Sophie Barnes is done with men in uniform. After a failed marriage and a quiet return to her coastal hometown, she's rebuilt a life filled with strong coffee, sunrise walks, and guarded peace. The last thing she needs is a charming Navy SEAL breaking her espresso machine—and every wall she's carefully constructed. Cal Maddox never planned to get stuck on land. With a shoulder injury threatening to end his career, he takes refuge in a small town, helping out at a local marine rescue program while waiting for the next move. What he didn't expect was Sophie—sharp-tongued, fiercely independent, and utterly unforgettable. Thrown together by community projects, a sea turtle rescue mission, and a storm that traps them in close quarters, the attraction between them grows undeniable. But when Cal's call back to duty looms, Sophie must confront her biggest fear: falling for someone who could vanish again. Can a soldier torn between service and something real find a new kind of purpose? And can a woman who's survived heartbreak learn to trust a man who might actually stay? Sometimes, the deepest love is the one you never see coming. Will they risk everything to dive beneath the surface?