He's here to shut it all down. So why can't he stay away from the barista determined to save it?

For three years, Brandon Hayes has poured his heart—and perfectly extracted espresso—into Common Grounds. It's more than just a coffee shop; it's the beating heart of the Ridgewood Galleria, a place where found family gathers to survive the slow decay of the American mall. Brandon knows the end might be coming, but he refuses to go down without a fight.

Enter Michael Ashford.

Buttoned-up, exhausted, and wearing a suit that costs more than Brandon's rent, Michael is the corporate fixer sent by Sterling Property Group to deliver the final blow. He's spent twenty years climbing the ladder by making the hard, heartless choices that maximize shareholder value. His assignment is simple: assess the property, recommend a sale to developers, and get back to his real life in Chicago.

It should be just another spreadsheet. But Michael didn't account for the guy behind the counter.

Brandon is everything Michael isn't: warm, chaotic, and infuriatingly hopeful. A late-night coffee turns into a routine, and a routine turns into a connection Michael hasn't felt in years. But as Michael peels back the layers of the community Brandon loves, he realizes the "smart" business decision will destroy the only place that has ever made him feel at home.

With a developer circling and a board demanding answers, Michael must choose between the career he's built and the man who taught him how to live.

Common Grounds is Book 3 in The Closing Time Series, but can be read as a standalone. Expect terrible diner pie, rooftop confessions, high-stakes corporate drama, and a hard-won Happy Ever After.

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