Samuel Cooke knows most women wouldnโt give him a second glance even if he were the last man on earth. Heโs the cripple with crutches, the nerdy computer genius every female past puberty feels compelled to mother. So when he leaves his lucrative career to teach programming to high schoolers, romance definitely isnโt on his radar.
Perhaps thatโs why Greta Cassamajor catches him off guard. The sarcastic gym coach with zero sense of humor is no beautyโnot even on the inside. But an inexplicably kind act toward Samuel makes him realize she is interesting.
Samuel is certain she wonโt accept his invitation to dinnerโso when she does, heโs out of his depth. All he knows is that heโll do whatever it takes to keep her as long as he can. Pretending heโs got his class under control? Easy. Being vulnerable enough to admit why he ditched his programming career for teaching? Um, no. That would require honesty. And if thereโs one thing Samuel canโt exist without, itโs the lies he tells himself.
In this poignant, witty debut, Ramsey Hootman upends traditional romance tropes to weave a charming tale of perseverance, trust, and slightly conditional love.