Never the Best by Maya Alden

She was never just a bet. She was always the best.
I’m Rhett Vanderbilt, and it’s time to make things right.

When I was seventeen, I made a terrible mistake. What started as a reckless, heartless bet spiraled into something far worse. Pearl Beaumont was awkward, sweet, and hopelessly trusting—and I took advantage of every bit of it. By the time I was done, I’d left her with a broken heart and a ruined reputation.
She left Savannah not long after, and now, fifteen years later, she’s back. A lot has changed. I’m not the same selfish kid I once was. I’m determined to right my wrongs.
What I don’t expect is to find myself working alongside Pearl—or to see the woman she’s become. Confident, driven, and completely uninterested in my apologies—or me. She’s nothing like the girl I once knew. Somehow, we manage to rebuild a fragile friendship; and the more time I spend with her, the more I find myself drawn to her.
But then my fiancée decides to dig up the past, dragging Pearl’s name through the mud all over again. It’s then that I finally understand the depth of the pain I caused—the toll it took on this kind, remarkable woman.
Ending my engagement is the easy part. Proving to Pearl that she was always the one? Earning her trust? That’s going to be the fight of my life.