When I first met him, I didn’t know who he was. He was everything you’d notice right away—gorgeous, successful, witty, and far too young. That detail bears repeating. He was much younger than me, and that’s where the story should’ve ended.

But let’s go back to how it all started. My best friend, convinced I needed to start dating again, took matters into her own hands. Without my knowledge, she set up a dating profile for me—targeting men in their twenties. The profile wasn’t supposed to go live, but it did, and that’s when he found me.

We started messaging. He made me laugh, even though I was adamant that his age was a barrier we couldn’t cross. I insisted we’d only ever be friends. But after weeks of charming persistence, I agreed to one date—my first after twenty years with someone else. I told myself it wouldn’t lead to anything. I was just curious.

Curiosity, though, has a way of leading you down unexpected paths.

When I walked into the restaurant, nerves were high, and then I saw him. He was sitting at the bar, and when he turned around, that smile knocked the wind out of me. He was even more attractive in person. But as I got closer, I realized why he seemed so familiar.

He was the boy next door from my family’s summer home. The kid I used to know, now grown into a man.

I left that night, determined to put the whole thing behind me. And I did—until summer arrived, and he showed up at his family’s home once again.

What started as an innocent reconnection became something more. The chemistry between us was undeniable, but could I really ignore our past and the obstacles between us? Could I let myself fall for the man he had become?

"On My Own Terms" is a captivating tale of unexpected love, second chances, and discovering the courage to write your own story, no matter the rules.