Steel-Toed Slow Dance

Maggie Gates

Longtime friends who’ve denied their attraction for over a decade give in to their simmering romantic feelings. Mason Bishop knows that timing is everything. He moves patiently with nerves of steel honed from years of rodeo riding, always waiting for the perfect moment. He’s had years of practice in his personal life, pining over the one woman he could never have: Hallie Campbell, the ex-wife of his ex–best friend. Hallie is struggling to stay afloat. As a single mom and the estate manager of a sprawling equestrian ranch, she’s already got her hands full. Never mind her teenage son, who isolates himself at home, acts out at school, and is hell-bent on connecting with his absentee father. As her coworker on the Wilder Estate, Mason has always been Hallie's confidant and has always made her feel like she’s enough. Now, for the first time in a long time, he makes her feel seen and desired as a woman too. What Mason and Hallie didn’t anticipate was the fallout of solidifying their relationship. As the two fall into each other’s arms, long-buried truths come to light about Hallie and Mason’s history. Everyone—including Hallie’s son—is embroiled in an emotional reckoning that will leave them unsteady. And when the dust settles, can Mason and Hallie make it through?