Carter Fleming broke my heart right after our first kiss.
Years later, we found a way to be best friends again.
Until I blurt out to my evil stepsister that Carter is my boyfriend.
To avoid humiliating myself further, I ask for his help in maintaining a two-month-long charade.
My grumpy, commitment-phobic friend agrees on two conditions:
One: We can't get feelings involved. (Ha! Been there, done that, stole his t-shirt.)
Two: Move in with him while he renovates my old house.
Win-win, right?
Until every playful touch feels real and every kiss makes me lose sight of what we're really doing. Soon, I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we crossed those old lines we drew between us…
Author's note: Crossing Old Lines is a full-length standalone with no cliffhangers. Enjoy this flannel-ripping romance in a fun small town you won't want to leave.
Carter Fleming broke my heart right after our first kiss.
Years later, we found a way to be best friends again.
Until I blurt out to my evil stepsister that Carter is my boyfriend.
To avoid humiliating myself further, I ask for his help in maintaining a two-month-long charade.
My grumpy, commitment-phobic friend agrees on two conditions:
One: We can't get feelings involved. (Ha! Been there, done that, stole his t-shirt.)
Two: Move in with him while he renovates my old house.
Win-win, right?
Until every playful touch feels real and every kiss makes me lose sight of what we're really doing. Soon, I can’t help but wonder what would happen if we crossed those old lines we drew between us…
Author's note: Crossing Old Lines is a full-length standalone with no cliffhangers. Enjoy this flannel-ripping romance in a fun small town you won't want to leave.
Thirteen years ago…
Singing on stage with Carter Fleming was a dream come true. Granted, it was just the rickety stage in the Tangled River Academy gym on prom night, but it was still amazing. We’d been practicing our butts off, and it showed. We sounded great, despite the fact that my other best friend, Chloe Higgins, couldn’t perform with us due to her mom being lame.
Carter had gotten permission for us to practice in his dad’s old garage, since it wasn’t being used now that his loser dad was gone. We’d spent hours and hours in that dirty, smelly place, singing, playing guitar, and messing around until curfew.
We’d been flirting for ages, and I’d heard him tell his friend Wyatt once that I was the prettiest girl in school. So I kept waiting for him to kiss me, to make a move, but he never did.
My little sister Ella and I watched tons of romcoms, and I made sure to use the women’s tricks for getting a man to notice them.
And Carter was a man. He had thick, dark hair, dreamy eyes, and bulging muscles from working hard. He’d been the first in our class to grow a bit of stubble, which I found extremely hot. He might’ve been the first because he was actually a year older than our classmates. He told me once that he’d been held back a year but told everyone else he was a year younger. I would take that secret to the grave.
Just like he would take a few of my secrets to the grave. Like the time I’d lied to our biology professor about a death in the family to get out of a test I hadn’t studied for—better to retake it later than come home with an F. Or that I was the one who’d put a glitter bomb in the principal’s office after he told me I was “too athletic for a girl.”
Carter always had my back, and I always had his. But I’d been wanting more than that for a long time. And I was pretty sure he did too. While I made sure to compliment him and brush against him every opportunity I got, he checked me out when he thought I wasn’t looking and even pulled me into his lap once.
So tonight, I was going for gold.
I’d made up my mind that, after our set, I would pull him away somewhere and get the first kiss of my many, many dreams.
While our principal made a few announcements before our last song, I glanced over at Carter. He’d already ditched his tux jacket and bowtie. He’d also undone several buttons on the white shirt underneath and rolled up the sleeves. That sight sent a weird, warm feeling through the pit of my stomach, like butterflies.
He caught me looking, and his usual scowl melted into a small smile just for me. He seemed a little off tonight, grumpier than usual, but he probably just hated getting dressed up.
I double-checked that the spaghetti straps of my purple sequin minidress hadn’t fallen down again, then looked out over the crowd of our classmates and friends. They were staring up at us under the dizzying lights of a disco ball and colorful lasers that a town committee had let us use for the occasion. The wooden bleachers had all been pushed aside to make room for dancing, and for the punch and cookie table. Chaperones dotted the sidelines, drinking punch and gossiping with each other.
Chloe stood near the stage in her matching blue sequin dress, beaming at me. I waved to her as the principal wrapped up.
I sang the first few bars of a fun country song, while Carter strummed his guitar and drawled the lyrics along with me. I clapped my hands and stomped my bedazzled cowgirl boots. Most of the crowd joined in singing, having heard this particular song a million times on the radio, and danced to the beat.
As I sang, I felt like my life was finally about to take off. School was almost done. Carter and I would graduate. Then we’d hit the road and get discovered by a big country music label—maybe in Tennessee or something—and become legendary country stars. We’d talked about it for ages.
Chloe and I had also talked about college, but I held tightly to the idea that Carter and I could drive off into the sunset together.
As the last few notes of the song rang out and the gymnasium filled with cheers and whistles, I strode over to Carter, grabbed his hand, and lifted it into the air. This would be the first of our many performances. I was sure of it.
