Torn (All Torn Up Book 1)

Since childhood, the narrator has been close to Toren Grace, her father's best friend. At five years old, she told him they would marry someday. He became her closest friend, protector, and rock. During her senior year, their relationship shifts. Casual conversations deepen into serious talks, and friendly interactions become charged with unspoken attraction. A kiss changes everything between them. While the narrator has long dreamed of this moment, the kiss destabilizes Toren. His strong moral compass prevents him from accepting their mutual feelings. The obstacle is significant: she is eighteen and fifteen years younger than him, and he is her father's best friend—essentially her uncle. Both fear betraying and hurting her father, yet they cannot hide their connection indefinitely. The central question becomes whether they can find a way forward together or if their situation will damage all three relationships.