The Chief’s Independence Day Spark

I came to Balsam Ridge to make the town’s Fourth of July celebration unforgettable.

I did not come here to become the fire chief’s fake fiancée.

But Caleb Torres needs a miracle. His department is up for a state grant that could replace their aging ladder truck, and after one panicked answer during a surprise video call, the grant board believes he’s engaged to a local woman helping with the Independence Day celebration.

Which, technically, could be me.

Our deal is simple. I’ll wear the ring, smile for the town, and stand beside Caleb until the fireworks. He gets a better chance at saving his department. I get a fresh start, a little breathing room, and maybe a few happy photos to prove my life is moving forward.

No strings. No messy feelings. No real heartbreak.

Except Caleb is steady, protective, and far too easy to believe in. Every practiced kiss feels less like pretending. Every small-town event pulls us closer. And somewhere between the picnic, the parade plans, and his grandmother’s ring on my finger, our fake engagement starts feeling like the most real thing in my life.

I was supposed to leave Balsam Ridge after the Fourth.

Now I’m wondering if my heart has already found a reason to stay.

The Chief’s Independence Day Spark is a sweet, closed-door small-town holiday romance featuring a fake engagement, a protective fire chief, a wounded event-planner heroine, meddling matchmakers, Fourth of July fireworks, and a happily-ever-after in Balsam Ridge.