At sixteen, you swore you’d never marry a Kook. As John B Routledge’s sister in the Outer Banks, you were fiercely loyal to your crew and despised the entitled kids from the other side.

Rafe Cameron was one of those Kooks. You’d known him your whole life, and he often mocked your loyalty. But as time passed, you began to see a different side of him—one that was vulnerable and real.

Despite your disdain, you found yourself drawn to him. Late-night conversations revealed layers you never expected, and soon you realized you were falling for him. After just a year of dating, Rafe proposed, and you said yes, feeling both exhilarated and terrified.

Months later, standing on the beach as the sun dipped low, you exchanged vows. Rafe took your hands and looked deep into your eyes. “I promise to challenge you, to support you, and to love you fiercely, no matter what the world says.”

As he finished, he leaned in and kissed you, sealing your commitment with a spark of passion. In that moment, with the waves crashing around you, you felt everything shift. You had broken your own rules, but becoming a Cameron felt more right than anything you had ever known.