Poppy Jacobson has sworn off the military life ever since her husband died and left her to raise their children alone. She vowed never to hurt that way again and spent her days looking after her two preschoolers, her house, her garden, and her part-time work as an accountant. But she longed for someone to hold her in the wee hours of the morning. But did her attraction to Carl dishonor her husband's memory? Carl Anders was her husband's best friend and an honorary uncle to her children, but for him that wasn't enough. He'd always loved Poppy and it was time for her to start living again, hopefully with him. Could he break through the barriers she'd erected since Peter died? A summer with them as guests at his beach house would tell the tale.