One grumpy football player. One sunshine cheerleader. One fake relationship with a very real problem: he's already in love with her.

Poppy Hayes is everyone's sunshine. The bubbly college cheerleader who always shows up for others, even when nobody notices she needs someone, too. After losing a boyfriend and her closest friends in one painful breakup, she's determined never to risk another friendship for love. 

Grant Voss is a man of few words and even fewer smiles. The intimidating college football player has been hopelessly in love with Poppy for six months, ever since she kissed him in front of forty thousand screaming fans. But finding the courage to tell her? Impossible. Especially when she's made it perfectly clear they're better off as friends.

When Poppy's family mistakes that very public kiss for the beginning of a relationship, she needs a fake boyfriend for her sister's wedding. And who better than her grumpy best friend? Grant agrees, because pretending to love Poppy is the easiest thing he's ever done. Surviving their carefully negotiated fake dating rules? That's another story.

But the longer they pretend, the harder it becomes for Poppy to ignore how real this all feels. Grant has always been the steady presence in her life, the man who shows up when everyone else is too busy to notice she needs someone. Falling for him would be easy. Risking the friendship she can't imagine living without? That's a line she can't cross.

Because Grant has finally become the man Poppy turns to first. And he's terrified that when the pretending ends, he'll go right back to being her second option.

Second Option is a steamy, slow burn New Adult college football romance featuring a grumpy, protective football hero, a sunshine cheerleader with a guarded heart, fake dating, friends to lovers, only one bed, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Book Two in the Thorndale Hearts series. Can be read as a standalone.

Perfect for readers who love Kandi Steiner's emotional sports romance, Abby Jimenez's heart-and-humor balance, and Emily Henry-style banter with big feelings.

Fake dating. Friends-to-lovers. Grumpy/sunshine. He falls first. Protective hero, Best friend's ex. Only One bed. Found family, Slow burn. Dual POV.