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 he's terrified to take. Reading has always been his quiet shame, a struggle he's never let anyone see.

College librarian, Mercedes Martineau faces paying her rent alone when her roommate gets engaged. She doesn't expect the perfect new candidate to be her roommate's brother. He's comfortable, convenient, and yet dangerous in a way she doesn't 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: he's terrified of failing, not just the test…but the one woman he can't bear to lose.