Salvation

I'm a liar. Proof? This smile fools everyone into thinking I've got it all together—that I'm happy, but in reality, I've been telling that lie since the day she left. The moment Ivy Cunningham ran away carrying our unborn child, I lost the man I once was and any hope in life. Sixteen years later, I'm one of Benton Falls' finest. To everyone in this small town, even my best friend, Hayes, I'm the quintessential cut-up, always ready with a joke. I take the hits, no matter who's throwing them, my brother, Hayes, or some reprobate I arrest in the line of duty. At home, in the dark, I'm marking time waiting for this to all be over. Life has nothing to offer me, but every day, I get up and try to convince myself otherwise. That is, until Ivy turns up on my doorstep. Suddenly, all the lies I've told come crashing down, and I'm left with anger and resentment at the woman who owns my heart.