Romantic Secrets #21

A career girl determined to keep romance at arm's length hires an attractive escort for the summer, certain he's the shallow type she can dismiss once the season ends. But when Mike's honest words about her guarded heart cut deeper than she expected, Beth begins to question whether she's been protecting herself or simply running away from the possibility of real love.

A young woman in love with Larry feels it's time to talk marriage, but his lack of ambition and fear of commitment keep him sidestepping the conversation. When she turns to his successful father for advice, she finds herself drawn into the orbit of Spencer Barker, a driven coworker—setting off a chain of events that forces Larry to finally confront what he stands to lose. A 1959 romance that explores whether love alone is enough to inspire a man to find his gumption.

A young woman denied her dream of college develops a bitter resentment toward the friends who get to go while she stays behind to work—so when one of them finally shows interest, she resolves to prove she's moved on by running with a rougher crowd. But as she spirals into reckless nights that leave her hollow, she discovers that spite is no substitute for the life she really wants, and that the people who matter most haven't actually left her behind.