The Chrome Ring
What happens when the no-kissing rule becomes the only lie they can't afford to keep?
Mechanic Bryan Hale can rebuild any engine, but he can't fix the quiet sadness clouding his mother's eyes. Devoted to the point of self-sabotage, Bryan knows his only hope of lifting her spirits?and saving his family legacy?is a beautiful, reckless lie.
He needs a fiancée. A temporary one. Someone who can sweep in, ignite hope, and then quietly leave.
Enter Janice Peterson, the sharp-witted salon owner who knows how to spot a salvage project. She agrees to the temporary "engagement" out of kindness, demanding just one non-negotiable term: No real kissing.
The tension is immediate, delicious, and utterly forbidden. Forced public affection, late-night blueprint sessions, and shared power tools quickly ignite a spark neither of them can deny. As they start physically building a future?a new salon right on his property?Janice realizes she's not just staging a performance; she's falling for the real, devoted man under the grease.
They faked the love to save the family. They built the foundation on the truth.
But when the fake feelings become terrifyingly real, how do they confess the truth without wrecking the fragile hope they've so carefully constructed? The lie saved his mother, but the truth might just save their hearts.
Find out what happens when a simple handshake agreement becomes a lifelong commitment, sealed with a ring made of salvaged chrome.
1. The No-Kissing Rule:
He hired her to be his fake fiancée. She agreed, insisting on one rule: Absolutely no kissing that wasn't for an audience. But when you're forced to share blueprints and the chemistry is hotter than an engine block, rules are the first thing that get wrecked.
2. The Hero's Appeal:
Warning: Do not fall for the small-town mechanic. Bryan Hale's arms are strong, his eyes are soulful, and his life is built on fixing beautiful, broken things. Guess which category his fake girlfriend falls into? (The answer is all three.)
3. The High Stakes:
In Greenfield, you can hide a wrecked car, but you can never hide a secret. When their fake dating scheme goes viral, the town gossips are the least of their problems. Now, they have to hide the terrifying truth: they're not faking it anymore.
4. The Unconventional Symbol:
Forget the diamonds. Her engagement ring is a piece of salvaged chrome trim from a car he brought back from the dead. Because in Greenfield, the most honest love stories are built on what you choose to keep.
5. The Emotional Harvest:
She came to build a salon. He stayed to avoid moving on. They ended up building a beautiful, messy life right where his biggest regrets used to stand. A fake relationship built on a very real foundation. Get ready to root for the repair.
