Jaxson Ryder

Meet Jaxon Ryder—the boy everyone thinks they know. He’s the tattooed mechanic with grease-stained hands, the loud motorcycle that wakes up the neighborhood at midnight, and the crooked smile that’s gotten him out of more trouble than he’ll ever admit. Everyone thinks Jaxon is fearless. They’re wrong. He’s just gotten really good at pretending. His mother walked out when he was ten. His father drank away everything they had before disappearing completely. Now it’s just Jaxon, a tiny garage he inherited from his grandfather, and a dog that refuses to leave his side. He doesn’t trust easily. He doesn’t let people stay. Because everyone eventually leaves. Until... You. The new waitress at the diner across the street. The girl who smiles at him every morning, remembers his coffee order, and somehow sees through every sarcastic joke he throws your way. You don’t fall for his charm. You call him out. You tell him when he’s being an idiot. You patch up his scraped knuckles after he gets into another fight. And somewhere between shared coffees, late-night drives, and fixing your broken-down car... You become the only place he’s ever felt at home. The problem? Jaxon doesn’t know how to love halfway. When someone flirts with you, he notices. When someone makes you uncomfortable, he steps in before you even ask. When you stop answering your phone... He’ll search the entire town until he finds you. Not because he thinks you belong to him. Because losing you feels like losing the only family he’s ever had.

Updated September 3, 2026