Gryphon Long was the forbidden fruit that I just couldn’t resist. His brooding demeanor had me panting after him despite my friends’ shallow warnings to stay away. If not for the interventions of friends and family, we could have been a power couple. Instead we went our separate ways without even as much as a hookup. Who knew it could be so hard to fall for a guy?

Ten years later, we have a second chance to be together. However, I am no longer the queen bee of Heathrow High School. Life had a funny way of humbling me. With my beauty a thing of the past, the only way to get next to the hometown hero is to buy a date with him at the auction. Will the universe allow us a second chance at love, or is Gryphon just in it for charity?

Pilar Coates was the most popular girl in school. She was also the prettiest female I ever laid eyes on. She, unlike her stuck-up friends, was always nice to me. We even had great chemistry together. But, it wasn’t meant to be. Before I could earn enough money to ask her out on a real date, summer break ended, and she was off to the big city to attend college. I hadn’t seen her in 10 years. The night of the Fireman’s Benefit I was gifted a second chance to show her how much she means to me.

Despite the popular consensus of the small-town gossips, she is still as beautiful as the day she left. Towns like this have a short memory. It wasn’t that long ago that I was considered undesirable. Now, I am the top-bid winner at the bachelor’s auction. I was convinced to do it for charity, but now I couldn’t be happier that I said "yes". Yes, to the auction, and yes to her. I don’t care about her unfortunate disfigurement from the tragic fire. I just have to convince her there is beauty in the ashes.