Unemployed. Blacklisted. Drowning in debt. I'm the saddest case of a man who had it all and then lost it. Back in Pine Ridge, I smile and lie. But in a hot minute, I confess everything into a recording microphone, and I meet Kai. His kindness terrifies me. I'm completely and unexpectedly drawn to him. As we fight a predatory corporation threatening to exploit our small town, something shifts. Kai sees me, and suddenly I'm not pretending anymore. In this small town, I once couldn't wait to escape, I'm discovering what I've been searching for all along. Home isn't a place. It's a person. And maybe—just maybe—I'm brave enough to stay. Returning to Pine Ridge is a prequel novella in Ana Ashley's new series, Pine Ridge. Expect small-town romance, corporate corruption, and discover why this small town becomes a sanctuary for broken men learning to heal. This is where the story begins.