Fractured Silence

She becomes the one place he feels safe

Evan Jameson, Deaf since birth, works highway construction, steady under pressure and trusted on the job. But the promotion he wants hinges on a test hes terrified to take. Reading has always been his quiet shame, a struggle hes never let anyone see.

College librarian, Mercedes Martineau faces paying her rent alone when her roommate gets engaged. She doesnt expect the perfect new candidate to be her roommates brother. Hes comfortable, convenient, and yet dangerous in a way she doesnt want to admit.

Living together pulls Evan and Mercedes closer with every shared meal and daily conversation. When his secret is revealed, Mercedes offers to help him. Late-night study sessions soon shift their friendship into something more. But as old insecurities claw their way to the surface, Evan must face the truth: hes terrified of failing, not just the test…but the one woman he cant bear to lose.