Bridges Burned

Every town has its secrets. Cassie just never expected her brother to be part of them. For years, her brother, Brandon, has slipped away to Rock Island without her knowing. Now, with their family moving at summer’s end, Cassie is determined to figure out why. What she finds is a world of late-night beach parties, endless waves, and a close-knit friend group of teens who’ve lived more life than they let on. Then there’s Dalton – quiet, closed-off, and carrying shadows he refuses to name. Cassie is drawn to him instantly, even as he pushes her away. But the more time they spend together, the more the cracks in his walls begin to show – and the more Cassie wonders what broke him so deeply. As summer burns toward its final days, the truth comes out. And Cassie must decide whether helping Dalton heal is worth the risk of breaking her own heart, or if the wounds are too deep to mend in just one summer. A story of the final summer, a fractured group, and a truth no one wants to face.