{"product_id":"once-and-again-barrett-creek","title":"ONCE AND AGAIN (BARRETT CREEK)","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e \u003cspan\u003eRiggs Wheeler was my first everything.\u003cbr\u003eMy first crush.\u003cbr\u003eMy first kiss.\u003cbr\u003eMy first heartbreak.\u003cbr\u003eHe was my older brother, Beck’s best friend, and I used to follow them constantly—begging to be included.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGo home, Tagalong. You’re too little to keep up.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThat’s what Beck always called me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTagalong.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot Riggs though—he always called me Gem.\u003cbr\u003eI used to think it meant something. Grew up believing that someday he’d open his eyes and see me. Someday, he’d realize that what he’s been looking for has been right in front of him all along. When he joined the military, I panicked because\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e someday\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e wasn’t coming soon enough and if I wanted him to see me before he left, I’d have to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003emake\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e him look at me.\u003cbr\u003eI’d have to tell him how I felt.\u003cbr\u003eWhat I wanted before it was too late.\u003cbr\u003eWhen I kissed him that night, he kissed me back.\u003cbr\u003eI thought that meant something too.\u003cbr\u003eI was wrong.\u003cbr\u003eNow Beck lives in LA—a big-time movie star and I’m still little \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTagalong\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Still trying to keep up. Still looking for a place to belong. Someone to call home.\u003cbr\u003eWhen Riggs comes back to Barrett it becomes my job to take care of him.\u003cbr\u003eA wounded warrior, he’s so bitter and broken I barely recognize him.\u003cbr\u003eBut he still calls me Gem.\u003cbr\u003eStill looks at me like I’m something worth seeing.\u003cbr\u003eStill kisses me like he means it, and maybe, just maybe... that’s enough to heal us both.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books Prime","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45922719727807,"sku":"69058b89-fd48-43fa-b5cc-4670bd61fad8","price":21.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/7550\/7647\/files\/d9698c10b4d0223fe769ca463f6e29d5.jpg?v=1785190390","url":"https:\/\/books-prime.com\/products\/once-and-again-barrett-creek","provider":"Books Prime","version":"1.0","type":"link"}