your mouth shut.

"I want a real family. A real kid of my own."

But he already has one…

On my sweet sixteen, the mayor himself showed up at our house and announced I was going to be Harrison’s fiancée.

The excitement was off the charts—everyone was buzzing. The whole house felt electric, almost like Christmas Eve. Except this time, I was the present, and honestly, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be unwrapped. Was this really happening to me?

Everyone grinned and congratulated me, acting like I was the only one not thrilled about it all.

After the guests left, I broke down to my mom:

"Mom, I don’t want to get married. I don’t want to marry Harrison."

Everybody knows Harrison’s in love with someone else. She’s gorgeous, generous, and scary smart. She took over her family’s restaurant at thirteen and made it a hit. I mean, who does that at thirteen? People can’t stop talking about her.

I heard that once, during a regatta, Harrison fell into the lake and she was the one who dove in and saved him.

Ever since, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. He followed her around for months until she finally said yes.

They’re perfect together—like something straight out of a movie.

Me? I’m just the county clerk’s only daughter. Sure, I learned piano, chess, art, and writing from the best teachers,

But I’m not amazing at any of them, and I’m definitely not a genius. If I marry into the Whitmore family, I’ll just end up miserable.

Mom gets it, but she still squeezed my hand, smiling:

"Be good, Rosie. Marrying Harrison is a blessing, and it’ll make the Carter family proud. Just wait for your big wedding!"

Her voice was soft, but her eyes looked so tired, like she’d already thought through every option and this was the best we could hope for. I wanted to scream, but all I could do was nod and wipe my tears on my dress sleeve.

I was in shock. My dad’s and brother’s futures, the whole family’s fate—aren’t those supposed to matter more than my happiness?

Later, I overheard people at the farmer’s market whispering:

"Elena Rivera’s from a business family, so she can only be the girlfriend."

So that’s how it is… Even the market folks understood what I hadn’t. The air was thick with the smell of fresh peaches and kettle corn, but all I could taste was bitterness.

A month later, I married into the Whitmore mansion. Elena moved in too, as Harrison’s girlfriend. (Guess that’s just how things work around here—old family traditions die hard.)

The housekeeper guarded my room, so Harrison had to come and send her away.

"You’re Rosie Carter?"

Harrison is good-looking, but seriously, is he clueless?