After a moment, he tugged his hand out of mine and busied himself with his guitar. Thinking nothing of it, I waved and smiled as I walked off stage. Carter followed me a moment later.
Sweat glistened on his stubbled upper lip, and his eyes looked shadowed. Still smiling, I grabbed his hand again and tugged him toward the back door.
The night was warm and filled with the sound of crickets. A single streetlamp lit the teachers’ parking lot, where most kids and teachers went to smoke or make out.
I spun back to face Carter. “Oh my gosh, wasn’t that so perfect? They loved it! They loved us! Imagine what we could do if we got a few of our songs taped. Then we could hook up with a songwriter—”
Carter pressed a finger to my lips, stepping forward until all I could see was him. His fingers brushed my skin as he lifted my fallen strap back onto my shoulder.
My heart beat triple-time as my mind sounded the alarm. It’s happening! It’s time! Kiss him now!
But I didn’t have to make the move. Instead, Carter lowered his head until his lips brushed against mine. Then he pulled back and grunted, his lips pursing. His gaze looked stormier than I’d ever seen it.
I stood on my tiptoes and clasped his scratchy face between my palms. I brushed my lips against his, the same way he had.
Then his lips devoured mine. His hands squeezed my hips, lifting me even higher. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t focus. I just followed my instincts and tried to copy his every move, giving as good as I got. When his tongue grazed mine, I squeaked.
He pulled back abruptly, panting like he’d done when we’d won the three-legged race a few months ago.
“Sarah,” he groaned. “I’m sorry, Sarah. I’m sorry.”
I let out a breathy laugh, still holding on to him for dear life. “Don’t be sorry. That was even better than I thought it’d be.”
He groaned again, sounding like he was in pain rather than ecstasy like me. Suddenly, his hands left my sides, and he stepped back.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he whispered, shaking his head and rubbing the back of his neck.
My heart jerked this way and that, unsure of what was happening. “What do you mean? I wanted it. You wanted it. We—we’re Sarah and Carter. Everyone figured this was going to happen.”
But Carter kept shaking his head and backed up another step so I couldn’t reach him. “I can’t go on the road with you, Sarah.”
A wound gaped open in my chest, growing wider and wider the more distance he put between us. “You don’t mean that,” I whispered. “We always talked about—”
“I can’t,” he interrupted. “I’m sorry, but it probably wouldn’t have worked out anyway.”
I blinked several times, my mouth hanging open. My life, my future, everything was crashing down around me. Tears burned my eyes.
His hand lifted as if to touch me, but he dropped it in the next second. “I really am sorry, Sarah. But I know you’ll do great in college.”
Anger snapped to the surface. “Screw you, Carter Fleming! Don’t you ever talk to me again!”
Before he could respond with anything more than a stricken expression, I ran past him back into the school. I found Chloe, who immediately walked me home. She kept asking what was wrong, but I didn’t say anything other than to tell her I was going to college with her, and that guys were stupid. How much she guessed from that, I didn’t know. But it was true.
Carter Fleming had broken my heart, and I’d never let him have another chance with it.
An evil stepsister, a really hot best friend, and small-town gossip make this the perfect feel-good romance. Crossing Old Lines: A Small Town Romance by Leah Smith is about two best friends that are perfect for each other but are beyond stubborn when it comes to revealing their feelings. This is the second book in the Tangled River series, but it can be read as a standalone.
Sarah has accepted the fact that her and Carter will only ever be just friends. After having her heart broken in high school, Sarah doesn’t trust that Carter could ever have romantic feelings for her. Carter has decided that he isn’t good enough for a real relationship, so he must strictly think of Sarah as only a friend. This friendship is tested when Sarah tells her stepsister Blair that her and Carter are actually dating. If fake dating her best friend wasn’t hard enough, Carter ups the challenge by asking Sarah to move in with him while he renovates her house. With town gossip spreading their relationship like wildfire, Sarah and Carter start to blur the lines between fake dating and a real relationship.
As a big fan of romance, this book had a few of my favorite tropes in it. Not only was there fake dating (my favorite trope), but there was also the one bed trope, a second chance romance, and friends to lovers. The fake dating was so funny and heartwarming to read. I laughed out loud when Carter called Sarah his “Love Bunny,” but Sarah’s reply of “cheeky little sex muffin” was even better.
Besides the romance, I enjoyed the author’s writing style because it was funny and easy to read. I was hooked within the first couple chapters, and it only took me a few days to read. I also liked that the story was told using two points of views (Carter and Sarah) because it helped me understand the characters better, and it added to the romance.
My biggest issue with this story was the plotline of Sarah’s stepsister Blair. Their issues could have easily been fixed, yet they acted childish and drug out their problems with each other. Besides their issues, I found them and Carter as well to be very immature for their age.
Overall, I would recommend this book to adults who love a feel-good romance that includes some steaminess. I felt giddy while reading this story, and I think anyone who loves a good fake dating romance will really enjoy this book. Please note that besides the sex scenes, there is also swearing and some mentions of infidelity and divorce.